Amazon Financial Analyst Interview Process: A Complete Guide

If you want to learn more about the Amazon Financial Analyst Interview process, you’ve come to the right place! This guide will help you prepare for your interview and make it a success.

This guide will teach you about:

  • Responsibilities of the Amazon Financial Analyst.
  • The interview process.
  • The online Assessment.
  • Amazon Financial Analysts: Salary and Career Path.

These and many more will be covered! Let’s start!

Amazon Financial Analyst Interview

What Do Amazon Financial Analysts Do?

The Amazon Financial Analyst job position, allows you to take a key role in a rapidly expanding Amazon subsidiary. Let’s take a deeper look.

Roles And Responsibilities

You will need to be able to take part in preparing financial reports, make thoughtful decisions, and adapt to an ever-changing work environment to succeed in this role. Your job will require you to work alongside program/project managers and executives from multiple Amazon business units.

This role allows you to innovate by using large-scale data mining tools to create creative solutions.

You will also identify high-priority work and projects that maximize the results for key stakeholders.

Other responsibilities for an Amazon financial analyst include:

  • Using financial knowledge and business acumen to create financial models, drive improvements, and influence Amazon’s leaders.
  • Providing a financial close every week or month. Financial systems and MS Excel advanced functions are used to work with large data sets.
  • Produces budgets, forecasts, and consolidations.
  • Communicate data (written and verbal) in clear, concise, and unambiguous ways. Communicating complex financial issues adapts style to suit different audiences.
  • Analyzing quantitative data to create relevant reports that reduce costs.
  • Identifying potential opportunities to fix defects early. Facilitating, simplifying, and improving the use of finance tools within teams and organizations.
  • Simplifying business processes and creating SOPs to ensure business continuity.

The Interview Process

A position as an Amazon financial analyst is highly desirable for MBA students and graduates.

The path to an amazon financial analyst role is not easy. There are many hurdles, such as the Amazon Excel exam, difficult case studies, and the Amazon Bar Raiser interview.

It is not easy to get a job interview with Amazon. To succeed, it is important to plan well and understand what to expect.

There are several stages to the Amazon Financial Analyst recruitment process. Each stage is competitive.

Each step tests a different skill, which will enable you to demonstrate your competence for the job.

These stages typically include online application and resume, phone interviews, in-person interviews, and financial analyst assessments. Let’s take a look at each stage.

Amazon Financial Analyst Assessment

Two tests are required for the Amazon Financial Assessment: Work Simulation and Work Style Assessment.

However, the Excel assessment is typically sent before these tests or during one round of interviews. We’ll discuss the Excel assessment further down the page.

Amazon Work Simulation

Time: Takes about 50 minutes to complete.
Modules: 5.
Format: Messages, videos, and emails.
Evaluation: Judgment and decision-making.

This test is heavily based upon Amazon’s 16 Leadership Principles and uses everyday office communication to test how you deal with everyday scenarios and dilemmas which might come your way.

For instance there might be a debate on which product to highlight for a Fathers Day sale. On the test you might get a lengthy email chain with facts and figures from a number of C-levels executives. You have to quickly sift through the data to make a decision, applying logic based on Amazon’s 16 principles.

Amazon Work Style Assessment

Time: 15 minutes.
Questions: 38.
Format: Two Choices on the answer spectrum.
Evaluation: Preferences, qualities, and behaviors at work.

The Amazon Work Style Assessment is a personality test designed to determine whether your value and personality match the company’s culture.

You will answer one of two statements lined up on a spectrum with either “most like me” or “more like me.” You will not be able to answer the questions without remembering the all important 16 Leadership Principles.

Questions will focus on work preferences, characteristics, and behaviors.

Amazon Financial Analyst Excel Test

Time: 60 minutes
Topics: Macro creation, Advanced properties, Formatting Advanced, and formula creation.
Format: Tasks with raw data
Evaluation: Use of Excel software

You will receive a number of tasks involving raw data You will be responsible for creating graphs, pivot tables, advanced functions, Vlookups, and Index and Match.

