I dropped my resume at the Microsoft booth at a career fair.

I received an email asking me to indicate which of the listed timeslots were possible for a phone interview. I also filled out a form detailing my preferred position and development layer.

I provided my phone number and Skype name, and stated that Skype was the most convenient for me. On time, a woman called me on Skype (no video), and the interview proceeded smoothly.

She seemed very skilled at interviewing. The conversation felt comfortable, and she validated my thoughts, prompting me when I ran out of ideas. The "fun questions," as she called them, felt like brainstorming sessions. The advice was to mention anything and everything that came to mind. I should remember to cover corner cases and safety checks.

Thirty minutes after the phone interview ended, I received an email stating I didn't make the cut. It mentioned I was close and offered consideration for a support position or a re-interview for the developer position in two months.

In total, I communicated with three different women: the one who scheduled the interview, the interviewer, and the one who followed up.

I asked for feedback and advice in my thank-you reply to the last woman, but she was somewhat dismissive. Otherwise, the overall vibe was okay, and everyone was courteous.

Given a ballpoint pen, how would you test its functionality?