Amazon Area Manager & Ops Manager Assessment Prep [2024]

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What to Expect on the Amazon Area Manager and Operations Manager Assessments?

The assessment for both of these positions, as well as for the Pathways program, has changed significantly in the last months of 2021. The assessments, which were previously named “Manager in Operations Virtual Job Tryout” were divided into 4-5 different sections, depending on your position.

Passing these tests is mandatory to advance to the interview stage. In some cases, it’s the other way around - first a few interviews and then the assessment.

Several websites claim that the Manager in Operations VJT is still in use. That said, we checked this information using multiple sources and verified that this test is no longer in use by Amazon as of 2021, so please keep that in mind.

Below, you’ll see an overview of each assessment section and several sample questions from the preparation pack.

Note that while the sections’ names remain the same, the questions might slightly differ between the Area Manager (AM) and Operations Manager (OM) tests, as each position has different duties.

Nevertheless, on the preparation pack, you’ll practice with questions that are tailored specifically to each position level (Area Manager / Operations Manager & Pathways program).


Amazon Working With the Team

  • Evaluates your critical thinking, judgment, and decision-making skills as well as your ability to incorporate Amazon’s 16 Leadership Principles
  • The test includes 7-8 different scenarios (7 for OMs, 8 for AMs) – all of which are examples of the real-life work and dilemmas that Operations Managers and Area Managers may encounter.
  • There’s no time limit for each scenario.
  • You can't return to previous scenarios once you continue.

Sample Question - Working With the Team

You overhear an associate talking to other associates about how job rotations are decided - if your manager doesn’t like you, you’re assigned the bad rotations.

Choose the effectiveness of the following response:

Join the discussion to clarify how job rotations are actually decided. Tell the associates to follow up with you if they have additional concerns.

View correct answer & explanation:

The correct answer is (2) - slightly effective.

A confrontational and intrusive approach to resolving low team morale about job rotations is unlikely to result in open, ongoing communication when issues arise. This option is thus of minimal value.

The main Amazon Leadership Principle to be taken into consideration for this scenario is: Strive to be Earth's Best Employer.

As you can see in the explanation above, it’s not enough just to use common sense or critical thinking when answering such questions. You also have to take into account the main Amazon Leadership Principle (out of 16 principles) that hides behind the given scenario.

 

On the practice pack, you’ll find two full practice simulations (15 scenarios in total) for the Working With the Team section. The simulations are structured similarly to the real assessment and come with full explanations.


Amazon Planning for the Team

  • This section appears only on the Operations Manager and Pathways assessments (and not on the Area Manager assessment)
  • You’ll see 10 work-related scenarios with a 5-point multiple-choice scale
  • You’ll need to decide on appropriate and effective ways to handle these scenarios so that they match Amazon’s culture and Leadership principles.

Sample Question - Planning for the Team

You have half a day’s planning time on a Monday morning. When arriving, several tasks appear, and you are required to choose how to best approach each task to complete it.

Security regulations have been broken by one of your associates. (takes 90 minutes to complete)

View correct answer & explanation:

The correct answer is (4).

This task should, in the first instance, be delegated to the relevant Area Manager for sensitive follow-up and feedback. The issue may subsequently need to be delegated to your leader, but basic information gathering should be carried out first.

Security rules are essential for maintaining the safety and integrity of the Amazon systems, and breaches interfere with the key inputs for their business. This issue must be resolved promptly.

Amazon Leadership Principles to consider: #14 Deliver Results, #15 Strive to be Earth's Best Employer

This is one of the trickiest sections of the Operations Manager assessment.

That’s because you must rely on the Leadership Principles AND on three other judgment scales - Managing Objectives, People Management, and Corporate Management (more on these scales in the prep package).

On top of that, there’s a set of ideal answers generated behind the scenes by Amazon’s assessors, and your responses will be compared against them.

 

The prep pack includes a full “Planning for the Team” practice simulation that’s designed to help you pass this challenging module. It includes test-like questions and thorough explanations to ensure you understand the logic behind the solution.


Amazon Working With Metrics

  • This is the only timed module on the whole assessment. You’ll have 60 minutes to answer 18-19 numerical questions (19 for AMs and 18 for OMs).
  • It measures your ability to review team metrics and other sources of data and perform math calculations accurately.
  • You’re allowed to use a calculator, pencil/pen, and scratch paper.

