Software Development Engineer In Test (SDET) Interview Experience - Mountain View, California
Process
The process was very fast for me, though I've heard it was slow for others, so results may vary.
I had a phone screen with some technical questions, followed by an onsite interview within a few days, and received an offer a few days after that.
The interviews were good. There were many whiteboard coding questions, but they were relevant and not nonsensical. Some were basic sanity checks (very simple questions), while others were slightly more complicated, such as rearranging linked lists. It was a long day.
If one or two interviewers give a solid thumbs down, they often stop the process to avoid wasting time. Therefore, if the interview is shorter than expected, anticipate bad news. Making it to see the hiring manager is a good sign.
Questions
I honestly don't remember, but I was not stuck anywhere, so there was nothing too ridiculous. However, they do expect you to think of edge cases and test cases, especially for an SDET role.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 7 interview experiences for the Microsoft Software Development Engineer In Test (SDET) role in Mountain View, California.
Success Rate
Microsoft's interview process for their Software Development Engineer In Test (SDET) roles in Mountain View, California is fairly selective, failing a large portion of engineers who go through it.
Experience Rating
Candidates reported having very good feelings for Microsoft's Software Development Engineer In Test (SDET) interview process in Mountain View, California.
Microsoft Work Experiences
- 2.0Constantly Shifting Priorities, Poorly Trained Management, Huge TurnoverSoftware Development Engineer In Test (SDET) • Former EmployeeMountain View, California, United StatesOctober 29, 2014Pros: Lots of gadgets and technology to work with. Development and test teams are usually very knowledgeable.Cons: Leadership and management don't know what to do and are more interested in proving to the higher-ups that they are making some artificially designed metrics than creating good software. Constant team shake-ups and project changes mean that you never develop much expertise unless you take it upon yourself. Culture is atrocious; most are only concerned with their own progress and will do everything they can to throw anyone else under the bus. Management likes to take credit for employees' work. Unsurprising, as performance is measured on a sliding scale rather than any real metrics. Good English is not required, which makes communication a big issue. Movement between roles is almost non-existent, although they use it as a hiring draw. Due to high turnover, management tends to be drawn from outside groups, and they have little to no knowledge of the project.
- 3.0yet another big companySoftware Development Engineer In Test (SDET) • Former EmployeeMountain View, California, United StatesSeptember 17, 2014Pros: Microsoft has a good brand in both enterprise and customer markets. There are a lot of smart people around.Cons: Micromanagement. Managers were really mean. Some old-timers were rude. Very poor work-life balance.
- 3.0They treat you well, but have no direction. They are constantly changing direction and have lousy metrics for measuring performanceSoftware Development Engineer In Test (SDET) • Former EmployeeMountain View, California, United StatesAugust 14, 2014Pros: They really take good care of you. Work-life balance is great for a tech job. They care about your health and well-being and take your feedback seriously.Cons: Lousy management. They have no focus or direction at all and are too concerned with raw numbers and quarterly results instead of company direction or quality. Things look like they are improving under Satya N., but it is difficult to undo so many years of mismanagement quickly. Their assessment process is terrible: they rely on numbers, e.g., number of tests, lines of code, instead of what those numbers represent.
Microsoft Interview Questions
