How to get a job as a software development engineer with Amazon - Malaysian Edition - March 2022

1. HOWTO GET A JOB AS A SOFTWARE ENGINEER
WITH AMAZON - MALAYSIAN EDITION
by Titi Wangsa Damhore - March 2022

2. ABOUT ME
Education:
Diploma in Computer Science UiTM
Currently working as a Software Engineer with Splunk (Jan 2021 - Present) - Fully WFH
Previously with Snap as a Software Engineer (Jan 2020 - Dec 2020)
Before that with Amazon Web Services (August 2015 - Dec 2019)
Cloud Support Engineer (Aug 2015 - Aug 2016)
Systems Development Engineer (Aug 2016 - Dec 2019)
Offers received:
Amazon Seattle as Software Development Engineer
Microsoft Dublin, Ireland as a Site Reliability Engineer
Google Dublin, Ireland as a Systems Engineer, Site Reliability Engineering

3. TARGET AUDIENCE
Ideally:
Students who are about to graduate
Students who just graduated
Early career in IT
In Malaysia if you are earning <= RM 6,000.00 per month
Not ideal but possible:
Not in IT but would like to learn
People with family
If you are earning > RM 6,000.00, it may not be worth it
It will be like making one step back to take two step forward.
In my case, I was not not in the “ideal” category. It was hard, but possible.
Preparation will take 1-2 years (depending on how much you focus).

4. MOTIVATION
Is it dif
fi
cult?
Yes.
These are the main things to focus on:
DSA - Data Structure and Algorithms
Systems Design
Amazon Leadership Principles
Any shortcuts?
None.

5. MOTIVATION
Why work as an Amazon Software Development Engineer?
Financial reason?
Good pay. Not the best pay, but relatively high. https://levels.fyi
Technology. Lots to learn. Planet scale usage. Exposure.
Cons?
Moving means you will not be able to see you friends and family for a while.
Amazon is a big company. Some parts are good, some parts are not so good.

6. PART I
FAANG or MANGA in general
Mostly Amazon speci
fi
c

7. IS AMAZON RIGHT FORYOU?
Culture is data driven
Almost all decisions are based on the Amazon Leadership Principles:
Hiring
Promotion
Software Design / Roadmap
Decisions are mostly group decisions based on consensus
Being older and more tenured has no effect
Your manager may be much younger than you

8. LOCATIONS
There is no Software Development Engineer position in Malaysia
There are Solution Architect roles in Malaysia - not covered in this talk
Possible countries
Ireland
Australia
USA
Best pay compared to all other locations
Limited by H1B cap
Possible to use L1 visa transfer
Canada
United Kingdom

9. MYTHS
The pay for foreigners are less compared to local
Not sure if this is true, the law says there is a prevailing rate and one must be paid at
least the prevailing rate. Possible that foreigners are paid 5% above the prevailing rate
while locals are paid 40% above the prevailing rate. Use https://levels.fyi to negotiate
more salary if you think you are being underpaid.
Only the best work outside of Malaysia
I have known talented people who are in Malaysia or even go back to Malaysia

10. MYTHS
You need to go to an American/Australian/Canadian university.
Some interviewers may go to an American university so the questions may be related to their education system
You need to be the best of the best of the best.
There are various levels.
Amazon hires someone who is better than 50% of the existing people doing similar job.
You need to have
fl
awless English.
You need to be able to clearly understand and communicate ideas. Having an accent is
fi
ne.
If you can get a 5 on IELTS, then you should be okay.The max is 9.

11. LEVELING
Fresh graduates are normally hired at L4.
You are told what to do and how to do it.
Most Software Engineers will be at L5
You are told what to do.
Senior Software Engineer will be at L6
You
fi
gure out what the team should do and design the best way to do it.
Principle Software Engineer will be at L7
Responsible for multiple teams.
L4 - L6 have similar hiring process
The higher the level, you need to have a little more technical skill but a lot more leadership principle.
L7 and beyond have different hiring process
At L5 you can choose to be an Individual Contributor or a Manager
More info at https://levels.fyi

12. PROCESS OF GETTING A JOB
Find the job you want at the job portal - https://www.amazon.jobs/en/location/sydney-australia
You have to know what you want
Create a CV based on the job description
Find someone who works for the company via LinkedIn
Maybe same university or same previous company / someone with mutual connections / recruiter
If someone (non-hiring manager/non-recruiter) refers you and you get the job, they get some
fi
nancial incentives
A referral does not increase the chance of getting a job offer but may increase the chance of getting an interview
Usually submitting the job application using the online process does not work
Unless even after reaching out, the recruiter says to use the online process
Phone screen - usually pure technical, no Leadership Principle questions
Online Assessment - May or may not have this
Coding questions without any human components
Virtual on-site
4-6 session back to back (this can be one day split into two days)

13. WHO WILL INTERVIEWYOU
Team members
Most of the panel will be team members. Either from the existing team or sister teams.
Hiring Manager
Normally the hiring manager will interview you (but not always the case).
Bar raiser
The bar raiser’s decision carries a lot of weight.
Resources:
https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/enterprise-strategy/bar-raising-as-a-principle/

14. CHECKLIST
Good CV
Data Structure and Algorithms
Systems Design
Amazon Leadership Principles -Very important with Amazon, less important with other
companies

15. GOOD CV
Look at the job description and craft the CV based on the job description
1 or up to 2 pages (max).
Use X-Y-Z formula
https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/google-recruiters-say-these-5-resume-tips-including-x-y-z-formula-will-improve-your-odds-of-
getting-hired-at-google.html
Use numbers
Pyramid format.The most recent one contains more detail. Older ones have less detail.
Include GitHub link (if any)
Include Leetcode link (and number of leetcode questions solved).

16. DATA STRUCTURE AND ALGORITHM
Leetcode pro
fi
le. http://www.leetcode.com/ttwd80
I would recommend 120 Leetcode questions.
50 easy / 50 medium / 20 hard
Coursera
https://www.coursera.org/learn/algorithms-part1
https://www.coursera.org/learn/algorithms-part2
Books
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22847284-grokking-algorithms-an-illustrated-guide-for-programmers-and-other-curio
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25707092-cracking-the-coding-interview
Videos
https://www.youtube.com/c/interviewingio

17. DATA STRUCTURE AND ALGORITHM
Ask questions before start coding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQdy914JRKQ
Sample things to ask:
Can we have negative numbers?
Can we have duplicate values?
If there are 2 answers, which one should we return?

18. DATA STRUCTURE AND ALGORITHM
Normal format
Amazon Leadership Question
Usually 1-2 topic and 1-2 questions per topic
Be speci
fi
c
Warm up question
Should be easy or somewhat easy
Main question
Medium-to-hard question
Not language speci
fi
c
You can use Java/Python/C++
Double or triple check your code
Off by one errors
Missing semicolon
Undeclared variables

19. SYSTEMS DESIGN
Questions will be very vague on purpose
You need to ask for clari
fi
cation
You need to explain in details. Explain before you are asked to explain
Anticipate the questions that may be asked
Talk about trade-offs
Resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzLMhqg3_Wc
https://blog.pragmaticengineer.com/preparing-for-the-systems-design-and-coding-interviews/amp/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23463279-designing-data-intensive-applications
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54109255-system-design-interview-an-insider-s-guide

20. AMAZON LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES
This will be asked by ALL interviewers.
Technical interviewers will spend most part with the technical question and allocate some time for Leadership Principle questions
Non-Technical interviewers will spend most of the time asking Leadership Principle questions
Spend some time to
fi
gure out which one of the leadership principle for that question.
Answer using STAR format. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situation,_task,_action,_result
Be speci
fi
c.
User “I” and “we” appropriately. Use “we” when it is something the team did. Use “I” to describe your contribution to the achievement. It should be about 80/20 split, focusing on “I”.
Resources:
https://www.amazon.jobs/en/principles
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/22393576-the-amazon-way
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/17/former-amazon-recruiters-share-their-tips-on-how-to-land-a-job-there.html

21. OFFER
Package will consist of 3 components
Base salary (per year)
Sign on bonus - for year 1 and year 2 only
RSU - Amazon Shares (for year 1,2,3 and 4)
Typically all these 3 components would be roughly the same for year 1 to 4
May be awarded more shares
Vesting schedule: 5% at month 12, another 15% at month 24 and 20% for month 30, 36, 42, 48

