Amazon is a company of pioneers. How are you a pioneer?
Amazon frequently uses the word 'pioneer' when discussing their most dedicated employees. Jeff Bezos said in an interview, "Customers are always dissatisfied, even when they don't know it, even when they think they are happy, they actually do want a better way and they just don't know yet what that should be, and that's why I always warn people, customer obsession is not just listening to customers. Customer obsession is also inventing on their behalf, so you need to be an inventor and a pioneer."
"I plan to be a pioneer with Amazon by committing to a long-term career, taking advantage of professional development opportunities that come my way, and embracing the change that comes with working for one of the world's most innovative organizations."
"I read some of the pioneer stories on Amazon and am prepared to participate as a pioneer by developing myself and those around me, embracing the ideas of others, coming up with great ideas of my own, and fully committing myself to a career path filled with growth and opportunity."
"When something needs to be done, I am normally the first person to take charge, explore the possibilities, and find a way."
In your research on the company, take some time to read enough of their employee stories on their careers site and learn exactly what makes current employees a pioneer. Try to zero in on those similar qualities in yourself and show the interviewer how you embrace those qualities and are the right fit for the job.
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I'm not satisfied with good enough, and I always seek ways to improve my career and skills and am not afraid of innovation. For instance, when _____ first acquired _________, everybody in my team was not confident to deliver the first workshop and the first post, I took it upon myself to learn and deliver those and became the ________ subject matter expert in the region.
Cindy's Feedback
Great start. You're telling the interviewer a lot about your work ethic and your bold approach. Can you expand on your ability to innovate or "pioneer"? Have you spearheaded any new project or tried a new approach that had a good result? Can you draw on that to help the interviewer see how you're a cultural fit with the company?
Anonymous Answer
In my career, I have constantly challenged myself to learn new technologies to move out of my comfort zones. For example, in 1998 I started my own business, in 2009 I moved to another country to try a new culture, and in 2015 I moved industries from financial services to a tech company. By trying new things I keep a bias for action, and I broaden my experience, helping me to understand customers and creatively solve problems.
Marcie's Feedback
Awesome! This is a strong answer that shows you're open and eager to try new things and challenge yourself which is exactly what a pioneer does. You should fit right into the Amazon culture!
Anonymous Answer
I love FOAK - Purdue, IACMI, and NIAR - I like the solopreneurial, entrepreneurial mentality of creating things that didn't exist before.
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent. The interviewer will be happy to hear this about you! To back up your claim, can you talk about a time when you created something that didn't exist before or a time when you acted like a pioneer? Prove to the interviewer that this is truly a mindset you ascribe to. Good job!
Anonymous Answer
I am a pioneer in that I'm continuously exploring new ways to improve myself. I monitor my health using various health devices that provide insights through the collection of data points. I purchase courses on the Udemy website across a wide range of topics because I think having a wide range of interests broadens the mind. Essentially, I'm curious about everything. For example, whilst I was preparing for these interviews with AWS, I started to become overwhelmed by all the preparation work, but then I thought, Hey! this is an opportunity to improve myself, rather than focusing on the end result, how about focusing on developing the skills required to achieve the end result. So, I logged onto Udemy and I bought a couple of courses - one being on public speaking and how to present yourself like a pro. So, rather than being focused on trying to get to a finish line, I changed my focus on taking this opportunity to improve myself by delving into what makes a great public speaker - thus preparing myself to present to you today.
Opportunities are everywhere, we just need to be open to exploring them and be curious enough to get started.
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent answer! You have managed to creatively connect your interview prepping to being a pioneer - wow! Any interviewer will like that. :) Great job!
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