From Landing My AWS Senior Solutions Architect Role to Helping You Land Yours
You found my YouTube video about how I landed my job as a Senior Solutions Architect at AWS. Now, let me show you exactly how to ace the interview process that stands between you and your dream cloud architecture role.
I’m iLyas, a former AWS Sr Solutions Architect (L6) and Bar Raiser who interviewed hundreds of candidates for Amazon, and I’ve distilled everything I learned—both as an interviewee and an interviewer—into this comprehensive course. This isn’t theory from someone who’s never been in the room. This is the insider playbook from someone who’s sat on both sides of the table at AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure interviews.
Why This Course Exists
On my YouTube channel, I shared my journey into AWS and the strategies that worked. But the reality? The interview process is where most talented engineers fail, not because they lack technical skills, but because they don’t understand what interviewers are actually evaluating. I’ve watched brilliant developers crash in the loop because they treated it like a coding interview. I’ve seen experienced architects fail because they couldn’t articulate their decisions using Amazon’s Leadership Principles. And I’ve seen candidates nail the technical rounds only to bomb the presentation.
That changes today.
What Makes This Course Different
Unlike generic interview prep courses, this teaches you the specific system used by AWS, Microsoft, Google, and other top tech companies. You’ll learn:
– The Real 5-Round AWS Loop: From recruiter screen to bar raiser interview to the final presentation—exactly what happens at each stage and how to excel
– The DIGS Method: A superior alternative to STAR that I developed from interviewing hundreds of candidates and seeing what actually impresses hiring committees
– Amazon’s 14 Leadership Principles—Decoded: Not just what they are, but how to demonstrate them in technical discussions, system design, and behavioral questions
– System Design the AWS Way: Learn to ask discovery questions, design in iterations, think 8-15 years ahead, and align technical solutions with business outcomes—the exact approach that separates good candidates from great ones
My Unique Perspective
As someone who:
– Successfully went through the AWS loop and joined as L6 (Senior SA)
– Became a Bar Raiser and interviewed hundreds of candidates
– Worked with major customers like Shopify, Lightspeed, and enterprise SaaS companies
– Also interviewed at Google (GCP Cloud Architect) and Microsoft (Azure Cloud Architect)
I know what works and what doesn’t. I’ve seen the patterns that make candidates successful and the mistakes that cause even experienced engineers to fail.
The Truth About AWS Interviews
Here’s what most people don’t tell you: You don’t need AWS certifications to get the job. I’ve personally hired Sr Solutions Architects with zero cloud certifications. What you need is the ability to think like a Solutions Architect—customer-obsessed, iterative, business-aligned, and capable of earning trust through communication.
This course teaches you that mindset.
What You’ll Master
✅ Technical Deep Dives: How to handle system design questions like “design an e-commerce platform” or “scale a video streaming service” using real AWS services (EC2, RDS, Lambda, CloudFront, S3) while demonstrating architectural thinking
✅ Behavioral Interview Excellence: Using STAR and DIGS methods to answer leadership principle questions with the “I” pronoun, quantifiable results, and stories that showcase your impact
✅ The Presentation Round: Creating a 30-40 minute technical presentation that resonates with both engineers and business stakeholders—avoiding “death by PowerPoint” and the common mistakes that tank candidates
✅ Bar Raiser Strategy: Understanding what “raising the bar” actually means and how to position your unique background (languages, previous industries, unique skills) as valuable differentiators
✅ Communication Skills: Learning to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences, defend your architecture choices while staying open to feedback, and demonstrate expertise without jargon overload
Real-World Examples Throughout
Every module includes real interview questions I’ve asked and been asked, complete solution walkthroughs, and examples from actual AWS customer
engagements (anonymized when necessary). You’ll see exactly how to approach questions about:
– Designing scalable cloud platforms for millions of users
– Cost optimization strategies that impress CFOs and CTOs alike
– Security and compliance considerations for global deployments
– Operational excellence with monitoring, logging, and alerting
Your Path Forward
On YouTube, I showed you my journey. In this course, I’m giving you the map. You’ll learn to think in iterations (not perfect solutions), communicate like a consultant, and demonstrate the leadership principles that AWS values above all else.
Whether you’re applying to AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, or any FAANG company with architecture roles, this course gives you the frameworks, examples, and insider knowledge to succeed.
Lifetime Access + Free Updates
Cloud technologies evolve. Interview practices change. When you enroll, you get lifetime access to all materials plus free updates as AWS services and hiring processes evolve.
Ready to Land Your Dream Role?
You’ve already taken the first step by finding my YouTube channel and learning about my journey. Now take the next step: learn the exact system I used and have taught to dozens of successful candidates who are now working at Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and other top tech companies.
The recruiter screen, technical phone interview, 5-round loop, bar raiser discussion, and presentation round are all standing between you and your goal. Let’s make sure you’re prepared to crush every single one.
See you inside the course.
— iLyas, Former AWS Sr Solutions Architect & Bar Raiser
