Senior Software Development Engineer Interview Experience - Redmond, Washington
July 16, 2015
Positive ExperienceGot Offer
Process
Usually there are six rounds of interviews.
The first round is a technical screening. The next two rounds involve technical problem-solving questions.
Two more rounds are for design questions, and finally, there is a discussion with the manager or skip-level manager.
Questions
Design a restaurant reservation system.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 21 interview experiences for the Microsoft Senior Software Development Engineer role in Redmond, Washington.
Success Rate
57%
Pass Rate
Microsoft's interview process for their Senior Software Development Engineer roles in Redmond, Washington is on the easier side as most engineers get an offer after going through it.
Experience Rating
Positive57%
Neutral19%
Negative24%
Candidates reported having very good feelings for Microsoft's Senior Software Development Engineer interview process in Redmond, Washington.
Microsoft Work Experiences
2.0
The experience at Microsoft is not what it used to be
Senior Software Development Engineer • Current Employee
Redmond, Washington, United States
August 28, 2014
Pros: With 20 years at MS, I get 5 weeks vacation a year.
Cons: Politics. People do not interview for internal position openings like lead; they are given away based on who the dev manager 'likes' or how long a person has worked on a specific team. I would think they would consider multiple candidates and choose the best qualified, but they don't, not for internal team openings.
4.0
It gets political
Senior Software Development Engineer • Current Employee
Redmond, Washington, United States
August 28, 2012
Pros: Lots of resources, lots of projects, starting to fire on all cylinders.
Great people who are committed to help improve your career.
Very cool products.
Cons: As you go higher, you need to be lucky to have a good manager and a team that has opportunities.
Too much competition often leads to a clique.
Sometimes, MSFT has too much money and doesn't fully commit to certain projects, or lets many teams compete. This leads to friction, and then to internal competition, which leads to cliques and disappointments.
3.0
Team Dependent, Low Salary
Senior Software Development Engineer • Current Employee
Redmond, Washington, United States
October 2, 2017
Pros: It all depends on the team you are part of.
The workload is nice, and perks like ESPP, 401k, and medical benefits are better.
But salary is on the low side compared to other Seattle companies.
Cons: Politics, some people have a lot of ego. Lots of levels. Each title has at least two levels, which sometimes makes it longer to get to senior even if you are working hard.
- 2.0The experience at Microsoft is not what it used to beSenior Software Development Engineer • Current EmployeeRedmond, Washington, United StatesAugust 28, 2014Pros: With 20 years at MS, I get 5 weeks vacation a year.Cons: Politics. People do not interview for internal position openings like lead; they are given away based on who the dev manager 'likes' or how long a person has worked on a specific team. I would think they would consider multiple candidates and choose the best qualified, but they don't, not for internal team openings.
- 4.0It gets politicalSenior Software Development Engineer • Current EmployeeRedmond, Washington, United StatesAugust 28, 2012Pros: Lots of resources, lots of projects, starting to fire on all cylinders. Great people who are committed to help improve your career. Very cool products.Cons: As you go higher, you need to be lucky to have a good manager and a team that has opportunities. Too much competition often leads to a clique. Sometimes, MSFT has too much money and doesn't fully commit to certain projects, or lets many teams compete. This leads to friction, and then to internal competition, which leads to cliques and disappointments.
- 3.0Team Dependent, Low SalarySenior Software Development Engineer • Current EmployeeRedmond, Washington, United StatesOctober 2, 2017Pros: It all depends on the team you are part of. The workload is nice, and perks like ESPP, 401k, and medical benefits are better. But salary is on the low side compared to other Seattle companies.Cons: Politics, some people have a lot of ego. Lots of levels. Each title has at least two levels, which sometimes makes it longer to get to senior even if you are working hard.
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