A while ago, I was applying a job (Principal Software Engineer) for Microsoft, in Cambridge the Microsoft Research Center.
Principle Software Engineer level in Microsoft is a very decent, high level, which is more than L5 (Senior SWE) in Google and (SDE III, Senior SDE L6) in Amazon.
Big IT giants have their own Recruitment teams, and I was contacted by one of the Microsoft Recruiter. The first call was more-or-less a introductory call to know about each other and I was introduced the tasks that Microsoft do in Cambridge and the specific role. Two weeks later, comes the telephone interview.
It is in fact a coding interview where you need to be with a computer. You need to have the video camera set-up as in the interview, you and the interviewer can see each other and talk.
It is suggested that you test your connection, camera, microphone beforehand. And do use LAN as WIFI not stable, which was in my case. My interview was not smooth as it was very laggy probably due to the Wifi Connection.
The Interviewer, who was a principal software engineer lead in Microsoft for more than 20 years asks me a few easy questions at the beginning like: What is your favorite programming language and why? If you are to present a topic at the Annual Microsoft Developer Conference Build, what would you present, and use the online whiteboard (in the browser) to give a short introduction. My presentation title was: How to improve the communication speed between nodes in the blockchain?
From hardware, OS, API, applications, which technology stacks are you most comfortable with? and why? This question is designed to see how you fit to the Microsoft teams.
What was your last piece of software your ‘ve written? (not the piece of test-and-throw-away code). I mentioned my Chrome Extension to download the videos.
And also, what type of C++ programmer you describe yourself: A C++ programmer, a C programmer but uses C++ syntax etc. My answer is: I use C and the Modern C++ features such as STL containers.
The interview lasts for 45 minutes exactly (which is good). There is a coding exercise using the online coding collaborate tool (see below). The tasks are described here (seems easy). Be careful to unit tests your code and find edge cases. Remember to use Modern C++.
Like other interviews, I was given the chance to ask a few questions at the end of the interview. Overall, it was a pleasant interview experience!
Interview with Rita Zhang, Principal Software Engineer
Interviews for Top Jobs at Microsoft
Principal Software Engineer Interview
I interviewed at Microsoft
Interview
Consisted mostly of being asked midlevel engineering questions and listening to the interviewer bragging about his past accomplishments. I don’t know why I need to enter 30 words here; hasn’t anyone ever heard of brevity?
- They wanted me to design a chat server for them
Principal Software Engineer Interview
I applied online. The process took 2+ months. I interviewed at Microsoft in Nov 2021
Interview
started in September, ended in December; unbelievably long period(s) of silence without any update (in between).Hiring Manager joined an interview process as a LAST person (expected first?) who actually told me that I don’t have experience he is is looking for. LAST (!) person in the interview. Technical questions looked like interviewers didn’t really have any correct answer, but just tried to solve their own work problems collecting fresh ideas from candidates. No one was able to formulate a whole task, changing the initial conditions and requirements during the interview few times.
- You have 3 input streaming channels, 3mbps each. You need to deliver all of this (9mbps streaming data) via single output channel with 3mbps max bandwidth. You don’t know the nature of the data, compression doesn’t work, nobody you can ask about other requirements – you are the owner of the solution. The interviewer didn’t provide any more clarification.
What is the most complex situation you have experienced with testing software, and how did you handle it?
Tests how the candidate deals with pressure.
What are the biggest challenges you have faced when overseeing a development team?
Tests the candidate’s leadership skills and conflict resolution.
How do you improve your skills to keep up with the latest software development practices?
Tests the candidate’s commitment to improving and developing skills.
Microsoft Software Engineer Interview Questionsby Interview Kickstart Team in
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
One of the best ways to size the success of a company is when it needs no introduction. Microsoft is one such company. From being the leader in IT innovation for the past four decades to bringing the computer into every household and business, Microsoft has been responsible for driving transformational change worldwide. And at the heart of Microsoft is every Microsoft Software Engineer who made this possible.Â
And so, it comes as no surprise that Microsoft places great value and expectations in the software engineers it hires. Microsoft has one of the most rigorous hiring processes among FAANG companies. Microsoft Software Engineer interview questions are designed to test your analytical, problem-solving, execution, and behavioral skills.
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In this article, weâll cover everything you need to know about the Microsoft Software Engineer hiring process:
I’ve gotten a lot of interest from Microsoft about interviewing for a Principal Engineer position. However, it’s been more than 6 years since I’ve had to do a coding challenge interview. I’m likely out of practice since coding interviews are a skill unto themselves. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to prepare for a Microsoft interview at this level? Should I just read Cracking the Coding Interview and grind LeetCode? Thanks.#engineering #software #swe
Microsoft Software Engineer Roles and Responsibilities
Software engineers are called the Keepers of the Code at Microsoft. Before getting into the interview process, letâs look at the roles and responsibilities a Software Engineer at Microsoft is expected to perform:
FAQ
What questions should I ask my principal engineer?
- Are you comfortable leading a team of engineers?
- What are some of the most important skills for a principal engineer to have?
- How would you describe your leadership style?
- What is your experience with developing new products or services?
What is aa interview in Microsoft?
What is the role of principal software engineer?
Are Microsoft interviews hard?
