Real, anonymous reports from people who interviewed for Software Engineer at Microsoft, newest first and distilled into what to expect across the loop.
I went through Microsoft’s recruiter flow and the process landed on an online assessment for an SDE 2 (level 62) role. The assessment itself was just two DSA coding questions—one labeled medium and one labeled hard.
I got an online assessment for an Azure team role at Microsoft and then spent the next stretch waiting for an interview call. It felt like momentum at first, but the waiting period was real, since the message implied the interview would follow in the upcoming week.
Candidates can expect an online assessment consisting of two coding problems, typically one medium and one hard, focused on data structures and algorithms (DSA). The assessment is timed and can be intense, with a significant emphasis on passing test cases for both questions.
The technical interview rounds are heavily centered on DSA problems, often involving tree and array manipulations, and may include specific problem types like sliding window or LRU caching. Candidates should prepare for a mix of medium and hard problems, with a focus on edge cases and optimization.
Some interview processes include behavioral questions and system design discussions, especially for senior roles, where candidates are expected to explain their reasoning and decision-making in the context of real-world applications and system interactions.
Candidates often experience a significant waiting period after completing interviews or assessments, with varying levels of communication from recruiters. This can lead to uncertainty about outcomes and timelines.
The interview process is typically structured with multiple rounds, often including a mix of assessments and interviews that are tightly scheduled. Candidates may find that the flow is consistent, with clear expectations set for each stage.
Interviews often emphasize engineering fundamentals, requiring candidates to demonstrate their ability to reason through design choices and coding problems rather than relying on memorized knowledge. Clarity in communication is crucial.