Security Industry Specialist Interview Prep

At Amazon, our goal is to be the world’s most customer-centric company by delivering innovative products, services, and ideas. The Security Industry Specialist (SIS) interview is designed to identify candidates who have the functional competency, behavioral skills, and cultural fit required to help us achieve this mission.

What does a security industry specialist do at Amazon?

An Amazon security industry specialist (SIS) is an individual contributor who has experience in a particular industry or field (e.g., the government or highly regulated sectors). We have several types of SIS roles, including information technology, security audit, and regulatory compliance.

As an SIS, you’ll have a deep understanding of the professional domain and industry segment you specialize in. You’ll support your organization by driving the right outcomes in design simplicity and speed of execution. You’ll also focus on streamlining processes, improving accuracy, and establishing programs that meet or exceed industry standards.

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The process

To be considered for a SIS role, you must first submit a job application. If you meet the basic qualifications for the role, you’ll be asked to complete a technical phone screening. Depending on the team and role, you may be asked to complete a second phone screening as well. If your phone screening is successful, a recruiter will contact you to arrange an interview loop, and they’ll send you a writing assessment.

  • Job Application

  • Phone Screening

  • Writing Assessment (2 days prior to interview loop)

  • Interview Loop

  • Interview Outcome (within 5 business days)

Phone screening

Your phone screening will be with a senior leader on the team. It will last 60 minutes. Half of the time will be spent on behavioral questions that focus on our Leadership Principles, and the other half will be spent on functional questions that relate to your program management experience.

Interview loop

Your loop will include five 55-minute interviews where you’ll meet with members of our program management community.

You’ll have the chance to discuss your experiences and expertise in several areas that help us determine success at Amazon.

These areas include competencies that are based off of our Leadership Principles, which different interviewers will be assigned to evaluate.

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Interview competencies

Behavioral interview

A significant portion of the conversation will focus on how you’ve demonstrated our Leadership Principles in your past jobs. This is because past behavior is an indicator of future success. We won’t ask brain teasers. Instead, we’ll focus on the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of your experiences, as well as the ‘why’ of your decisions.

Each interviewer will typically ask two or three behavioral-based questions about successes or challenges and how you handled them using our Leadership Principles.

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How to prepare

First, think about your most memorable experiences in your previous jobs and recall specific details. Amazon is a data-driven company, so your answers should include metrics or data where applicable. Then, consider how you applied the Leadership Principles in your experiences.

Have examples that showcase your expertise and demonstrate how you’ve taken risks, succeeded, failed, and grown. Make sure your answers are well-structured. Use the STAR method to frame your responses.