Coding interview: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:01, 9 February 2006

Revision as of 22:48, 14 February 2006

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The '''Microsoft Interviewinterview''' is usually divided into three phases. [[Microsoft]] generally seeks undergraduate college students with degrees in [[computer science]], [[computer engineering]], or [[systems engineering]] for the three main technical positions of Program Manager (PM), Software Design Engineer (SDE), and Software Design Engineer in Test (SDET). Because Microsoft recruits heavily from college campuses in the [[United States]], the first step in the interviewing process typically begins with college students attending a career fair on campus and submitting a [[résumé]] to recruiters. This is frequently held in conjunction with an on-campus information session about the company that gives students the opportunity to ask questions of current employees and to find out more about what Microsoft does. After the résumés have been collected, a select number of students are contacted for a first-round interview usually held on the candidate's college campus or over the telephone with a single recruiter. If candidates successfully complete the first-round interview, the third phase is the second-round interview, which is held in Microsoft's headquarters located in [[Redmond, Washington]].

==The Positionspositions==

There are three general technical positions that Microsoft hires for. They are: Program Manager, Software Engineer in Test, and Software Design Engineer. Descriptions of each position can be found on Microsoft's College Careers website, which also includes interviews with current employees:

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*[http://www.microsoft.com/mba/default.mspx Post-MBA Candidates]

==The Firstfirst-Roundround Technicaltechnical Interviewinterview==

The first-round interview is generally held on the student’s college campus with a single recruiter, or over the [[telephone]], and can last for about thirty minutes. The candidate is initially asked to fill out an application form prior to the interview detailing work-___location (Redmond, Silicon Valley, North Carolina, Nebraska) and work-type preferences (Business initiatives, media center/gaming, [[operating system]], etc.). During this interview the recruiter attempts to determine if the candidate will be able to flourish at Microsoft. Some examples of questions that the recruiter will keep in mind or ask a candidate include (First Round 2006):

*What types of projects (academic or otherwise) have inspired you in the past?

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It is expected that the candidate research Microsoft's various businesses and product groups, and come prepared to speak in-depth about his/her résumé in addition to asking thoughtful questions. After the first-round interview, the recruiter will consider Microsoft's current business needs and evaluate whether they are in line with the candidate's qualifications and interests. The candidate can generally expect to receive the results of the first-round interview from the recruiter within about two weeks of the interview date (First Round 2006). If selected for a second-round interview, the candidate is invited to travel to Microsoft's headquarters located in [[Redmond, Washington]] for a second-round interview. The candidate is contacted by a Microsoft recruiting coordinator and a mutually agreed upon date is determined for the second-round interview. Travel and lodging arrangements are then processed and finalized. The maximum length of the candidate's interview trip can be up to three days and two nights, which includes one day to interview and one day to sightsee (Overview 2006).

==The Secondsecond-Roundround Technicaltechnical Interviewinterview==

The second-round interview is held on Microsoft's main campus in Redmond, Washington. Candidates interviewing for the program manager position can be expected to answer detailed design questions that test the candidate's creative ability as well the attention that he/she pays to designing customer-centric products. The candidate is expected to provide reasons for features added to products designed and include explanations as to why a customer might want or need a particular feature. Candidates interviewing for the SDE and SDET positions can be expected to answer detailed coding and algorithm questions as well. Many of the questions asked of the candidate are purposely ambiguous and/or abstract. It is expected that the candidate ask thought-provoking questions of the interviewer in order to better answer the question. The candidate is normally given a marker, eraser, and a whiteboard to record his/her solutions and ideas to questions. The purpose is to allow the interviewer to observe how the candidate attempts to solve a problem and to follow the candidate's thought processes.

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candidate will interview with two different product teams within a single product group or two entirely different product groups (FAQ 2006). It depends on the current business needs of Microsoft at the time of the interview and which needs best fit the candidate's skill set and interests. The candidate is notified on the day of the interview as to which position he/she will be interviewing for. This is generally the case if the candidate is interviewing for Software Design Engineer, Software Design Engineer in Test, or Program Manager Positions.

==Interview Questionsquestions==

The questions asked during the Microsoft Interview are crafted to determine how a candidate solves a problem. They are designed to evaluate a candidate's coding and design abilities. When answering design questions it is important for the candidate to be able to think about how the technology might be used both now and in the future. User scenarios are extremely important to consider. Some questions involve relating design questions with technical discussions of projects that the candidate has worked on in the past. The Microsoft Interview is intended to seek out creative thinkers and those who can adapt their solutions to rapidly changing and dynamic scenarios. Below is a small sample of questions that a candidate might be asked to answer during the second-round interview:

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*Write code that returns the length of a string without using any built-in functions

==The Postpost-Interviewinterview==

After the second-round interview the candidate is asked to submit a reimbursement form for any expenses incurred during the trip to Redmond (i.e. taxi travel and meals). The candidate then generally receives an e-mail detailing the outcome of the second-round interview. If selected, an offer is made and the candidate is given a date to decide on whether to accept based on any other pending offers.

==Interview Resourcesresources==

To prepare for the Microsoft Interview, Microsoft provides a list of suggested reading. Below is a sample of some of the materials (Reading 2006):