An Amazon recruiter says she doesn't expect new grads to be business majors, but there's a line on their résumés that makes them stand out

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Lots of people want to know how to work at Amazon.
But catching the eye of an Amazon recruiter, especially when you're still in college, can be challenging.
Celeste Joy Diaz, the recruiting manager for university programs at Amazon, looks for candidates who held leadership positions in college.

Amazon is the company people most want to work for, according to a 2018 LinkedIn study.

And young people who want a job at the Seattle-based retail giant can start to position themselves as a good fit even before they graduate.

Recruiters at Amazon each have their own methods for identifying potential candidates, said Celeste Joy Diaz, the recruiting manager for university programs at Amazon.

As for Diaz, she uses LinkedIn to find the student leaders at top schools like the student body president or heads of student organizations. Those students are already displaying Amazon's famous leadership principles, which includes concepts like high standards and taking ownership.

While those interested in a software or development role in Amazon will need to demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of coding, data structures, and other technical topics, there's more flexibility for roles in business. Those who were active in student government, a student newspaper, or another campus activity could be identified as candidates for Amazon — even if they didn't major in something clearly business-related.

"We know people, especially directly out of undergrad, are not majoring directly in say, e-commerce business," Diaz told Business Insider. "Those majors exist, but not a lot of people major in them."

The more prominent mark of a successful Amazon applicant is someone who can show that they display Amazon's leadership principles, Diaz said.

"We need people who are curious to learn more and curious to problem-solve," Diaz told Business Insider. "There are a lot of ways experience demonstrates that — through leadership, through other big-scope ownership projects."

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