Microsoft Software Engineer II Interview Experience | EU | On-side | Rejection.

My Microsoft On-site Interview Experience

I want to give back to the community by sharing my recent Microsoft interview experience for a Software Engineer role within Azure E+C. This was an on-site interview consisting of four intense rounds completed in a single day. I came into this with 4 years of experience from a high-growth product-based startup.

Round 1: Live Coding (Graph Problem)

This round focused on a graph / currency retention problem. Honestly, the problem description was quite unclear initially, and I didn't immediately recognize it as a graph problem. The interviewer was helpful, guiding me to a clearer understanding. I explained my approach using DFS to iterate and calculate weighted paths, and we collaboratively implemented about half of the solution during our discussion. My main takeaway from this was the importance of talking through your thought process clearly, especially when the problem statement isn't perfectly clear, as they value reasoning over perfectly running code.

Round 2: OOP / Design (Elevator System)

I had anticipated another live coding session, but this round was primarily a discussion on Object-Oriented Design. I was tasked with designing an Elevator System. I started by defining the core requirements, then outlined the necessary classes, functions, and explained how I'd apply OOP principles like Single Responsibility Principle (SRP) and encapsulation. My tip here is to maintain clarity in your design and articulate your decisions step by step, using real-life examples if they help.

Round 3: Behavioral + System Design (Pastebin System)

This round was a combination of behavioral questions and system design. We spent about 15-20 minutes discussing my past projects in detail. Following that, I was asked to design a Pastebin-like service. This involved discussing various aspects such as scaling the database, choosing appropriate storage solutions, defining API endpoints, and drawing high-level architectural diagrams. The interviewer commented that my design was good, though I felt I could have added more details. It's crucial to be ready to deep-dive technically into your projects, as follow-up questions will probe challenges, design choices, trade-offs, and technologies used.

Round 4: Hiring Manager Interview

The final round was with a Hiring Manager, focusing entirely on behavioral questions and an in-depth explanation of my experience. I discussed my most challenging project and other relevant experiences. I also asked 3-4 questions about the team, their projects, and customers. My advice for this round is to be honest, clear, and concise. Have concrete examples ready for challenges you've faced, how you resolved them, and what you learned. Also, remember to always use "I did..." or "I developed..." instead of "We did..." to highlight your individual contributions.