Amazon Financial Analyst Test: Work Sim., Workstyle, Excel

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Amazon Financial Online Assessment Overview (+ Sample Questions)

The Amazon Financial Assessment is comprised of two tests - Work Simulation and Work Style Assessment.

The Excel assessment, however, is usually sent prior to these two tests, or during one of the interviews rounds. Therefore, we’ll elaborate on this Excel test further down the page.

Amazon Work Simulation

The Amazon Financial Analyst Work Simulation evaluates your critical thinking, judgment, and decision-making skills. Additionally, it is heavily based on Amazon’s renowned 16 Leadership Principles.

Once you start the simulation, you’ll encounter different emails, videos, and messages from your virtual team members, team leads, and senior leaders at Amazon. Then, you’ll be asked a question and given a set of responses to these challenges.

Try the following sample question from the prep package, to start to get a feel for the assessment:

Amazon Work Simulation Practice Question


While examining Samuel’s document, you noticed an error in the metrics calculations that may cause differences between the stated and actual costs to the customers. How would you address this error? Rate based on how effective each response will be.

Email Samuel to notify him of the specific issue, while also cc’ing the team lead.

  1. Ineffective
  2. Slightly Effective
  3. Moderately Effective
  4. Very Effective
  5. Highly Effective

Note: the full question in the preparation pack has 4 additional responses

View answer and explanation

Ratings of effectiveness will focus on the “Insist on the Highest Standards” Amazon value. This value dictates the importance of considering the full spectrum of options to ensure a safe and high-performing team.

Leaders have relentlessly high standards… [and] ensure that defects do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed so they stay fixed…

Flagging the potential pricing model issue with Samuel is needed; however, it may not be positive to cc the team lead before working the issue through with Samuel and the team as it may change the outcome and impact trust levels among the coworkers.

Therefore, this response is only slightly effective.


The prep package includes 10 Work Simulation practice modules that resemble the actual assessment and focus on the same skills and competencies.

Amazon Work Style Assessment

The amazon Work Style Assessment is a 15-minute personality test that assesses your work preferences, qualities, and behaviors, to determine if you could fit Amazon’s unique culture.

Each question asks you to decide between two choices, selecting the statement that best represents the preferences and interests that drive your approach to daily work tasks.

Since this assessment is exclusively based on Amazon’s Leadership Principles, you must keep these principles in mind and rely on them when choosing an answer.

Here’s an example of a question from the Work Style Assessment practice:

 

Amazon Work Style Assessment Sample Question

 

View answer and explanation

Both these statements highlight the Leadership Principle: Earn Trust

Amazon team members do not over-inflate their capabilities and achievements. They are ‘vocally self-critical’ and come forward when problems occur and they need assistance. When help is offered, they always publicly acknowledge it and appreciate it.

MOST or MORE

Most of us have been assisted and supported by colleagues on many occasions and acknowledging this support on a daily basis is important. There are however potentially people who have previously worked alone or independently. We recommend choosing the answer "more like me"; however, this would thus be an item that could go both ways, "Most" or "More".


The prep package includes a full Work Style Assessment practice simulation that's made up of questions that resemble the actual assessment. Each question is coupled with thorough explanations of the Leadership Principles and the preferred answer choices.

Amazon Financial Analyst Excel Test

The Amazon Excel test is a 30-minute task that evaluates your practical knowledge of Excel.

You’ll receive an Excel file with raw data and several tasks to complete. These tasks include creating Pivot tables, advanced formulas, Vlookups, Index and Match, and others. Usually, you’ll also need to prepare a graph

Amazon’s Excel assessment is usually given either before the phone/virtual interview or during that. If it’s given before the interview, it won’t be recorded by any online software, so you’ll even be able to use Google to solve the questions.

But if it’s during the interview, you won’t be able to use any external aid.

In the prep package, you’ll find a comprehensive Excel practice course, that will teach you everything from Excel basics to advanced formulas and functions.

