AWS Solutions Architect Interview Process Guide

Preparing for the Amazon (AWS) solutions architect interview process is not an easy task. But the right strategy and understanding of the interview process will increase your chances of getting in. Primarily, the entire Amazon (AWS) solutions architect interview process can be divided into three segments — online screen, phone screen, and on-site interviews.

As a solutions architect at AWS, you’ll work in technology and sales. And since the company receives so many applications every year, the competition is fierce, but you can beat them, and we’ll guide you through.

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As you try to understand the AWS solutions architect interview process better, you must know a few things. 

• What Does an AWS Solutions Architect Do? 
• AWS Solutions Architect Interview Process
• AWS Solutions Architect Interview Questions
• FAQs on AWS Solutions Architect Interview Process

What Does an AWS Solutions Architect Do?

As an AWS solutions architect, you’ll be responsible for:

1. Developing Cloud Systems: This includes collaborating directly with clients and locating and building systems per the client’s requirements. Further, you’ll be implementing the design, structure, and scale the cloud systems of the client.
2. Executing Cloud Systems: Once the design is complete, you’ll be working on transferring the client’s existing programs and information into the new system. This includes communicating with clients and employees about how systems function and how to manage them effectively.
3. Troubleshooting Cloud Systems: After all this, as a solutions architect, you’ll work on troubleshooting and maintaining the systems. This is because clouds are complex systems that need attention; if an issue arises, you’ll need to resolve it.

To learn more about it, read AWS Solutions Architect Roles and Responsibilities.

AWS Solutions Architect Interview Process

The AWS solutions architect interview process can be roughly divided into three parts:

1. Online Screening

This stage may or may not apply to you — based on how you apply and your qualifications. However, if you have to go through this round, prepare to face questions on some technical concepts.

These concepts include data structures, internet infrastructure, and so on. This round tests your consistency, and the number of tests may vary based on the job. The online assessment test consists of:

• Work Simulation Test

You’ll be asked to do several virtual tasks centered around the position you’re applying for. In this part of the AWS solutions architect interview process, you’ll be asked questions on customers, data interpretation, or how to find accurate information from different sources. It will take between 20-60 minutes to complete these tasks.

• Technical Knowledge Test

To clear this, you’ll need to answer 24 multiple-choice questions that test your technical understanding of servers and connectivity.

• Personality Test

The interviewer will assess whether you’re a fit for Amazon’s unique culture and leadership principles. You might be asked to choose the statement that best explains your work ethic, such as “I like learning new things” or “I am well-organized.” These assessments will take around 10-20 minutes to complete.

2. Phone Screening

If you clear the online screening, the next part of the AWS solutions architect interview process is the phone screen. An Amazon Solutions Architect will ask you technical questions to gauge if you’re the right fit for the role.

The first half of the questions will focus on technical concepts such as APIs, CDNs, load balancers, etc., while the second half will cover behavioral questions. The latter will be based on Amazon’s leadership principles.

While answering the Amazon interview questions, ensure that you’re clear, your answers are well-structured, and, if possible, support them with the help of metrics and data.

On-site Interviews

Get ready to give 4-6 interviews with Amazon employees and a technical presentation that will happen right at the end of the interview loop. The breakdown of these 4-6 interviews:

• Technical Round: Your technical skills will be put to the test. Data encryption, map-reduce, load balancing, and other pertinent technical concepts in cloud computing and technical architecture are just a few topics you'll be quizzed on. You can check our 2 Months Amazon Interview Preparation Plan to ace your Amazon technical interview.
• Systems Design Round: In this round, you’ll be expected to design a complicated system on a virtual whiteboard. You can expect some Amazon system design interview questions such as 1. How would you design Amazon.com so it can handle 10x more traffic than today? 2. Design an online bookstore. 3. How would you go about designing an e-commerce website?
• Behavioral Round: Interview questions based on 16 Amazon’s leadership principles will be asked to test if your values align with the company’s principles. You can check our blog on How to Crack the Amazon Behavioral Interview with sample interview questions.
• Technical Presentation Round: You’ll be expected to do a 30-min technical presentation on a problem you’ve solved. You’ll be expected to explain how you solved the problem with system design components. The interviewers will be your audience and test your technical knowledge and communication skills.