Sample Question - Working With Metrics

The table shows the sales for different products of a retail store. Select the best response for the question, based on the information from the table:

Product sales by month (in thousands):

Amazon Working with Metrics Practice Question


Online stores place the hottest product on the main page every month, based on their recent sales. Which product should be put on the main store’s page in October based on this information?

View correct answer & explanation:

The table shows five products’ sales numbers across five months. According to the question, hot products are displayed on the website’s main page.

We should be using the given data to look for the best-selling product of the previous month to choose which product is the hottest and is to be placed on the main page.

In this case – the month we should be looking at is September – where the best-selling product, according to the table, is Product E (765,000 sales).

 

The prep package includes four Working With Metrics practice simulations (74 practice questions in total) with full explanations and solving tips for each question.


Amazon Work Style Assessment

  • A personality test that focuses on Amazon’s culture and Leadership Principles
  • Takes 15-20 minutes to complete
  • Each question in the assessment 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.

Sample Question - Work Style Assessment

Amazon Work Style Assessment Practice
View preferred answer & explanation:

Both these statements highlight the Leadership Principle: Think Big

This principle is associated with the concept of Optimism. Being around negative people is often dampening in both a team and social environment.

Thinking negatively and small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Amazon projects and programs are often fraught with major problems and Leaders are expected to power through these with enthusiasm.

A personality attitude that inspires self and others by maintaining a positive outlook. Optimism empowers team members to think big in all areas when it comes to establishing a superior customer experience.

No one benefits from a pessimistic attitude therefore ‘Most Like Me’ is the best response.

 

You’ll find a full Work Style Assessment practice simulation (40 questions) in the prep package. Each question is coupled with a detailed explanation, as you saw above.


Amazon Work Experiences

  • This module includes 12-16 ranking questions that measure different aspects of your work experience (practical experience, skills, etc.)
  • There’s no time limit, but it’s recommended not to dwell on questions for too long 

Sample Question - Work Experiences

In the previous six months, how many times did you give a colleague or direct inferior of yours negative feedback?

View preferred answer:

Area Manager and Operations Manager should choose “more than 3 times.”

In the preparation pack, you’ll find a Work Experience practice simulation (16 questions) and a thorough 12-page study guide with inside information and unique solving tips.

 

Get the Complete Area Manager & Operations Manager Assessment Practice

Access tailored practice simulations for each of the assessment’s sections (updated for 2024), alongside study guides, full explanations, and prep tips.

What Happens After You Pass the Assessments?

Once you pass the Area Manager or Operations Manager assessments (including Pathways), you’ll advance to a series of 2-4 interviews.

For Area Managers, one of these interviews will also include a Math Flow question.

For Operations Managers, it may include a Math Flow question as well as a Written Exercise.

Amazon Math Flow Problem

The math flow question is given either on the phone interview or during the on-site interview. It measures your ability to do the specific math required on the job at an Amazon Fulfillment Center.

Math Flow Example for Amazon Area Managers

You have 30 associates who all work an 8 hour day, 5 days a week. Two need to be indirect- they are not on the floor producing. Your direct rate is 150 units per hour but you have two 15 minute breaks during the day.

  • How many units can your department produce in a 40 hour week?
  • If you need to produce an extra 10,000 units in a given week how many extra people will it require?

Amazon Written Exercise

Candidates for an L6 level and above, like Operations Managers, are often required to complete a written exercise prior to attending their on-site interview.

This writing sample is used to evaluate your writing skills since Operations Managers need to have good writing abilities.

The writing exercise should be 2-4 pages long and cover one of the topic options they’ll send you beforehand.

 

How to Prepare for the Area Manager & Operations Manager Interviews?

The interviews will mainly include behavioral questions that focus on past work experiences or challenges you’ve encountered and how you handled them.

The most preferred way of answering the interview questions is using the STAR method while incorporating the Amazon Leadership Principles into your answers.

To start preparing for your interviews, it’s highly recommended to visit Amazon’s official interview guides. They are full of useful tips, interview sample questions, and best practices.

 

Read About Other Popular Amazon Online Assessments

 

To apply for another Amazon job, visit our Amazon jobs search page.

 

 

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