Software Development Engineer In Test (SDET) Interview Experience - Redmond, Washington
Process
I applied online and was then called for an on-campus interview. The on-campus interview consisted of one question: how to efficiently test a system like Dropbox. I've heard, and can vouch, that if the on-campus interviewer tells you to expect to be contacted, you will be sent to Redmond.
Two weeks later, they contacted me to schedule my flight. I then flew out to Redmond, all expenses paid, and even had some time for tourist activities – they made me feel important.
The process consisted of six 1:1 interviews. The first was with your recruiter, which was general and directed me to the first technical interview.
The first technical interviewer was a manager who asked coding and tech questions. The second interview was the hardest, focusing on Big O speed and how to test different systems. The advice given was to just breathe and keep trying.
The third interview was a lunch interview, followed by a few coding questions on linked lists. If you make it past the lunch interview, you are doing well, as they decide then whether to continue the process.
The fourth interview was more about co-op experience, how to test different things, and how I figured out how to avoid and find SQL injections.
The final interview was with the most senior person, in my case, a systems architect. He asked a few coding questions and more about my experience and why I wanted to work as an SDET or at Microsoft in general. If things went well at that point, he mostly asked questions to encourage me to want the position.
Questions
Given a set of numbers from -50 to 50, find all pairs that add up to a certain sum that is passed in.
What is the O notation for the preceding problem?
Can you make it faster? Can you find an O(n) solution?
Implement the O(n) solution.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 128 interview experiences for the Microsoft Software Development Engineer In Test (SDET) role in Redmond, Washington.
Success Rate
Microsoft's interview process for their Software Development Engineer In Test (SDET) roles in Redmond, Washington 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 Redmond, Washington.
Microsoft Work Experiences
- 3.0All In for Mediocrity!!Software Development Engineer In Test (SDET) • Current EmployeeRedmond, Washington, United StatesSeptember 30, 2014Pros: Honestly, the main pros for working at Microsoft have to do with the work-life balance and the benefits. There's a good amount of drinking and joking on the job, which can actually be viewed as a good or a bad thing depending on who you ask (mostly good when done responsibly, in my opinion). The people are generally pretty smart and fun to be around, though there are way too many who have become or just are complacent and lack the motivation to be better at their jobs.Cons: Management is atrocious. Like others have pointed out, there are way too many managers who don't actually even understand or possess the skills to do their jobs and effectively manage a team. The culture is egotistical in the sense that it promotes an "I" sort of mentality. There is very little in terms of collaboration and promoting team success. The infrastructure is archaic and all over the place. Also, there is very little emphasis placed on employee growth and development.
- 4.0Good place for work/life balanceSoftware Development Engineer In Test (SDET) • Current EmployeeRedmond, Washington, United StatesAugust 16, 2012Pros: There is a very good chance that you can have a healthy work/life balance. Good product teams are mature and have good developing processes/plans, which allows you to expect what is coming.Cons: It's more difficult to get promotions as there are many senior employees. It is frustrating sometimes because too many factors stop the company from responding to the quick-changing and consumer-driven situations nowadays.
- 5.0Stellar Employer for All Experience LevelsSoftware Development Engineer In Test (SDET) • Former EmployeeRedmond, Washington, United StatesJune 12, 2008Pros: I found Microsoft to be a safe, supportive place to work. Everyone knows their job and sticks to it. People shouldn't take this for granted because in other places, sometimes even your job description and/or expectations are ambiguous. The benefits are great, especially free health care. I always felt like my managers and peers had my best interest and my career advancement in mind, right up alongside the team's success. I believe that MS is a company of integrity, one that supports great causes and supports the employee as far as possible. There is always someone to learn from or some piece of technology to learn about right there in-house. So, learning and mentorship opportunities are both plentiful.Cons: You can gain quite a bit of weight from the free drinks, affordable lunches, and frequent summer morale get-togethers. So, while all of the above is good, you need to take advantage of your ProClub pass. The only other downside I can think of, and I am really struggling, is that you can easily get so comfortable at Microsoft that you never ever leave. I have felt like this and spoken with others who have to force themselves to see other career options/moves. It's hard to give up Microsoft's benefits and stable work environment, but having a diverse resume is also very important.
Microsoft Interview Questions
