Every year, the search for student internships intensifies. The hunt for the right internship can be exciting, frustrating, nerve-wracking, and everything in between. Candidates who do best are the ones who take time to prepare, and aren't afraid to be themselves.
We believe that great talent can be found anywhere, and right now our recruiting teams are keeping an eye out for undergraduate interns. Below are a few tips to help students stand out, get an interview, and land an offer for a summer internship at Amazon.
1. Get to know us.
Maybe you're an Amazon customer, or a Prime member. But do you have a sense of what it’s like to work here? Do you know much about our culture? How we make decisions? What products have succeeded and why? If not, dig in and read. There’s a lot of information online about who we are, how we operate, and what we look for in candidates. Make sure you read up on Amazon’s Leadership Principles as these are the fundamentals or foundations for Amazonians and provide insight into our culture, our values and the way we do things.
2. Don’t think you "can't" get a job at Amazon.
Too often we see talented candidates get stuck in their own heads, focused on whether or not they’ll be able to get a job, before they even try. A common misconception is that is Amazon is purely a tech company and requires a technical background. While some roles will require these skills, we hire from a variety of educational backgrounds – and there’s plenty of opportunities for career mobility. The reality is this: if you are passionate, curious, action-oriented, and want to work at a place that is constantly changing and growing, we want to hear from you.
3. Be true to you.
We look for candidates who are peculiar, passionate, and dedicated, both inside and outside of work. Your courses and work experience are important, but so are your passions and pastimes. What do you do outside of classes and jobs, and why? How do you engage with the world around you? We want to know.
4. Ask questions, then ask more.
One of our Leadership Principles is “Learn and Be Curious.” Bring this into your application process, because we bring it to our jobs, every day. Do your research and show us your curiosity. Speak up and ask questions when you’re face to face with a recruiter or Amazonian. We’ll notice.
5. Know why you want to work at Amazon.
It might sound obvious, but candidates at all levels have gotten stuck on the question, "Why do you want to work at Amazon?" Think about the role you have applied for – is this your passion or motivation? As well as what your goals are as a professional. When a hiring manager asks this question, we want to understand what you can give in the role and what gets you passionate rather than what perks Amazon offers you. Remember you spend a large portion of your time at work so you need to enjoy what you do to do a good job!
Amazon Australia currently has openings for its 2023 internship program, with opportunities available across HR, marketing, software engineering, business development and applied science. Interested students can head to https://www.amazon.jobs/en/business_categories/student-program to find out more and apply.
Next, read about what an Amazon Internship looks like.