Keep in mind that this test will be given to you during your interview, so you will not be able to use any outside help. Preparation is critical.

Financial Analyst Process of Hiring

Submitting a Resume

The first step is to find the right job.  Amazon jobs for a financial analyst can be searched by keyword, location, or job category.

To apply for the job that interests you, click “Apply Now.” You must log in or create a new profile if you have already applied. The online instructions will guide you through the rest of your application.

Phone Interview

The phone screen is the first step in the interview process. It typically takes around 30 minutes and is conducted with an Amazon recruiter.

During this call, He will ask about your qualifications, experience along with behavioral questions to assess your suitability for the job.

The behavioral part of the interview is the most difficult. To pass it, you will need to use the STAR Method.

Also, prepare to answer questions about your resume and the Amazon Leadership Principles.

In-person Interview

If you pass the phone screen successfully, you will be invited to an interview on-site at Amazon’s headquarters. Interviews with Amazon employees are part of this multi-day process.

The Amazon Bar Raisers, well-known by candidates, make up a large part of the interview panel.
These Amazon employees are not part of the team but act as “third-party interviewers.” Their job is to challenge your answers, ask tough questions and dig deep.

It is impossible to conquer these in-person interviews without knowing Amazon’s 16 leadership principles. Learn how you can tie them into your answers.

You may think Amazon’s obsession with these leadership principles is exaggerated. These principles are essential to your success in interviews.

Prepare for behavioral and experience questions as well as questions about your experiences. A case study will be required.

Case Study

A case study usually takes place on a real Amazon business problem. You can practice solving similar problems in Excel to improve your Excel skills.

This excel case can be sent online as an assessment or delivered on-site. It requires you to analyze raw data and use complex functions such as Index, Match, and Vlookup.

You will need to complete the Excel case in about 45 minutes and then discuss the Excel case with your interviewer later in the interview.

This section of the interview will test your problem-solving and analytical skills, as well as your communication abilities. The interview will require you to solve a business problem and then participate in a behavioral interview.

Examples of Interview Questions

Here are a few examples of questions you might be asked during an interview; go over them to know what to expect.

  • Please tell me when you need to analyze complex data to find trends.
  • What are your Excel skills? I need you to show me some examples of formulas you are familiar with.
  • Can you tell me about a time that you gave criticism to a coworker? What was your reaction?
  • Please tell me about a time you went above and beyond to solve an issue.
  • Tell me about a time you disagreed with your boss. How did it go?

Programs

Amazon has many exciting programs available for financial analysts wishing to pursue a career in this field.

Amazon Financial Analyst Rotational Program

Amazon Financial Analyst Rotational Programme (FAR), is a program that develops early-career financial analysts into future leaders at Amazon. It is a 2-year program that includes four to six-month rotations in different areas within Amazon.

Amazon Financial Analyst Internship

For current students interested in pursuing a career as financial analysts, the Amazon Financial Analyst Internship Program offers a 10-12 week program.

Interns will be able to work on real-world projects and can network with other professionals and Amazon financial analysts.

Amazon Financial Analyst Returnship

Amazon Financial Analyst Returnship Program is for professionals who have taken a step back from their careers. It lasts 16 weeks. Participants have the chance to refresh their skills and network with Amazon financial analysts. They also learn about job openings.

How Much Does an Amazon Financial Analyst Make?

The average Amazon Financial Analyst earns 105,780$ per year. This includes an $83,530 base salary and a $22,250 bonus. This can vary depending on the job level, as shown below.

  • Entry Level – An entry-level Amazon Financial Analyst’s salary is $85,000 annually.
  • Graduate Level – An average annual salary for an Amazon Financial Analyst at the graduate level is $115,000.
  • Senior – An average annual salary for a senior Amazon Financial Analyst would be $130,000

Amazon Financial Analyst Compensation

Total compensation for Financial Analysts is $19,364 higher than the US average.