Amazon Interview Star method

Provide data: Share your examples with numbers, timelines and quantifiable results.

Focus on actual behaviors and outcomes. If it did not go as expected, share the why, and learning behind it.

Pause & ask for feedback: “would you like to know more details” or “does this give you a clear picture”

Here’s what I did that worked well. Think of 5 stories evenly spread across as many different work
experiences as you have. Look at some examples of most commonly referenced LPs. Write a long paragraph
(I had about a page) going into detail about how you would answer a sample question related to that LP (try
to pick stories that emphasize different LP areas). Going into the details helps you refresh your memory of
the events in the case of detailed followups (which there will be- make sure you remember the technical
details in depth). Then, have ChatGPT condense your story into about half a page for preparation purposes.
Tag each story with the relevant LPs (there can be some overlap) and read over them several times. You
should be able to pivot and change emphasis of each story to highlight different LPs depending on the
questions asked.

One last thing I did that I found really important- make sure you finish off with something strong that they
can write down. Make it easy for them to take notes. I finished with a quantitative impact if applicable, and a
few key lessons or takeaways I learned (phrased with LPs in mind of course). I think if you follow this
strategy you’ll be successful. Good luck!

The STAR method

When you’re asked to describe something, you’ve done in your past work, we’re not just looking for a quick
answer, we’re hoping to hear a complete story. A strong response gives us insight into how you think, act,
and solve problems. It should include:

Context – What was going on, and what was your role?

Task – What were you trying to accomplish?

Actions – What did you specifically do to move things forward?

Outcome – How did it turn out? What did you learn?

We don’t expect perfect answers or rehearsed scripts. In fact, it’s the interviewer’s job to help guide the
conversation and get the details they need. But if you come in with an understanding of the kind of
information we’re looking for, it can help the conversation flow more naturally.

One way to structure your responses is the STAR method, but it’s not the only. It’s simply a tool to help you
organize your thoughts and tell a story that brings your strengths to life.
S = SITUATION
Start by setting the scene. What was going on? Where were you working (or studying or volunteering), and
what were you trying to tackle? Give just enough background so we understand the big picture and what
made the situation interesting or challenging.

T = TASK
What was your goal? What were you responsible for? This helps us understand your role and what you were
trying to achieve.

A = ACTION
Walk us through what you did. What steps did you take? How did you approach the challenge? Be sure to
focus on your individual contributions—even if you were working on a team. It’s helpful to use “I” instead of
“we.”

R = RESULT
How did things turn out? What happened as a result of your actions? Don’t be shy—share what you
accomplished and what you learned. If you have any numbers or specific outcomes to back it up, even better.

I = Self critical and reflect on improvements

Tips for great answers

Think in stories

Each answer should have a beginning, middle, and end. What was the situation? What did you do? What
happened next?

Be specific

Use real examples from your past—not generalizations. Give a detailed account of one situation for each
question you answer. Focus on what you did, and back it up with data or results if possible.

Balance detail with clarity

We know it’s not always easy to tell how much is too much. Try to be clear and concise but include enough
detail to tell a complete story. A good tip: Pause after your answer and ask if your interviewer would like
more context.

Dig a level deeper for the action and results, do not keep it too generic, but make it specific as to how to you
faced a challenge, and how you arranged your work, and how it finally helped to get the results.

Show range
Have a few examples ready that highlight different strengths, including times you’ve taken risks, succeeded,
failed, and grown.

Ask for clarification if you need it

If you’re asked a question and don’t have enough context to give a strong answer, it’s totally okay to ask for
more information. If none is available, focus on how you’d approach the problem based on what you do
know.

Keep it honest

We’re not looking for perfection. We value authenticity, self-awareness, and a willingness to learn.

Tell me about yourself:

Learn & Be Curious:

Questions for hiring manager
• Why was this role created
• Key challenges
• How can I progress from this Area manager, Operations position
• What type of traits will make candidate successful in the role
• What is your favorite leadership principle

Team members:
• What drew you to this team
• What surprised you when you got to this team
• Your hiring managers fav leadership principle

Non team members:

• What is the most challenging when working at Amazon
• what has continued to surprise you positively.

Key Strengths to Highlight in the Area Manager Context

• Multicultural background, Indian, worked in China and Japan, speak Hindi, English, Chinese and
Japanese.
 • Worked with global suppliers, Europe, China and Asia, India, other global countries.]

• 6+ years of engineering and manufacturing experience – aligns with Amazon’s need for technical
problem-solvers.

• 12+ years in procurement/project execution – reflects ownership, planning, and delivery.

• People management – relevant for leading associates in an operations setting. Led teams of 2 to 7
regular employees, while managing 50 to 100 contract employees.

• Familiarity with GMP, audits, compliance – adds rigor and discipline to operations.

• Bilingual and culturally aware – a strong asset in Japan-based Amazon FCs or DSP networks.

Examples of the kinds of questions

• Tell me about a time you faced a problem with multiple possible solutions. How did you decide what
to do, and what was the outcome?
• Describe a time when you took a risk, made a mistake, or failed. What happened, and what did you
learn from it?
• Share an example of when you took the lead on a project.
• What did you do to motivate a group or encourage collaboration on a team project?
• How have you used data to develop a strategy or make a decision?

