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Amazon analyst Sooraj Kumar reveals how he cracked intense ‘loop’ interview
Sooraj Kumar secured a job at Amazon in Seattle after navigating the rigorous 'loop' interview process.
For millions across the world, landing a job at a FAANG company is a dream — one that often remains unrealised. But one Pakistani man managed to turn it into reality by cracking Amazon’s notoriously tough “loop” interview process. Sooraj Kumar spoke to Business Insider about how he landed an analyst role with the e-commerce giant after giving five interviews in a day.
Kumar moved from Pakistan to the US in January 2022 to pursue a master's degree in business analytics at DePaul University. In November that same year, he began looking for a job. However, it was more than a year later that he finally managed to land a job that would allow him to remain in the United States.
Applying for jobs in the US
Kumar spoke to Business Insider about how he landed a job with Amazon. He revealed that in September 2023, he began applying for jobs in earnest after one company offered him a role, only to rescind it later. The offer was rescinded due to a short delay in Kumar’s background check clearance.
“That last-minute decision from the company shocked me,” the 28-year-old told Business Insider.
Kumar had taken up an unpaid business analyst internship while waiting for his background check to clear, mostly so that he would not start the 90-day unemployment clock granted to all F-1 OPT visa holders.
After the offer was rescinded, he started waking up at 6 am to apply for jobs online. "I refocused, got even more serious about my search, and put in extra effort," he said.
(Also read: Indian woman tears up as she leaves US after being laid off: ‘America, I love you’)
During this time, he applied for a role at Amazon. In November, he was surprised when Amazon asked him to sit for an interview. He said he had almost forgotten even applying for the role.
Amazon loop interview
Kumar had a one-hour phone call with someone from Amazon’s hiring team, after which he was asked to appear for a “loop” interview.
At Amazon, a "loop" is the final, intensive stage of the hiring process, where candidates undergo a series of 4 to 6 back-to-back interviews on the same day. The interviews use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to evaluate past experiences of the candidate and their alignment with Amazon's 16 Leadership Principles.
In Kumar’s case, he was asked to appear for five interviews in a day, with only a short break in between for lunch.
His loop included three interviews in the morning – from 9 am to 12 noon – followed by a lunch break and two interviews in the afternoon. All interviews were virtual.
During the daylong process, he spoke to members of the hiring team, people from teams he'd collaborate with, and one person from HR. A month later, he received an offer from Amazon with a six-figure package.
On cracking the loop interview
Kumar explained that understanding Amazon’s leadership principles — such as “customer obsession,” “ownership,” and “invent and simplify” — was key to succeeding in the interview process. He emphasised the importance of preparing professional examples that align with these values.
He added that the STAR method — outlining the situation, task, action, and result — is an Amazon-approved approach to discussing past work experiences. The structure not only helped him communicate his impact clearly but also made it easier for interviewers to take notes and recall his answers.