Amazon Financial Analyst Interview Process

The interview process for Amazon’s Financial Analyst jobs is quite lengthy and includes several rounds. The interview stages differ depending on the job level you’re applying to, but we’ll focus on the most popular ones here below.

Financial Analysts, Interns, and Senior Financial Analysts

Phone Interview:

Lasts between 30 minutes to one hour and includes mostly behavioral questions and questions about your work experience and skill set. The behavioral part is the trickiest, and to pass it you should answer the questions using the STAR Method.

In-person / Virtual Interview:

The Amazon financial analyst interviews are comprised of 4-6 back-to-back sessions with several hiring managers and team members.

Usually, part of the interview panel consists of the infamously known (by candidates) Amazon Bar Raisers. These are Amazon workers that aren't part of the team and act as "third-party" interviewers, whose job is to ask the tough questions, dive deep, and challenge your answers.

Conquering these in-person interviews is not possible without familiarizing yourself with Amazon's 16 leadership principles and learning how to tie them in your answers.

Amazon's obsession with these leadership principles may seem exaggerated to you. But unfortunately, to succeed in these interviews, you must master these principles.

If you prepare for and pass the Work Simulation and Work Style Assessment, you should already have a strong understanding of these principles. So before the interviews, you’ll only need to refresh your knowledge and prepare your answers.

Amazon Finance Rotational Program (AFRP)

HireVue Video Interview:

In this virtual interview, questions appear on the screen, while each of your responses is being recorded. Note that this interview may take between 45 to 60 minutes and that you have only one attempt to answer each question. So, make sure there aren't any distractions around you and that you're fully prepared.

The HireVue interview consists of mainly behavioral questions, along with a few financial-related questions. Amazon expects you to answer the behavioral questions using the STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, and Result). Thus, to pass this interview, you should learn this technique by heart and structure your answers using it.

In-person / Virtual Interview:

2-4 interviews, which mostly include behavioral and situational questions. As mentioned before, Amazon's a huge fan of the STAR Method, so be ready to use it in your answers.

Moreover, Amazon puts great weight on its 16 leadership principles and excepts candidates to be familiar with them and mention them in most of their answers.

Note that it's highly possible that one of your interviewers may be an Amazon Bar Raiser. This "external" interviewer will investigate your answers deeply and maybe even try to throw you off balance.

But don't let that annoy you, because it's just part of the interview and meant to see how you handle pressure and whether you maintain your composure.Amazon Finance

Amazon Leadership Development Program (FLDP)

Amazon's looking for FLDP candidates who have high proficiency in Excel and demonstrate strong leadership skills. Both of these skills are closely evaluated during the Excel case assessment and the in-person interviews.

Amazon FLDP Excel Case

The Excel case itself will take you about 45 minutes. Later on, during the first interview, you'll discuss this Excel assessment with your interviewer, and you'll need to present your thought process and reasoning concisely.

Amazon FLDP Interview

This interview consists of four face-to-face interviews, each is 45 minutes, and usually, there are no breaks in between (so, empty your bladder beforehand). The interview questions are primarily behavioral (except for the Excel case discussion) and focus on Amazon's 14 leadership principles.

Since these are Amazon's core principles and you've applied for a leadership development program, they will expect you to base your answers on them.

Additionally, the interviewers will dive deep (aka one of the leadership principles) into your answers and analyze every detail you provide. Therefore, try to stay very consistent with your answers.

Who Is the Amazon Bar Raiser and How to Handle Them?

The Amazon Bar Raisers are skilled evaluators that are not part of the hiring department. Their central role is to provide authentic and reliable opinions on whether you should get hired or not. For that, they use several tactics designed to throw you off and test your leadership skills and resilience.

The best way to handle them is by maintaining your composure, keeping your answers and explanations tight, and sticking to Amazon's leadership principles.

 

Read About Other Popular Amazon Online Assessments

 

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