And as we’ve mentioned before, you’ll need to give a 30-minute presentation. This will be based on a specific technical problem you have solved before, and your interviewers will act as customers.

Read more about the Amazon Interview Process Guide and learn some strategic prep tips to ace the interview.

AWS Solutions Architect Interview Questions

As you gear up for the AWS solutions architect interview process, here are some sample questions you can practice:

Amazon Technical Interview Questions

1. What’s the approach that restricts third-party software access in Storage Service to the S3 bucket named “Company Backup”?
2. Name the states present in Processor State Control.
3. Elaborate on an AMI.
4. When is there a need to acquire costs with an EIP?
5. Define the significance of Connection Draining.
6. What will happen if you launch the instances in Amazon VPC?
7. Differentiate between an On-demand instance and a Spot Instance.
8. When should one consider Provisional IOPS over Standard RDS storage in AWS?
9. Why are subnets created?
10. What is meant by private and public addresses?

Here are some resources that’ll help you prepare for the AWS solutions architect interview process:

• AWS Solution Architect Questions for Interview Preparation
• 100+ AWS Interview Questions for Tech Interview Preparation

Amazon Behavioral Interview Questions (based on Amazon’s Leadership Principles)

In sharp contrast to other FAANG corporations, Amazon's behavioral interview is distinctive. This is so because the interview is based on Amazon's 14 leadership principles, which exemplify Amazon's fundamental corporate values. Let’s look at some examples:

1. Tell me about a time when you declined a customer requirement. (Customer obsession)
2. Have you ever worked on a project outside your scope? (Ownership)
3. Talk about a time when you had a simple solution to a complex problem. (Invent and Simplify)
4. Has there ever been a time when you made a design decision where many people opposed you and why did they do that? (Are Right, A Lot)
5. Tell me about a skill you recently learned. How did you learn it? (Learn and Be Curious)
6. Describe a situation when one of your team members struggled to complete a project. How did you act? (Hire and Develop the Best)
7. Describe an instance when you pushed yourself to your limits. (Insist on Highest Standards)
8. Describe a situation when you had to make a risky and challenging choice. (Think Big)
9. Describe a situation when you acted hastily and describe what you might have changed. (Bias for Action)
10. Tell me about a situation where you had to make do with little time or resources. (Frugality)
11. How do you win the confidence of your stakeholders? (Earn Trust)
12. Tell me about a situation where you had a challenge and had to jump through hoops to identify the underlying cause. (Dive Deep)
13. Tell me about a time when you submitted an idea, and it was rejected. What was your response? (Have Backbone)
14. Describe when your team members gave up on something while you led the charge for a successful outcome. (Deliver Results)

Check out our list of 35 Amazon Leadership Principles Interview Questions to practice more behavioral questions for the AWS Solutions Architect role.

As the AWS solutions architect is a customer-facing role, your personality traits, such as objection handling, will be given a lot of importance, just like your technical skills. So when preparing for the interview process, ensure that you prepare accordingly. Best of luck!

FAQs on AWS Solutions Architect Interview Process Guide

Q1. How many rounds are there in the AWS solutions architect interview process?

The Amazon (AWS) solutions architect interview process is roughly divided into three parts — online screening, phone screening, and on-site interviews.

Q2. Does the AWS Solution Architect interview require coding?

AWS-certified solutions architects don’t require coding skills to qualify for the role or grow in their field.

Q3. How much do AWS solutions architects make?

According to Glassdoor.com, an AWS solutions architect makes $177,975 per year on average. The base pay here is $144,334.

Q4. Is Amazon's interview hard?

There’s no doubt that the Amazon interview process can be pretty tiring. But the best part is that the company is consistent with it. So if you know it well, you can prepare accordingly and minimize any surprises that might come your way.

Q5. What do AWS Solutions Architects do?

As an Amazon (AWS) solutions architect, you’ll be responsible for designing, developing, deploying, and maintaining business applications and critical infrastructure in the AWS Cloud.

Here’s How We Can Help With Your AWS Solutions Architect Interview Prep

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