Amazon boasts an outstanding sense of speed and diversified business development among international companies. There are many attractive positions, and this is a company that managers in their late 30s who want to advance their career should consider trying at least once. However, when they actually go through the selection process, many people find themselves thinking, “No matter how many times I go for an interview, I still can't pass” or “I don't know what specific areas I need to improve.”
Especially for those who have a proven track record as managers in the manufacturing industry, Amazon's hiring standards are stricter than expected, and often require an understanding of the company's unique culture. Achievements and leadership that are highly valued at Japanese companies do not necessarily appear highly to interviewers at Amazon.This gap is often the cause of unsuccessful selection.
In this article, we will break down the typical reasons why people fail the Amazon interview into five categories and provide concrete explanations on how to overcome them. I hope that those of you in your late 30s aiming for the next stage of your career will find this helpful as a hint to help you avoid making the same mistakes again and win a job offer at Amazon.
1. Only a superficial understanding of Amazon's OLP
Amazon's Leadership Principles (OLP) are important behavioral guidelines that support not only job interviews but also the company's culture itself.
For example, there are more than 10 OLPs, such as Customer Obsession, Ownership, and Invent and Simplify, and interviewers will carefully assess how deeply you understand and embody these.
If you are someone who has focused on things like "improving efficiency," "quality control," and "ensuring safety" in the manufacturing industry, you probably have stories that are highly compatible with Amazon's OLP. However, many of those who lose out merely memorize the name of OLP or list keywords that seem to be similar at first glance, and are unable to link specific actions to OLP. Even if you say, “I put the customer first” on the surface, if the interviewer takes a step further and asks, “In what situations and how did you put that into action?” you will be at a loss for an answer.
Improvement measures – First, understand the background of each OLP: Why does Amazon attach importance to its guidelines? Read stories from the company's founding and messages from Jeff Bezos to get a grasp of the underlying philosophy. – Connect experience in the manufacturing industry with OLP: For example, consider whether the experience of improving complaint handling by thinking from the customer's perspective falls under Customer Obsession, and the story of leading a project that spans multiple teams falls under Ownership. – Organize your past actions using the STAR method: When asked in an interview, if you can logically explain Situation, Task, Action, and Result and show that “this matches ◯◯ in Amazon's OLP,” your persuasive power will greatly increase.
2. Abstract answers do not convey “specific results” or “processes”
If you are a manager at a Japanese company, you may often use abstract expressions such as "big direction" or "philosophy" when communicating with your subordinates or giving presentations. However, Amazon interviewers place great importance on specificity.
If you end up explaining in broad terms such as “We achieved great results by reforming our production line” or “We improved our business results,” you will never be able to convey why we were able to achieve those results or how much of an impact they had. The interviewer wants to know, “What exactly did you do?” and “How did you quantify and evaluate your results?” If you fail to do this, you will be left wondering, “Has this candidate really produced results, or is this just a generalization?” and you will be at a disadvantage in the selection process.
Improvement measures – Make full use of numbers: Especially if you are in the manufacturing industry, you should have a wealth of data such as cost reduction rates, improvement rates of defective rates, and specific times for shortening lead times. In interviews, don't hesitate to present numbers and view results objectively. – Talk about the process: Rather than just saying “productivity increased by 20%,” mentioning which departments you collaborated with, how ideas were exchanged, and how you came to implementation will make it easier for the interviewer to imagine your leadership and problem-solving abilities. – Mention your failures and obstacles: Talking not only about your successes but also how you overcame the troubles and failures you encountered along the way will interest the interviewer and show your drive and desire to learn.
3. Lack of persuasiveness in English interviews and losing confidence
Amazon interviews often require English proficiency. Even if you have clear English proficiency on paper, when it comes to the actual interview, you tend to find yourself unable to use business expressions you don't normally use, or being unable to provide detailed explanations and becoming vague.
As a manufacturing manager, you may be able to read and write English emails, but when it comes to extemporaneously explaining technical details in English, it always takes time. Do you have this problem? As a result, there are cases where the interviewer misunderstands the candidate and thinks that the candidate is not confident in his or her communication skills or that his or her level of understanding is shallow, resulting in the candidate being rejected.
Improvement measures – Organize field-specific English words and phrases in advance: Identify English words and phrases that are specific to the manufacturing industry, indicators that you often use, improvement methods, etc., and practice them repeatedly before the interview. – Get used to mock interviews: Your ability to express yourself in English will not improve overnight. If possible, use a coach or professional service who is familiar with English, and practice role-playing that simulates the actual situation. – Focus on short sentences + logical structure: Rather than using complicated phrases, it will be easier to convey your message in an English interview if you focus on short sentences that state the point first. Practicing speaking the STAR method in English is effective.
