Process
I applied through an employee referral.
The interview level was medium. There were 4 to 5 rounds:
- Initial screening with HR: HR questions and my expectations.
- Next round: 2 to 3 DSA questions.
- Next was an LLD round.
- Then an engineering manager's round: a project discussion round and a behavioural round.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 14 interview experiences for the Microsoft SDE 1 role.
Success Rate
36%
Pass Rate
Microsoft's interview process for their SDE 1 roles is fairly selective, failing a large portion of engineers who go through it.
Experience Rating
Positive86%
Neutral14%
Negative0%
Candidates reported having very good feelings for Microsoft's SDE 1 interview process.
Microsoft Work Experiences
4.0
SDE 1 @ Microsoft
SDE 1 • Former Employee
Seattle, Washington, United States
April 24, 2025
Pros: - Strong starter compensation
- Rotation options and learning culture
- Balanced hybrid setup, most teams ask for 2–3 days a week on campus
Cons: - Process heavy. Every feature flows through design reviews, security sign-off, partner team alignment, then staged rollout.
- Promotion bottlenecks. Level jump from 59/60 (SDE I) to 61 (SDE II) is supposed to happen in 18–24 months, but depends heavily on getting a “scope-stretch” project and a manager who will champion it.
5.0
Great Perks, Cool Ac!
SDE 1 • Current Employee
Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
August 9, 2024
Pros: Good campus, free food, games, and good work-life balance.
Cons: No cons as per my observation. The AC temperature is too cool 😭.
5.0
Fun Work, Late Calls
SDE 1 • Current Employee
Hyderābād, Telangana, India
September 23, 2025
Pros: Fun environment to work in.
Cons: Late-night calls with international clients.
- 4.0SDE 1 @ MicrosoftSDE 1 • Former EmployeeSeattle, Washington, United StatesApril 24, 2025Pros: - Strong starter compensation - Rotation options and learning culture - Balanced hybrid setup, most teams ask for 2–3 days a week on campusCons: - Process heavy. Every feature flows through design reviews, security sign-off, partner team alignment, then staged rollout. - Promotion bottlenecks. Level jump from 59/60 (SDE I) to 61 (SDE II) is supposed to happen in 18–24 months, but depends heavily on getting a “scope-stretch” project and a manager who will champion it.
- 5.0Great Perks, Cool Ac!SDE 1 • Current EmployeeNoida, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaAugust 9, 2024Pros: Good campus, free food, games, and good work-life balance.Cons: No cons as per my observation. The AC temperature is too cool 😭.
- 5.0Fun Work, Late CallsSDE 1 • Current EmployeeHyderābād, Telangana, IndiaSeptember 23, 2025Pros: Fun environment to work in.Cons: Late-night calls with international clients.
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