Team Management & Hiring – Common Behavioral Questions

1. Tell me about a time you had to hire someone for your team. How did you ensure you chose the right
candidate?

Leadership principles: Hire and Develop the Best, Insist on the Highest Standards

2. Describe a time you had to manage a team with underperforming members. What did you do?

Leadership principles: Hire and Develop the Best, Dive Deep, Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit

3. Tell me about a time you had to give tough feedback to a team member. How did you handle it?

Leadership principles: Earn Trust, Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit

4. Describe a time you improved team productivity or efficiency.

Leadership principles: Invent and Simplify, Deliver Results, Ownership

5. How do you motivate your team during periods of high workload or stress?

Leadership principles: Are Right, A Lot, Earn Trust, Deliver Results

6. Have you ever had to manage a team with conflicting personalities? How did you resolve it?
Leadership principles: Earn Trust, Dive Deep, Bias for Action

7. Tell me about a time you managed a team through change.

Leadership principles: Learn and Be Curious, Ownership, Invent and Simplify

8. Describe a hiring decision you made that didn’t go as expected. What did you learn?

Leadership principles: Hire and Develop the Best, Learn and Be Curious

Additional Operations-Specific Leadership Questions

Even if not directly about people management, these also assess leadership style and operations thinking:

“Tell me about a time you had to manage multiple priorities.”

“Describe a process you improved. What was the impact?”

“Have you ever made a decision without having all the data?”

Initiated Global procurement of tooling in Kyowa

Situation:
Back when I was working as a Senior Engineer at Kyowa Japan—a plastic injection molding company—I
realized we were losing out on new orders. Customers wanted faster lead times and lower-cost tooling than
what most local Japanese toolmakers could offer. But in Japan, toolmaking had become very expensive and
slow, often taking 6 months or more, due to shrinking capacity in the industry.

Task:
I wanted to make our pricing and lead times more competitive so we could win more customer orders. That
meant we needed a new, faster, and more cost-effective way to source tooling.

Action:
Since I had spent 4 years working at Kyowa China before transferring to Japan, I proposed sourcing tooling
from China. I got management’s approval and began researching suppliers—some through former contacts
and some via online platforms. I shortlisted about five suppliers, got initial quotes, and was surprised to see
their costs were only 30–40% of Japanese prices, with lead times as short as 2–3 months, plus about two
weeks for shipping.

To ensure quality, I organized site visits with our engineering and quality leaders. We assessed the suppliers,
and three of them had facilities and standards as good as—if not better than—some in Japan. We started
with simpler tools to test the relationship. There were a few hiccups in the beginning, like communication
delays and minor quality issues, but we worked through them, built strong partnerships, and scaled up.

Result:
Our quotes became far more competitive—both in cost and delivery time. By the end of 2009, we had 150%
more orders compared to 2008. That sourcing strategy directly contributed to a major business turnaround.
I was honored to receive the President’s Award for being the most outstanding employee that fiscal year, and
leadership recognized the new tooling procurement approach as a key driver of the company’s growth.

Behavioral Interview Questions Where This Story Fits

You can use this story to confidently answer:

1. “Tell me about a time you introduced a new strategy or idea that changed the way your team or
company worked.”

2. “Describe a time you had to work cross-culturally or across global teams to achieve a goal.”

3. “Give an example of when you delivered significant results under pressure or constraints.”

4. “Tell me about a time you improved costs or reduced lead times.”

5. “Describe a time when you faced initial resistance to an idea. How did you handle it?”

6. “Have you ever had to take a risk to drive innovation or growth?”

Leadership Principles Demonstrated

Your story strongly aligns with the following principles:

1. Customer Obsession – You focused on what customers needed: faster and cheaper tooling to win
more business.

2. Think Big – You broke away from conventional thinking by initiating international procurement to
transform how your company operated.

3. Bias for Action – You didn’t wait for direction; you proactively researched, evaluated, and initiated
supplier engagement from China.

4. Ownership – You took full responsibility for developing and implementing the strategy, managing
supplier relationships, and improving outcomes.

5. Deliver Results – Your actions directly led to a 50% increase in orders and a prestigious President’s
Award.

6. Earn Trust – You successfully overcame skepticism and initial hiccups, and built trust both internally
and with new suppliers.

7. Insist on the Highest Standards – You arranged quality and engineering visits to ensure supplier
 quality met expectations.

Cost Savings via Genba Kaizen at Kubota

Situation:
As a Procurement Team Lead at Kubota, I was tasked with delivering year-end cost savings. The common
practice was to pressure small suppliers—many of whom relied heavily on Kubota for revenue—into
providing direct price reductions. While effective short term, this approach often pushed suppliers into
financial distress, with some even going bankrupt, ultimately risking Kubota’s supply stability.

Task:
My objective was to achieve the required cost savings without jeopardizing the health of our supplier base,
especially among high-spend suppliers critical to our operations.

Action:
I proposed and led a new approach: instead of squeezing suppliers for discounts, I initiated shopfloor
(genba) kaizen activities to help suppliers reduce their internal waste and improve production efficiency. I
involved cross-functional manufacturing experts from Kubota who worked directly at the suppliers' sites,
analyzing processes and identifying areas for lean improvements.

We built trust with suppliers by aligning on the goal: they could keep half of the realized savings, while
passing the other half to Kubota as cost reductions. This collaborative model preserved supplier margins and
strengthened long-term partnerships.

Result:
This initiative yielded significant outcomes:

Cost reductions of up to 20% were realized at selected suppliers.

Kubota achieved its savings targets without causing financial stress to suppliers.

Supplier relationships improved, and the risk of supply chain disruption due to bankruptcies was mitigated.

The initiative was recognized by senior leadership as a model for sustainable cost management.