4. Lack of backup plan and insufficient explanation of “crisis response capabilities”
Amazon is a company where change is the norm. Projects suddenly change direction, resources run out sooner than expected, collaboration with different departments suddenly begins - under these circumstances, we need people who can flexibly and quickly recover from problems.
In particular, manufacturing industry managers should have experience in taking measures to prepare for unexpected problems, such as contingency plans and QC activities. This is one of the reasons why candidates fail the exam because they are not able to talk about this in detail during the Amazon interview, or even if they do, it is too abstract and does not convey what kind of backup plan they have in place.
Improvement measures – Pick up specific examples of past troubles: Talk about how you managed crises at the time, such as mechanical breakdowns, delivery delays, and frequent complaints, using numbers and procedures. – Linking with Bias for Action and Invent and Simplify: Cases where speed was emphasized in responding to emergencies, and stories where existing processes were simplified to minimize problems are compatible with Amazon's OLP. – Share not only pre-emptive measures but also what you learned after the crisis occurred: After overcoming the crisis, you can also highlight your efforts to prevent recurrence, such as how you instilled the know-how in your team.
5. Self-promotion is inconsistent, and you cannot give the impression that you can be active in the long term.
Ultimately, Amazon makes a decision on whether this person can contribute to Amazon over the long term after joining. A manufacturing manager in his late 30s who decides to change jobs may have a strong desire to advance his career, but if he is vague about this during the interview, he is likely to question whether he really fits Amazon's culture and direction.
Furthermore, the interviewer may be inconsistent in their professional presentation, such as saying that “I value customer orientation,” but in other questions, they prioritize internal convenience over customer needs, or saying “As a leader, I have the ability to bring together a team,” but in other situations, making statements that seem to ignore the autonomy of subordinates.These inconsistencies can easily be spotted by the interviewer.
Improvement measures – Deepen your self-analysis: Write down in detail what values and strengths you have, and how your experience in the manufacturing industry can be used at Amazon. – Linking career vision and Amazon's direction: Clearly discuss how the process improvement capabilities and commitment to quality cultivated in the manufacturing industry can be synergized with Amazon's diversified businesses and customer-first philosophy. – Be aware of the connections between episodes: If you organize how your past successes and failures demonstrate a consistent attitude (the core of OLP), the story that flows throughout the interview will not blur.
The next step to avoid repeating the same mistake: Take thorough measures with GCAP AMAZON
So far, we have listed 5 main reasons for failing the Amazon interview and suggested ways to improve each. Insufficient understanding of OLP, answers that are too abstract, concerns about English proficiency, insufficient explanation of crisis response capabilities, and lack of consistency in professional presentation -- all of these are mistakes that can be avoided by changing your perspective a little.
However, when you are actually looking for a job, you will come across a lot of worries such as “Which anecdote about myself should I use?” “How should I express myself concretely in an English interview?” “How can I finish my answer based on OLP?” Especially if you are in your late 30s and aim to change jobs from the manufacturing industry to a foreign IT company, you may be confused by the lack of understanding of the industry and the large cultural gap.
One-on-one support from a foreign-affiliated career move expert is effective in resolving these concerns and issues from the ground up. GCAP AMAZON, which we provide,
- Utilizing tips for document selection and deep knowledge of Amazon's unique terminology and culturesupport
- Thorough training on the STAR method and OLP through mock interviews with former Amazon employees and foreign HR managers
- Role-playing and feedback specific to English interviews
- Network and career advice that can be used even after joining
We have a system in place to accurately strengthen your weaknesses. You can acquire interview skills that are at the "Amazon passing level" in a much shorter time than self-studying through trial and error, so those who have lost motivation due to repeated failures will be able to feel the difference.
I want to try it just one more time. However, if you have a sense of urgency that you cannot make any more mistakes, please feel free to ask us about your current situation in a free interview. A professional coach will conduct a hearing and suggest specific improvement measures and study plans. Let's work together to find the shortest route to success in Amazon interviews.
Author
Global Career Incubator Co., Ltd. CEO Shinichi Ikawa
Biography: Entered the business world after working for the Ministry of Defense (National Class I) and the Australian Ministry of Defence. After working at a major real estate company, he started a real estate venture and experienced management and recruitment at a domestic fund, domestic business company, and overseas tech company before founding our company.
Developed a career accelerator program based on my experience as a corporate manager and hiring manager. We specialize in foreign-affiliated, bilingual, and senior talent, and support individual career advancement and corporate organizational strength and efficiency.