Hey everyone! I'm currently based in the Netherlands and have over 12 years of experience in cloud and enterprise architecture. I'm gearing up for an L6 Solutions Architect position at AWS, and I'm also considering opportunities at Microsoft. I've been through an interview loop with AWS before and received feedback about one question where I really struggled—it seemed to affect my overall evaluation. This time around, I want to prepare thoroughly so I don't make the same mistakes.
Right now, I'm focusing on building 15-20 solid Leadership Principle stories, complete with deep dives, metrics, and trade-offs. I'm also honing my skills in AWS-centric system designs and brushing up on common customer scenarios and strategies for overcoming failures.
I'm looking for:
- Mock interview partners for Leadership Principles and/or system design.
- Recommendations for AI-driven interview prep tools or methods that let me practice multiple times.
- Any advice from folks who have successfully navigated the AWS L6 interview process.
I'm open to trading mock interviews or even paying for high-quality prep sessions. Thanks for any help!
3 Answers
I had a great experience with the "Interview Success System" from Day One Careers. I focused on L5 roles but the same interview structure applies to L6; they just have higher expectations. Their prep materials cover the Leadership Principles well, but you can’t really prep for the tech questions—you either know them or you don’t. I found creating a quick-reference table of my 45 pages of stories really useful, and I made sure not to repeat my stories during the interviews.
You've done it before, so you have a good idea of what to expect. Remember, your answers don't need to be solely AWS-focused; sometimes, less AWS-centric responses work better! Don't try to fake your knowledge—just answer honestly. When using the STAR method, be sure to wrap up with some data-driven results, like time or cost savings or increased revenues. They want to hear about the moments when you went above and beyond, not just your regular job tasks.
I recently passed the L5 loop for an AI role in Amsterdam, and spreading the interviews over two days really helped me. Your prep plan sounds solid but I suggest having 2-3 stories ready for each Leadership Principle. I also compiled a two-page overview of my stories to avoid repeating them. Since I mainly worked with Azure, I made sure to familiarize myself with AWS alternatives, and thankfully, I was ready for discussions on new AWS releases during the interviews. Following the STAR method can be tricky, especially if you're interrupted, but having a repertoire of stories really makes a difference!
That’s helpful to know! So it seems like the depth and variety of stories are crucial for L5 and L6, right?
Thanks for the tips! I'll make sure to include solid metrics in my stories.