I recently had a phone screen for an SDE II role at Microsoft. While the process itself was straightforward, the interview experience was highly unfair. The interviewer did not allow me to run my code or provide test cases and stated that syntax was not important. I completed the coding problem quickly and correctly, showing through syntax highlighting that my code was bug-free, importing libraries like SortedList(), and answering follow-ups with binary search efficiently. I stated the time complexity as Log N, used bisect_right(), and mentioned edge cases like duplicates in the list.

Having solved 1,700+ LeetCode problems and created 1,000+ YouTube coding videos, I have objectively proven technical skill and fluency in coding. Yet, I was rejected and ghosted for over two weeks, even after a polite follow-up. This felt inhumane—evaluating candidates who clearly demonstrate mastery as if it didn’t matter.

It’s paradoxical that interviews where candidates are less fluent in syntax might pass, while candidates who are highly fluent can fail. I hope Microsoft moves toward a more objective process that focuses on real problem-solving and code correctness rather than subjective impressions.

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