Microsoft | SDE 2 | Interview Experience

Online Assessment:

I completed an online assessment that included two coding questions. The first was a complex string reconstruction problem on a grid, and the second was a derivative of the Longest Arithmetic Subsequence problem. I passed this round, meeting the 50% score criteria by solving at least one question accurately.

Round 1: (DSA)

This round began with a formal introduction. I was given two DSA problems. The first was the classic 'Stock Buy and Sell' question, which escalated from one transaction to two transactions upon discussion. I provided clean, working code with good comments. The second question was the N-Queens problem. We had a thorough discussion about my approach, and I coded it. Initially, there was a bug (I wrote x+1 instead of x+i), but I debugged it effectively using log statements and basic tests, which impressed the interviewer. I concluded the round by asking questions about the organization, role, and potential projects.

Round 2: (System Design + DSA)

This was a hybrid round with two interviewers, one of whom was an observer. The first question was to design a Stock Market Application. I started by listing key agents (Buyer, Seller, Broker, Manager) and services (Buy, Sell, Place orders, Execute orders, Market Price Manager, Loggers, Anti-Cheat service). The interviewer then focused on the core problem of order execution, specifically how to handle concurrent orders, fulfill buys/sells, and maintain market prices. I proposed a heap-based, multi-threaded approach, discussing locks, synchronization, and message brokers. The second part was a 15-20 minute discussion on fundamental computer science concepts, triggered by the statement while(1). We covered compilation, parsers, CPU execution, multithreading, multiprocessing, kernel/user processes, and synchronization, which went well.

Round 3: (System Design)

I received an afternoon call for a third round with a Senior Manager. After introductions and resume details, we discussed my current project. The main question was to build a Sudoku game with a 'Reload' button to generate new puzzles. I presented two approaches, and we had a detailed discussion on the chosen one, including aspects like difficulty levels, data storage, and UX. I felt the interviewer was impressed with my insights.

Round 4: (AA Round - Hiring Manager/Director)

Surprisingly, I was called for a fourth round with a very senior person, likely at a Director level. This round focused on my current project, how I handle technical challenges, and numerous behavioral questions such as resolving conflicts, dealing with unexpected outcomes, and career proud moments. It was an hour-long, positive discussion. The interviewer also asked for my overall interview experience, which I genuinely found awesome compared to other top companies I've interviewed with.

My recruiter later confirmed positive feedback across all four rounds and initiated the document submission process. I received a verbal offer 16 days after the final interview.