22. OFFER EXAMPLE
Example offer:
Base is AUD 140,000.00
40 RSU @ Current price of USD 2,500. Overall total is USD 100,000.00
Sign on bonus: AUD 40,000.00 for year 1,AUD 20,000.00 for year 2
Year 1: 140,000 base + 40,000 sign on + 2 Shares => 190,000 AUD + 5,000 USD
Year 2: 140,000 base + 20,000 sign on + 6 shares => 170,000 AUD + 15,000 USD
Year 3: 140,000 base + 0 sign on + 16 shares => 170,000 AUD + 40,000 USD
Year 4: 140,000 base + 0 sign on + 16 shares => 170,000 AUD + 40,000 USD
Note:
Share price
fl
uctuate
Normally you get an very small increment on the base salary
Normally you get more shares (depending on performance and stock price, higher the price, less the quantity)

23. OFFER
Do not accept
fi
rst offer.
Ask for more.
More leverage if you have a competing offer.
Aim for L5 (or better). If you get an L4, consider declining the offer.
More
fl
exibility to change teams with L5
Ask how long the cool off period is if you decline
I was not aware of the levels when I accepted the L4 offer. I had dif
fi
culty changing teams.

24. OFFER
Does not necessarily map to your current role
Consider tax implications as well
Consider living expenses

25. REJECTED
If rejected after submitting CV
Look at the requirements.Try taking a course of certi
fi
cate to prove that you have the basic requirement.
If rejected after the phone screen step
Try to
fi
gure out what questions you fail to answer
If rejected after the virtual phone screen step
Try to
fi
gure out what is the technical gap you need to
fi
ll
Try to incorporate more Amazon Leadership Principles in your daily work
Ask the recruiter how long is the cool off period to try again
Normally you can re-try after 6 months or one-year. Do not be afraid to re-try.
I got my Google offer after failing it twice.

26. WORKING AS A SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
ENGINEER
Almost all Software Development Engineer role WILL have an on-call component.Ask about on-call load.
Follow the sun? 12 hour shift? 24 hour shift?
How many tickets per rotation on average?
Ask questions.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Update the document when you do make a mistake, so that the next person has less chance of making
the same mistake.

27. WORK CULTURE
Asian work culture is different than Western work culture
Resource:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/305390.Breaking_the_Bamboo_Ceiling

28. PART 2
Working outside of Malaysia (general)
Working in Australia (speci
fi
c)

29. APPLY FORVISA FIRST
Pros:
More job opportunities. Not all jobs will sponsor your visa.
Some bene
fi
ts or at least less wait time to get bene
fi
ts.
Cons:
Not all countries allow this. Maybe just Australia.
Signi
fi
cant cost.A family of 4, you may need RM 40,000.00.
No guarantee the visa will be approved.

30. APPLY FOR JOB FIRST
Pros:
Cost less. I moved my family (Me + Wife + 6 Months baby with a budget of RM 10,000.00)
Amazon offers 2 types of relocation:
They move everything for you
They give you a lump sum and you
fi
gure things out (I picked this).
Amazon can sponsor PR on your
fi
rst day
Depending on several factors, like proof of previous work experience and/or bachelor degree
Amazon sponsored my PR
Cons
Some bene
fi
ts require PR
Bonded for 2 years

31. RESEARCH
Research living cost
Sydney is one of the most expensive cities in the world
https://7news.com.au/business/money/sydney-melbourne-on-list-of-the-worlds-top-20-most-expensive-cities-
c-4785041
Research a place to live
Research school (if you have kids)
Research tax structure
Highest bracket in Australia is 45%

32. FOR MUSLIMS
Islam is not as standard as it is in Malaysia
Shiah and Sunni
Sunni: Hambali / Hana
fi
/ Maliki / Sha
fi
e
Different days for Ramadan, Eid.
Daylight savings
Need an app to keep track of changing prayer times
Harder to pray in public places

33. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Malaysian Driving license is valid until you get a PR
Different states have different driving tests and different rules
Rent is weekly, salary can be weekly or monthly.
Shops close early
Labour cost is super expensive

34. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Passport related matters
Due to covid, need to have an appointment a few months beforehand in ACT orVIC
Perth allows walk in, but too far for most people
With PR, kids get dual citizenship
Malaysia allows dual citizenship up to the age of 21

35. THANKYOU
Questions?
Reach out to me on Telegram: @ttwangsa