Applying for a job at Amazon, Microsoft or Meta? 3 key things you should know

India Today

12 hours ago

Cracking a job at big tech companies like Amazon, Microsoft, or Meta can seem tough, especially if you're just starting out. A former software engineer who has worked with all three firms has shared his personal journey with Business Insider, and what helped him get in despite not having a typical tech background.
He began his college journey in industrial design but switched to computer science halfway through. He only started coding in his junior year and often felt behind his classmates, many of whom had been coding since school days. With no solid internships and limited experience, he had to figure things out the hard way. But over time, he found what works, especially when it comes to resume building, referrals, and interviews. A strong resume can open the first door
He said getting into tech started with rewriting his resume. Earlier, it only included unrelated work like tutoring and serving, but he realised he needed to highlight his coding efforts. So, he learned to build a 3D game through an online Unity tutorial and added that to his resume. It gave him something real to show and helped him get into a JP Morgan hackathon.
That one change, along with the JP Morgan name, helped him land an internship at Amazon. Later, he secured a full-time job at AWS in 2019. His advice? Don't just list what you've done, make sure you show what you've built. And when getting feedback on your resume, ask a few trusted people, not too many. According to him, five to seven opinions are enough; more than that just creates confusion. Referrals can give you an edge
When he was working at Microsoft, he came across a job opening at Meta through a LinkedIn post. Instead of just messaging the hiring manager, he researched what the team was working on. That 10-minute conversation went well because he spoke confidently about the team's projects and got a referral.
That referral led to his job at Meta. His point was clear: if your resume shows good projects and skills, and you do some homework on the role or team, a referral can take you a long way. In fact, some companies even offer bonuses to employees who refer successful candidates, so it's a win-win if you're prepared. Interviewers want to hear how you think
Tech interviews often include coding questions, and it's not just about getting the right answer. Talking through your approach can matter just as much. He shared that during some interviews, even when he didn't solve the problem completely, he explained his thinking clearly. And that helped.
As someone who's also interviewed candidates at Amazon and Facebook, he said the ability to explain your logic was a big plus. Even if someone didn't finish the problem, clear communication and structured thinking often made them stand out.
Cracking a job at big tech companies like Amazon, Microsoft, or Meta can seem tough, especially if you're just starting out. A former software engineer who has worked with all three firms has shared his personal journey with Business Insider, and what helped him get in despite not having a typical tech background.
He began his college journey in industrial design but switched to computer science halfway through. He only started coding in his junior year and often felt behind his classmates, many of whom had been coding since school days. With no solid internships and limited experience, he had to figure things out the hard way. But over time, he found what works, especially when it comes to resume building, referrals, and interviews. A strong resume can open the first door
He said getting into tech started with rewriting his resume. Earlier, it only included unrelated work like tutoring and serving, but he realised he needed to highlight his coding efforts. So, he learned to build a 3D game through an online Unity tutorial and added that to his resume. It gave him something real to show and helped him get into a JP Morgan hackathon.
That one change, along with the JP Morgan name, helped him land an internship at Amazon. Later, he secured a full-time job at AWS in 2019. His advice? Don't just list what you've done, make sure you show what you've built. And when getting feedback on your resume, ask a few trusted people, not too many. According to him, five to seven opinions are enough; more than that just creates confusion. Referrals can give you an edge
When he was working at Microsoft, he came across a job opening at Meta through a LinkedIn post. Instead of just messaging the hiring manager, he researched what the team was working on. That 10-minute conversation went well because he spoke confidently about the team's projects and got a referral.
That referral led to his job at Meta. His point was clear: if your resume shows good projects and skills, and you do some homework on the role or team, a referral can take you a long way. In fact, some companies even offer bonuses to employees who refer successful candidates, so it's a win-win if you're prepared. Interviewers want to hear how you think
Tech interviews often include coding questions, and it's not just about getting the right answer. Talking through your approach can matter just as much. He shared that during some interviews, even when he didn't solve the problem completely, he explained his thinking clearly. And that helped.
As someone who's also interviewed candidates at Amazon and Facebook, he said the ability to explain your logic was a big plus. Even if someone didn't finish the problem, clear communication and structured thinking often made them stand out. Join our WhatsApp Channel