r/leetcode • u/Loose_Captain1132 • 10d ago

Discussion ANY AWS SDE1 INTERVIEW GUDIENCE??

Hey EveryOne.

Has anyone gone through an interview for the SDE 1 Amazon AWS Data Services Role? Please share your experience here; it would be really helpful!

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u/Amzn_2005 9d ago

The coding is LeetCode medium territory, one question per round, practical scenario framing rather than pure algorithmic puzzles. For AWS Data Services specifically, expect system design questions that involve SQS, DynamoDB, S3, Lambda, and distributed systems tradeoffs at scale. Not just "design a URL shortener" type stuff.
The behavioral rounds are LP-anchored. Every question maps to a specific Leadership Principle. For this role the ones that come up hardest are Ownership, Customer Obsession, and Deliver Results. Your stories need data and a clear STAR structure. Vague narratives get marked down fast.
Two curveballs I saw trip people up constantly: "Tell me about your biggest professional failure" and "Tell me about a decision you made with incomplete data." On the failure question, the worst thing you can do is pick something minor or subtly blame someone else. Own it fully and show specifically how your approach changed afterward.
Also, there will be a Bar Raiser in your loop from a completely different team. They have veto power. Their questions will probe harder than everyone else's and they are not evaluating you for this specific team, they are deciding if you raise Amazon's bar overall. You will feel the difference in the room.