The interview process was very disorganized. I was initially told there would be two stages, which then changed to five. Ultimately, I completed three stages, including the final interview (though with fewer people than initially indicated).

• Phone screen: I was advised there would be one technical interview (with two engineers) and an informal chat (with one manager).
• Technical interview: Only one engineer turned up. I was then told there were five stages in total and that a second technical interview would happen at a later time.
• Recruiter communication: The recruiter stated that the technical interview was passed (despite only speaking to one technical interviewer). They specifically mentioned that no further technical skills would be assessed.
• Managerial interview (Final): This interview involved one manager on Skype and one technical person in person. This was not the "informal chat" that was initially described. The experience was quite awkward, partly due to the poor Skype call quality.

I was ultimately unsuccessful at the final stage, which had been described as a non-technical interview, for technical skills, despite having already passed the technical interview. I suppose two managers felt better placed to make a technical decision than their technical interviewers.

Based on my experience, I would advise against adapting your interview style based on the interviewers. For example, remain technical and do not focus entirely on managerial or soft skills in the management interview.

Microsoft asked some concerning questions during the interview, which started with phrases like, "Given this is the very top-tier support, customers expect you to be an SME on everything, so how would you cover your lack of knowledge?" This concerns me due to the complete lack of transparency and the potential for making mistakes by "covering up" a lack of skills.

I also felt there was a concerning number of questions asked in relation to dealing with customers in other countries or cultures. Their questioning went beyond what I felt was a reasonable line of concern for someone dealing with customers.

Given this is the very top-tier support, customers expect you to be a SME on everything. How would you cover your lack of knowledge?