• Overview: We explain the ins and outs of the Microsoft interview process—what to expect from each stage, how long it'll take, how to prepare for it, and what questions may come up.
• Why Trust Us: We've successfully connected over 60,000 engineers worldwide with job opportunities at leading tech firms, including Microsoft.
• Why It Matters: Understanding the Microsoft interview process is crucial to preparing effectively. And given Microsoft's salaries and culture, it's well worth the effort.
• Action Points: Sharpen your skills in data structures and algorithms, prepare answers using the STAR method, and demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for Microsoft.
• Further Research: Visit EchoJobs to explore open Microsoft positions and additional interview prep resources.

Want to Learn About the Microsoft Interview Process?

Landing a Microsoft job is a dream come true for many engineers.

And it's not exactly hard to see why—the company offers competitive salaries averaging $127,569 (and reaching up to $234,000!), great work-life balance, a positive company culture, and a world-renowned reputation for innovation.

But before you land the job, you need to go through the Microsoft interview process. So, in this EchoJobs article, we thought we'd walk you through the process from start to finish, so you can ace this important Microsoft hiring stage.

But before we get into it…

Why Listen to Us?

We designed EchoJobs to connect engineers with their dream jobs at leading tech companies. And we're proud to say we're making waves. To date, we've connected engineers worldwide with over 60,000 job opportunities, including positions at Microsoft.

This means we have lots of users who have gone through the Microsoft interview process firsthand and are willing to provide us with valuable insights. We've also done some serious digging through online sources and official Microsoft channels.

So, if you're itching to learn more about the Microsoft interview process so that you can ace your upcoming interview, keep reading!

Overview of Microsoft Hiring Process

Microsoft is the biggest tech company in the world by market cap—it needs no introduction.

As you'd expect from a top company, Microsoft has pretty high standards for its roles. To give you an example, here's an EchoJob listing for a Software Engineer position at Microsoft.

The requirements for the position are very clear, and the whole hiring process is designed to determine who meets these requirements (and who doesn't) as quickly as possible. And generally, it is quick—the average length of the process is 39 days from application to decision.

What Do Interviewees Think About the Process?

Overall, interviewees report a positive experience with the Microsoft interview process.

Specifically, surveys show that approximately 67% of candidates have a positive experience with the process. Only 13% of candidates report a negative experience, which means the remaining 20% are neutral.

Also, while it could drag on through several rounds, the process isn't designed to be extremely difficult. The average difficulty rating reported by interviewees sits around 3.1 out of 5, indicating a fair and balanced challenge.

So, you just have to take a deep breath and approach it with confidence and preparation.

What Are the Stages of the Microsoft Interview Process?

The Microsoft interview process is typically broken into 3–4 main stages. Here's an overview before we go more in-depth:

1. Recruiter Screen
2. Online Assessment or Hiring Manager Screen
3. On-Site Interview
4. As-Ap Interview(case dependant)

Stage 1: Recruiter Screen (30 Minutes)

The first stage of the process is (almost) always a recruiter screen. If you've ever applied for a job at a mid- to large-size company, this is nothing new..

Microsoft's recruiter screen is a relaxed, 30-minute phone conversation with a recruiter (not a member of your potential team). The stated objective of this call is for the recruiter to get a sense of you as a person and a potential employee.

In reality, they're more interested in baseline qualifications.

What to Expect

• Resume Review: The recruiter will walk through your resume and ask you questions about relevant skills and experiences.
• Motivational Fit: Be prepared to answer questions about your career goals and why you're interested in working at Microsoft. Demonstrating your knowledge of the company and its products goes a long way.
• Technical Appetizer: The recruiter might throw in a few general technical questions. These usually aren't in-depth as recruiters won't have the technical expertise to grade responses.
• Assessing Your Research: The recruiter will also likely check if you've researched the company culture, values, and the specific role you're applying for.

Remember—this stage is all about getting to know each other. Relax, be yourself, and take this opportunity to learn more about the role and the company.

Stage 2: Online Assessment or Hiring Manager Screen

After impressing the recruiter in the first stage, you're ready for a more in-depth evaluation.

Microsoft uses two primary methods for this stage—a phone screen with a team member or an online assessment on Codility (for technical roles). After your initial call, the recruiter will inform you which method will be used.

The goal of both methods is to guage your job-specific knowledge and ability.

Phone Screen with Team Member (30-45 Minutes)

• Video Call Format: Microsoft usually conducts this interview via video call using Microsoft Teams.
• Focus on Skills and Fit: Expect questions that assess your technical competence, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit for the team.
• Technical Challenges: You'll likely encounter one or two technical challenges during the call to test your coding abilities and understanding of fundamental concepts.
• Behavioral Questions: Be prepared for behavioral interview questions, focusing on your past experiences and thought processes when tackling problems.

Online Assessment with Codility (60-90 Minutes)

• Challenge Breakdown: The assessment typically features 2-4 coding problems focusing on fundamental data structures and algorithms.
• Time: You'll be given 60-90 minutes to complete the assessment, so prioritize effectively and demonstrate your problem-solving skills.

