I applied for IT SDET/SDE and Product Development SDET/SCE through Microsoft's career website. A recruiter contacted me, asking me to fill out a form. On this form, I was asked to list the positions I was interested in within Microsoft's IT division and to provide available times for an initial HR phone screen. I received a response after a week with the confirmed time.

For those unfamiliar with the difference between IT development and Product Development, IT development works for other Microsoft groups, whereas Product Development delivers MS products for customers like you, me, and other corporations.

The initial phone interview was a behavioral interview with HR. I received a response from her after about two days stating they wanted me to come to Bellevue, WA, for an onsite interview. I was expecting a technical phone screen, which did not happen.

I flew to Bellevue, WA, a day before my interview. That evening, all the candidates who had come for the interview met in the hotel lobby. We were then taken to a club where we met the HR people and some of the technical staff who would be interviewing us the next day. We were also given our schedules. I had the morning schedule: four interviews from 8 AM to 1 PM with some breaks in between. These were the questions I was asked in each of them:

I did pretty well and was shocked to learn that I did not make it. No reasons were given, and I was asked to reapply after six months. Results were delivered immediately at 1:30 PM. It was a tough evening for me!

It was a nice experience. I am still disappointed not to have made it, but I will reapply and get it the next time, if not at Microsoft, then at one of the big companies!

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