I applied in-person. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Microsoft (Hyderābād) in May 2021
Interview
Not very smooth when it came to coordination by the recruitment team, but interviews were smooth. Typical questions with coding round, design and architecture, people mgmt skills and leadership rounds.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
How would you grow and retain your top performers.
I talked to the Hiring Manager for the V*** E***** team. The call went well and ended with if I would be intersted in pursuing the role. It's an obvious yes from my side. Despite multiple follow-ups after the initial conversation, there was no response for weeks.
Candidates are taking time from their calendar to meet with you. A person's need & interest should be respected with a prompt response in a professional setting. In hindsight, it also hints how the experience would be working with the HM.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Initial background call focused on my background and talking through the job responsibilities.
I applied online. I interviewed at Microsoft (Prague) in Jan 2024
Interview
Four rounds, mostly focused on previous experience and "how would you deal with a situation" questions. Overall questions about system design for distributed systems, people management, conflict resolution, project management, technical excellence. No algo.
I applied through an employee referral. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Microsoft
Interview
Some scheduling challenges, but overall a straightforward online process.
Had a Screening round and then 4 rounds were assigned with varied topics ranging from people, team management, technical skills and system design skills
Principal Software Engineering Manager applicants have rated the interview process at Microsoft with 3 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty) and assessed their interview experience as 33% positive. To compare, the company-average is 66.4% positive. This is according to Glassdoor user ratings.
Candidates applying for Principal Software Engineering Manager roles take an average of 21 days to get hired, when considering 3 user submitted interviews for this role. To compare, the hiring process at Microsoft overall takes an average of 30 days.
Common stages of the interview process at Microsoft as a Principal Software Engineering Manager according to 3 Glassdoor interviews include:
Phone interview: 33%
One on one interview: 33%
Skills test: 17%
Background check: 17%
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