In this episode, host Mark Ledlow is joined by Scott Ware, a senior recruiter at Amazon and former Microsoft recruiter who supported 11 Xbox organizations, about transitioning to Amazon just before COVID-19 sent employees remote and extended work-from-home into January. Ware explains Amazon’s leadership culture, his role hiring product leaders across about 15 consumer organizations, and notes large-scale hiring during COVID-19 (including tens of thousands of warehouse, delivery, and corporate roles) alongside smaller contractor adjustments such as DDSP layoffs. They discuss remote onboarding, productivity gains, and work-life balance. Ware shares hiring advice and red flags (resume/LinkedIn mismatches, frequent job hopping, overly long resumes), explains degree requirements versus equivalent experience and certifications, outlines the interview process (phone screens plus a five-interviewer loop), and emphasizes preparing with Amazon’s 14 leadership principles, especially customer obsession.
Learn about all this and more in this episode of The Fearless Mindset Podcast.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Amazon hired 175,000+ new positions in 2020 (75,000 + 100,000), making them one of the largest employers during COVID-19
- Remote work has increased productivity - eliminating commute time allows better work-life balance and mental space
- Certifications matter as much as degrees - Microsoft certifications, Udemy courses, and equivalent experience can substitute for bachelor's degrees
- Interview prep is critical - Amazon's full loop includes 5 one-hour interviews testing 14 leadership principles
- Customer obsession drives success - prioritizing customer needs over profits creates long-term sustainability
- Career consistency beats job hopping - stay 2+ years to prove yourself before moving
- Keep resumes concise (2-4 pages max) with data points, not paragraphs
- 2020 is a year of forced change - use disruption to expand interests, develop talents, and eliminate distractions
QUOTES
- "If you can do right by who your customer is... you don't make a profit unless you do right by the customer."
- "Do more for others than they can do for themselves." - Zig Ziglar quote (adopted by Scott)
- "The best time to start a new business is right after a market crash." - Robert Kiyosaki
- "2020 is a year of forced change... when you take a step back... you're being forced to change and learn new things - that's good."
- "High tide raises all ships."
- "The biggest leaders are the biggest servers of all."
- "It was never necessarily about making money. It was about doing right by the customer." - Jeff Bezos philosophy
Get to know more about Scott Thomas Ware through the link/s below.
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What is The Fearless Mindset?
The Fearless Mindset hosted by Mark Ledlow, the founder of Ledlow Security Group. Join me as I interview the Security Industry's best and brightest to learn about the tactics and strategies they use to protect the world's wealthiest families so you can stay safe during these unprecedented times.
If any questions come up or you want to get connected or recommend a guest, email Mark@LedlowSecurity.com