After completing this stage, some candidates may receive a response within a few days. But if yours doesn't come, just be patient—it's normal to experience a waiting period of 2-4 weeks before hearing back from Microsoft.

Stage 3: On-Site Interview (4-5 hours)

The next stage is a series of on-site interviews. These can either be virtual on-sites (conducted via Teams) or physical on-sites conducted at the Microsoft office advertising the position. Don't worry, if you're asked to come in for a physical on-site, Microsoft will cover all travel expenses.

The on-site interview typically consists of 4-5 rounds with different interviewers. Each round may last for about 45 minutes to an hour. The focus of the interviews will be on your technical skills and problem-solving abilities (especially under pressure).

Common interviewers include:

• Hiring managers
• Potential team members
• Company technical experts

Be prepared for lots of experience-based questions related to your resume, technical knowledge, and problem-solving abilities.

In some cases, you might need to sit for a panel interview at this stage. This can be intimidating, but try not to let the number of people distract you from the fact that the questions will be almost identical to those asked in a one-on-one interview.

Stage 4: The As-Ap Interview (case dependant)

After a successful on-site, you might be invited to participate in an additional stage called the "As-Ap" interview (short for "As Appropriate"). The As-Ap interview isn't mandatory for all applicants, so don't worry too much if you don't get an invitation.

During this stage, you'll meet with a senior manager (often virtually). Their goal? Assess whether you're a good fit for the Microsoft culture and business. It's essentially what other companies would call a "cultural fit" interview. However, one difference is that the senior manager can theoretically veto your candidacy.

Unlike the structured interviews you've encountered so far, the As-Ap is more free-flowing. There's no specific script or set of questions. In fact, we've seen cases where the only question asked was—"What questions do you have for me?"

If you're able to impress the senior manager, you've pretty much gotten the job. The next step is meeting with HR, getting an offer, and onboarding!

Tips for Nailing the Microsoft Interview Process

Sharpen Your Technical Skills and Prepare

• Practice Makes Perfect: Dedicate time to brush up on your core programming language. Practicing coding challenges on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank can help with this. Most candidates say if you can consistently rank above 2000 on LeetCode, for instance, you should be well-equipped to tackle most interview questions. You also want to be very familiar with Microsoft's culture since many of the questions will test how well you'll fit into that.
• Data Structures & Algorithms: Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, etc.) and algorithms (sorting, searching, recursion, dynamic programming, etc.). Understanding their functionalities and trade-offs will be highly beneficial.

Tips to Ace Each Interview Stage

• Recruiter Screen: Prepare a clear and concise elevator pitch about yourself and your skills. Research Microsoft, its values, and the specific role you're applying for. Be ready to answer basic technical questions and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the opportunity.
• Phone Screen: For phone screens, ensure you have a quiet and distraction-free environment for the call. Practice your communication skills and clearly explain your thought process when tackling coding problems (the same applies to the interview loop stage, too).
• Onsite Interviews: Approach behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Focus on highlighting your achievements and demonstrating your problem-solving approach using specific examples. Also, don't be afraid to ask clarifying questions when necessary.
• As-Ap Interview: Prepare insightful questions demonstrating your genuine interest in working with them and the team. Be ready to discuss your career goals and how they align with Microsoft's vision.

19 Microsoft Engineering Interview Questions

Algorithms & Data Structures

1. How would you reverse an integer without converting it to other data types (and complexity considerations with edge cases)?
2. Code an inorder traversal of a tree.
3. Sort arrays of 2D in constant space and time.
4. How would you write an algorithm that determines whether there are any duplicate files within the same folder?
5. How to reverse a linked list.
6. Write a function to parse a comma-separated string to a list of strings.
7. Implement a calculator that will print to the screen the value of 10^n.
8. Find the biggest number in a string of 0-9 digits that is also a palindrome (e.g., "12343456" -> "434").

Problem-Solving

1. Imagine a scenario with 40 rocks weighing from 1 to 40 kilograms. Your task is to select 4 rocks in a way that balances the scales for every weight between 1 and 40.

Motivation & Background

1. Why do you want to work in this role? [Tailored to specific role]
2. Why do you want to join this company?
3. Describe yourself to the best of your ability.

Experience & Problem-Solving

1. What challenges did you face in a similar role and how did you tackle them?
2. Can you tell me about a time when you faced a difficult challenge at work and how you overcame it?
3. Describe one of the challenge projects you've done and how you handled the challenge part.

Other

1. Hey, do you like work? (a lighthearted icebreaker)
2. What are your thoughts on Microsoft products today? (Shows interest in the company)
3. What are your salary expectations?
4. How tall is the Eiffel Tower? (A test of general knowledge or ability to find information)

Conclusion

Securing a Microsoft job is a dream for many engineers. This guide brings you closer to that goal by covering the different interview stages and how to ace them.

At EchoJobs, we're dedicated to informing you about engineering positions at leading companies like Microsoft. Start exploring open positions at Microsoft and other big tech companies today to find the perfect fit for you.