microsoft aa interview questions

Microsoft Behavioral Interview Questions
  • Tell me about yourself. …
  • Why do you want to work for Microsoft? …
  • What do you think are the 3 qualities to work at Microsoft? …
  • Tell me about a when you took risk at work.

There are few things we do more important than interviewing and yet it’s done very unevenly across the company. Some are amazing interviewers and others, well, I guess they write good code or something else J.

Fortunately, interviewing can be learned and, whatever you do and wherever you do it, interviewing with insight pays off. Some time back, a substantial team was merged with the development group I lead and, as part of the merger, a bunch of senior folks many of whom do As Appropriate (AA) interviews and all of which were frequently contributors on our interview loops. The best way to get in sync on interviewing techniques and leveling is to talk about it so I brought us together several times to talk about interviewing, to learn from each other, and set some standards on how we’re going to run our loops. In preparation for that meeting, I wrote up some notes of what I view as best practices for AAs but these apply to all interviewers and I typically send these out whenever I join a team.

Some of these are specific to Microsoft but many apply much more broadly. There is some internal Microsoft jargon used in the doc. For example, at Microsoft the AA is short for “As Appropriate” and is the final decision making on whether an offer will be made. However, most of what is here is company invariant.

I also pulled some of the key points into a ppt: AA Interview NotesX.ppt (156.5 KB).

What the Microsoft Interview is like — with sample questions

How to Answer the “Why Microsoft?” Interview Questionby Interview Kickstart Team in

microsoft aa interview questions

Our tried & tested strategy for cracking interviews

How FAANG hiring process works

The 4 areas you must prepare for

How you can accelerate your learnings

Microsoft behavioral interview questions are a key part of the company’s technical interview. The behavioral round typically takes place on-site. Microsoft’s behavioral interview questions are primarily based on work-life balance, workplace ethics, general workplace conduct, and leadership.Â

Like most top tech companies, Microsoft has grueling interview rounds. In addition to onsite and online rounds, there is a dedicated round in the ON-site interview, where your behavioral skills are tested. “Why do you want to work at Microsoft?” is one of the frequently asked behavioral interview questions at Microsoft. With this question, the hiring managers want to understand your motivation for applying to Microsoft and whether you are the right fit for the organization.Â

The “why Microsoft” behavioral interview question can be a tricky one to answer, especially if you end up giving a vague answer without backing it up with solid reasons that demonstrate your genuine motivation.

In this article, we’ll discuss how to answer the “why Microsoft” interview question. We’ll cover:

  • The Microsoft interview processÂ
  • Top 7 most-asked Microsoft behavioral interview questions
  • How to answer the “Why do you want to work at Microsoft?” interview question
  • 5 sample answers to the “Why Microsoft?” behavioral interview question
  • Things to avoid while answering the “Why Microsoft?” interview question
  • The Microsoft Interview Process: A Sneak Peek

    Depending on the team you are applying for, you’ll need to crack 4 to 5 rounds of interviews. These interviews are designed to assess your technical skills and problem-solving abilities. What sets Microsoft interviews apart from other tech companies is that the hiring managers compare your performance against other candidates to assess your performance. In contrast, other companies make the hiring decision based on your performance. Following are the typical tech interview rounds at Microsoft:

  • Phone screen: The initial screening is done over a phone call, where you can expect questions that evaluate your behavioral skills and leadership qualities, along with your technical knowledge. For instance, as a software developer, you may be asked technical questions on algorithms, data structures, and coding-related questions.Â
  • Technical phone screen: If you pass the phone screening round, the recruiter will schedule a tech interview. This round is usually with a senior software developer at Microsoft, and you can expect questions on various technical topics such as stacks, queues, divide-and-conquer, etc. Check some of the Microsoft technical interview questions here.
  • On-site: The next round is an on-site interview, where you usually meet the managers and employees of the team you want to join. Microsoft prefers pairing up recruiters to minimize any chance of any unconscious bias creeping in. Usually, there are 4 interviews when you are onsite. A majority of these interviews consist of various coding and design questions along with a host of behavioral questions.Â
  • An “as appropriate” interview is the final round of the Microsoft interview process where you meet a senior executive of the company. The purpose of this interview is to fill in the gaps from the assessment in the previous rounds. Suppose you have demonstrated strong technical skills but did not perform as well in your behavioral round. In that case, the interviewer will ask you more behavioral interview questions to assess whether you are the right fit for the culture at Microsoft. This round is also meant for the interviewer to pitch the idea of working at Microsoft to you as they want to be sure that you will accept the offer once it is made.Â
  • Check out the Microsoft Interview Guide for more information.

    You can expect the “why do you want to work at Microsoft” behavioral interview question during the various behavioral rounds, as hiring managers would want to evaluate how well you have understood Microsoft’s culture and mission statement. With this question, they also try to evaluate what type of a professional you are.Â

    Microsoft Interview Questions and Answers

    Let us start with generic behavioral Microsoft interview questions and answers.

    Top 7 Most-Asked Microsoft Behavioral Interview Questions at Microsoft

    When it comes to behavioral interviews, at Microsoft you can expect the recruiters to ask you a standard set of questions. How you answer these questions will help them to assess you on core competencies of Microsoft, such as:

  • Adaptability
  • TeamworkÂ
  • Customer focus
  • Drive for results
  • Decision-making skills
  • Behavioral interview questions also help interviewers understand whether you can contribute towards the growth-mindset culture of Microsoft, where your eagerness and curiosity to learn new skills and techniques to resolve an issue is valued much more than how much you know.Â

    Based on the experience of previous candidates and hiring managers, here are the top 7 behavioral interview questions that are frequently asked at Microsoft:Â

  • Why do you want to work at Microsoft?
  • Tell me about a time when you were given a task, but the client wanted you to pivot or go in a different direction at the last minute.
  • Tell me about the greatest accomplishment/failure of your career so far.
  • 7-day Email Course:

    microsoft aa interview questions

    microsoft aa interview questions

    microsoft aa interview questions

  • Tell me about a time when you faced conflict within a team and how you dealt with it.
  • Tell me about a time when you had to make a big decision.
  • Share some of the biggest lessons youve learned in life.
  • What do you do to get people to agree with your point of view?
  • This is not an exhaustive list of questions; however, practicing such questions will help you understand the approach you must take and build confidence. Check out Behavioral Interview Questions for Software Developers for more.

    FAQ

    What is aa interview in Microsoft?

    An “as appropriate” interview is the final round of the Microsoft interview process where you meet a senior executive of the company.

    How do I pass a Microsoft interview?

    Top interview tips for getting hired at Microsoft
    1. First you should apply. The best place to start is here. …
    2. Do your due diligence. …
    3. Know where you want to go. …
    4. Work well with others. …
    5. Showcase the qualities we’re looking for. …
    6. Demonstrate your thinking. …
    7. Be yourself. …
    8. See the landscape.

    Are Microsoft interviews hard?

    Microsoft’s coding interviews are hard, but not impossible. Like anything else, it just takes practice. We’ll walk you through it, step by step.

    How many rounds of interviews does Microsoft have?

    How many rounds are there in a Microsoft interview? 5 – Rounds: Screening Interview(1 Round), Onsite Interviews(4-5 Rounds). Find out More. How can I prepare for Microsoft Interview?

    Related Posts

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *