I'm getting ready for a phone interview with the hiring team after successfully passing the online assessment, and I'm feeling a bit anxious about it. The interview is scheduled for 60 minutes, and I really want to make a good impression to move on to the next round, the LOOP. My background is in Cloud Engineering with a Big4 firm, where most of my experience has been collaborative, and we often had guidance and peer reviews before delivering solutions to clients.
As I prepare my STAR responses, I'm struggling a bit because it feels challenging to present my contributions since I worked as part of a team. I'm aiming to have around 20 stories prepared for the interview next week. Is that too much prep for one week? Any advice or pointers would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
One week is more than enough time if you approach it smartly! AWS understands that most work at Big4 firms is team-based, so don’t stress over making it seem like you did everything solo. Highlight your specific contributions in team projects—like technical decisions you influenced or problems you resolved. I recommend narrowing it down to 8-10 strong STAR examples that show different skills like problem-solving and leadership. The aim is to demonstrate your technical judgment and impact, even when part of a team. Use tools like the AI interview prep tool to practice articulating your experience—it can really help with the tricky questions!
You won't have to provide a ton of STAR examples for the phone screen; it will mostly focus on technical questions. So make sure you're brushing up on technical concepts related to your role too. Good luck with your prep!
Twenty stories sound like plenty for a one-hour interview! Typically, you'll have time for about four or five questions, with each taking around 10-15 minutes. Just remember, when sharing your experiences, it's crucial to emphasize your individual contributions. Instead of saying 'we did this,' focus on 'I took the initiative to...' or 'I contributed by...'. Highlight situations where you helped improve processes or tackled challenges, even within a team setting. The interviewer won’t know exactly what role you played unless you clarify it, so don’t be shy about showcasing your skills!
Thanks for the insight! I'll definitely work on emphasizing my role in those stories.
Got it! I’ll make sure to focus on the technical side as well! Thanks!