I had two technical rounds, followed by an HR round, then another technical round, and finally another HR round.

PERSONAL INTERVIEW (TECHNICAL)

Technical Round 1: In this round, I was given two puzzles to solve and a simple C++ question. The puzzles were pretty hard. They asked me to speak out whatever ideas came to my mind to test my problem-solving approach.

Technical Round 2: In this round, I was asked to write a program involving concepts from File Systems, Data Structures, and Computer Networks. It was a bit complex, but understandable once the problem was clear. After completing the program, I was asked to add more features to make it more generalized and adaptable to input changes. Then, I had to write test cases for the program. There were also some small puzzles. This was the main round that secured my position at Microsoft.

Technical Round 3: This round occurred after the first HR round. It primarily tested a person's patience in writing code. I was given a relatively easy but very long code to review. Following that, I was presented with two code snippets and asked to determine their outputs, which were difficult. Those with a strong grasp of basics could solve these problems easily.

PERSONAL INTERVIEW (HR)

The HR rounds were the most challenging part of my interview process, as both were stress rounds.

HR Round 1: I had a tough time convincing the HR about my capabilities due to my low CGPA. I highlighted my active participation in the institute's Technical Fest and other student activities. I succeeded in my attempt and was forwarded to the next round. The HR also asked me some questions on DBMS and Computer Networks.

HR Round 2: Again, I was questioned about my CGPA. I prudently made them understand that CGPA is not the sole criterion for selection and that I could perform better than counterparts with higher CGPAs if given an opportunity. This was the main discussion in this round. Finally, I came out of the interview with flying colors, feeling confident about my selection at Microsoft.

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCES

This was the third company I interviewed with, after Oracle and Amazon. I reached the interview rounds in both Oracle and Amazon, which provided me with a lot of confidence and learning experiences that greatly aided me in my Microsoft interview.

All the companies I interviewed with asked a similar range of technical questions. Do not lose your confidence at any point; being confident is the most crucial aspect of an interview.

SUGGESTIONS TO JUNIORS

Do not lose your confidence. While CGPA matters, it is not the only criterion for selection; keep this in mind and prepare accordingly. Proper preparation of 10-15 days is sufficient for individuals to get into a good company like Microsoft. Focus on mastering the basics. Never give up on any question; this is very important. Avoid fixating on a single company as your "dream company," as this might discourage you from applying to others.

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