I applied through an employee referral. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Microsoft (Redmond, WA) in Aug 2009
Interview
Interview processes at Microsoft can range from being long and intense to short and intense...
THey are a very wonderful company to work for and because of their proficient interview styles, they hire some of the very best talent in the world. They also weed out some of the talent with apptitude that doesn't fit their work style. Overall you can expect a couple of HR phone screens, meet i-person with hiring manager, then loop with 5-8 people within the group you are applying. Then HR will retake the reigns and follow up with offering you the job or declining you the opportunity.
There were 3 interviews after the initial screening call with the recruiter. Each of the 3 interviews were focused on a specific area with the areas being Technical, Business, and Behavioral. It took about 3 weeks for the whole interview process and I heard back after the 4th week.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
How would you describe your experience in the roles you have done and how would they contribute to your success in this role.
Easy - super hiring day with multiple hiring managers across the org. Interviews across 3 managers. It was based on prioritization for three roles. Everyone was very nice and I felt comfortable and at ease.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Q: What is the most difficult thing you've done at work?
I applied through a recruiter. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Microsoft in Jan 2025
Interview
Four interviews. One day. All 45+ mins. Met with multiple people on the Minecraft team. Everyone was nice and respectful. The recruiter was great. A few weeks later after they told me they went with a more senior candidate, they reopened the role but I was not being considered for it. Heard of this happening across the industry right now. They did require an assignment but it was positioned as a though exercise
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
How would I build a GTM with the information they provided