Amazon Work Simulation Assessment Guide – Tips & Strategies
Are you about to take the Amazon work simulation assessment, but don’t know where to start?
Many potential candidates at Amazon find this test to be extremely stressful and difficult to prepare for, as often it is their first time taking a “simulation assessment”!
The purpose of the test is to evaluate candidates’ problem-solving, prioritization, and decision-making skills in real-world scenarios, but many do not know how to prepare for this.
To help you out, we have put together this handy guide filled with everything you need to know about taking the Amazon work simulation assessment.
With our tips and tricks, you will find yourself aceing the test and becoming Amazon’s newest employee in no time.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
What is the Amazon Work Simulation Assessment
The Amazon Work Simulation Assessment is a test administered by Amazon to prospective employees.
Open jobs at Amazon gather hundreds if not thousands of applicants, which makes it impossible for the hiring manager to see all candidates in action!
To remedy this, the Amazon Work Simulation Assessment puts candidates in the shoes of a worker at Amazon and presents them with a series of complex and challenging scenarios that are common in the workplace.
The purpose of the assessment is to gauge how each candidate would react if they were to come across this problem in real life, offering insight into their behavioral patterns and helping Amazon decide if they are the right fit for the team.
This is the most efficient way for Amazon to get a better idea of who has the skills and personality traits best suited for the role at hand.
Hiring Simulation Test Structure
The Amazon Work Simulation Assessment is broken up into four different parts.
While each part is distinct, they are all taken as a part of one test so you do not have time between sections!
Each question is formatted similarly. You will be given a question or statement, followed by several possible responses.
Your job is to rate or rank the responses based on which ones you believe to be the most appropriate solution for the issue contained in the question.
The first two sections of the test are designed to test your analytical reasoning. You will be given tables and graphs to use as a basis for your answer.
You will need to read and interpret the data correctly to be able to select the best response from the given options.
The second two sections of the assessment are less analytical and are instead based on Amazon’s 16 Leadership Principles.
These principles are at the heart of the Amazon ethos and strongly dictate how a significant portion of the company’s daily decisions and activities are carried out.
The principles are of the utmost importance to Amazon, and any prospective employee needs to be someone whose personality fits in well with the existing company beliefs.
The questions in these sections will typically be word-based or contain extremely vague data, and it is your job to figure out which response best fits in with the 16 Leadership Principles.
Preparation Strategies for the Amazon Work Simulation
Unlike other tests in which you simply memorize as much information as possible and regurgitate on the test day, the Amazon work simulation test requires a different approach.
Here are some of our top tips to help you prepare for the test and pass it with flying colors:
1. Brush up on your statistical knowledge: One of the best ways you can prepare for the Amazon work simulation test is by brushing up on your statistical knowledge.
In two different parts of the assessment, you will be required to interpret data to help decide which available answer to select!
You will find these sections extremely difficult if you struggle with statistical or data interpretation, which is why it is a good idea to go over this skill before you sit the test to ensure you are as prepared as possible
2. Learn the 16 Leadership Principles: The second half of the test is designed to test your compatibility and knowledge of the 16 Leadership Principles that Amazon upholds in its business practices.
It is very hard to answer these questions correctly with no knowledge of the principles, which is why you must study and learn them before taking the test.
By knowing the principles, you will be able to correctly evaluate each possible answer in sections three and four and figure out which one is the most compatible with Amazon’s ethos.
The more familiar you are with these principles, the easier these sections will be
3. Take practice assessments: The Amazon work simulation test will be unlike any test you have ever taken before, which can catch some candidates off guard.
The best way to ensure you are fully prepared for taking the test is by doing practice assessments.
Practice assessment allows you to familiarize yourself with the style of question, and can give you an indication as to what type of answers the markers prefer.
We love JobTestPrep’s Amazon work simulation test preparation guide, as it contains multiple practice tests as well as tips and tricks to give you an edge over other candidates and ensure you excel when taking the assessment!
Sample Questions and Answers
To give you a better understanding of what to expect from the Amazon work simulation test, here is a breakdown of a question and answer that might be found in sections three and four of the assessment taken from the JobTestPrep Amazon work simulation test guide.
You can first expect a word problem that describes a common scenario seen in the Amazon workplace. For example:
“A co-worker asks you to review a report he’s presenting in the next managers’ meeting. While reviewing the document you spot a calculation error that may mislead customers. How would you address this error?”
You can then expect four possible answers that may look like this;
- Point out the error and ask them to fix the calculation
- Leave it. The error is not your problem.
- Suggest that your coworker reads the relevant section again to check for errors.
- Tell your coworker that the report needs some work, but don’t specify the error.
Your job will then be to rank each answer in order from the best solution to the worst.
This question is likely testing your ability to apply principle #7 – “Insist on the Highest Standards.” Based on this, the correct answer order is 1, 3, 4, 2, as you should ensure that the error is remedied in order to produce a report that is of a high standard.
Final Words
While the Amazon work simulation test can be challenging, adequate preparation will get you far when it comes to performing well on the test day!
The key is to understand the principles that are at the heart of the assessment, as well as realize that the purpose of the test is to check whether you are the right fit for Amazon’s culture.
By strategizing effectively and ensuring you prepare well, you will find this test to be a fantastic opportunity to show off your skills and personality to the hiring manager and prove why you would be a great addition to the Amazon team.
Sarah is an accomplished educator, researcher and author in the field of testing and assessment. She has worked with various educational institutions and organisations to develop innovative evaluation methods and enhance student learning. Sarah has published numerous articles and books on assessment and learning. Her passion for promoting equity and fairness in the education system fuels her commitment to sharing insights and best practices with educators and policymakers around the world.
