Hey there! I'm GG, formerly one of those mythical Bar Raisers at Amazon, now obviously here at Day One Careers.
You'll hear and read a lot about the idea of "raising the bar" when it comes to what Amazon is looking for in candidates. But most of the time people don't really understand what that actually means. So this article aims to make that clear.
Fair warning – there might be some concepts that'll make you go, "Huh?" But stick with me, especially if you're aiming to crack what "raising the bar" at Amazon really means.
Amazon's Hiring Twist
When you think about most companies' hiring, they're on the hunt for the crème de la crème from the applicant pool, right? Someone who's not just a excellent at what they do but also fits with the company culture. Amazon? Well, they take a slightly different approach.
They're looking at candidates from three angles: one, they want someone who behaves in accordance with their Leadership Principles, two, snagging someone who's going knock it out of the park in a specific role and three every new hire to raise the average quality of the Amazon population The whole "raising the bar" thing? It's about nailing this last goal and let me tell you, it's not as straightforward as it sounds.
Every New Hire Raises The Average
Amazon's ambition is that every new hire should boost the average "quality" of their team. Imagine hiring folks who are always a bit better than the current average Joe or Jane in similar roles. That way, the talent pool doesn't just stay strong; it constantly gets stronger. So, the million-dollar question during interviews is whether you're likely to outshine 50% of peeps already wearing the Amazon badge, at that level in similar jobs. If they decide you do, bingo, you're "raising the bar."
This approach is pretty unique because, let's face it, most places aren't thinking about the bigger picture when they're hiring for one role. Amazon, though? They're playing 4D chess with their talent strategy.
The Secret Sauce to "Raising The Bar"
Figuring out if someone's really "raising the bar" is like trying to solve a Rubik's cube in the dark. You've got to look at it from two angles simultaneously. First, there's a set of standards every candidate is measured against. And then, there's the real-life benchmark – how you stack up against actual Amazonians in the wild, doing their thing.
The Two Dimensions of Evaluation
Breaking it down further, it's about testing if you've got the leadership DNA (the behavioral bit, courtesy of Amazon's Leadership Principles). During interviews, it's all about whether your stories and examples can showcase these values in living color, compared to what's already out there. And then also if you've got the chops (that's the functional bit)
Leadership DNA
Based in the evidence they gather at your interview, your interviewer will plot you on a five-point scale against the Leadership Principles. But here's the kicker – you don't need to hit the highest calibration in every single principle. It's more about whether the overall vibe from your interview screams, "I'm strong where I need to be".
Having The Chops
Lastly, it's not just about how you act; it's also about what you know. Amazon digs into your functional expertise with a fine-tooth comb. But here's another kicker- you don't always have to be top of your class on the functional side. If the team feel you nail it on the Leadership DNA part but have some development areas functionally- they may decide your gaps are trainable.
The Balance Of Importance
Acing the behavioral side doesn't automatically mean you're in, and acing the Functional side doesn't automatically mean your in. Candidates often ask what the weighting is between the two? How much does each contribute to the final decision? The truth is there is no empirical weighting. It's a high judgement decision made by the group when they consider the candidate's profile overall.
What This All Means
As much a the Amazon process is very heavily data orientated, with a clearly defined set of expectations for functional and leadership principle requirements, there still remains a level of subjectivity in the final decision. That subjectivity revolves around perceived comparisons between your evidence and what the interviewers see reflected in the people in the role currently. It also revolves around some high judgment on the balance of your strengths in both functional and leadership evidence.
That makes "raising the bar" an amorphous and ever increasing bar to surpass. Which means you can never really know if you'll "raise the bar" until you get the outcome of your interviews. All you can do is be the very best version of yourself and the rest is outside of your control.
If you want to leave no stone unturned in your preparation for your Amazon interview check out the range of Day One Careers' comprehensive Amazon interview preparation digital courses here. Or if you'd like something more personal our ex-Amazon coaches would be delighted to work with you 1:2:1. For more information click here.
