Amazon SDE Full-Time Online Assessment Experience

Recently appeared for the Amazon Online Assessment (OA) for a full-time SDE role and wanted to share my experience with the new assessment format.

1. DSA Coding Round

The question was Constructing Two Increasing Arrays. The problem was presented as a story, so I had to understand the scenario before identifying the underlying logic.

I had practised this question earlier after coming across a discussion about a similar assessment. This helped me recognise the problem and approach it with confidence.

2. AI-Assisted Coding and Debugging

This was the most challenging section for me. I could not pass any of the six test cases.

Before starting, I had to choose a framework. I selected Django because I know Python, although I had never built a project using Django. Node.js and C++ were also available.

The task involved an existing car rental website with two main issues:

• Users could not publish their cars for rent.

• Some cars were being displayed when they should not have been.

I used AI to navigate the codebase and identify bugs in functions such as host_car. Some functions had incomplete implementations, including missing input handling and response logic.

Although AI helped me locate the issues, I struggled to fix them successfully. This made me realise that I need more hands-on experience with frameworks and debugging existing applications.

3. Work Simulation

This section was described as a 45-minute assessment, but I did not see a timer.

I was given three workplace scenarios and had to rate responses on a scale of 1 to 5. The questions focused mainly on teamwork, decision-making, and Amazon's Leadership Principles.

I found the Amazon Bound YouTube channel useful for preparation.

4. Work Style Survey

This section was also untimed in my experience. I had to choose which of two statements best described my working style, including how I plan tasks and learn new things.

I answered based on my usual habits and preferences.

My Suggestions

Based on my experience, I would recommend the following:

• Practise DSA: Focus on understanding problem-solving patterns rather than memorising solutions.

• Learn a framework practically: Knowing Python alone was not enough when working with an unfamiliar Django codebase.

• Practise debugging: Learn to trace function calls, understand incomplete implementations, and test fixes.

• Prepare for workplace scenarios: Understand Amazon's Leadership Principles and practise behavioural questions.

One Important Suggestion

Amazon's practice OA is useful for understanding the assessment format, but I would not rely on it to judge the actual difficulty.

In my practice attempt, the DSA questions were relatively easy, and I only had to identify two bugs in the debugging section. My actual OA was quite different, especially the AI-assisted coding task.

My biggest takeaway: Knowing a programming language is not the same as being able to debug an existing application.

I hope my experience helps others prepare for the different sections of the Amazon OA. Thanks for reading!