Online Assesment Round:
Microsoft online assessment was on Codility platform and was 1.5 hours long and was proctored to ensure fairness. It had 2 medium level questions which were mostly about trees, DP and basic data structures like arrays and strings.
The questions required good understanding of algorithmic techniques and coding practices, especially time and space complexity. Managing time and accuracy was key for this round as it was a filter to identify candidates who have good grasp of problem solving fundamentals.
It took around 30 to 40 minutes to solve both questions, leaving enough time to double-check the solutions. After completing this round, I was shortlisted for the interview stage, which was the next step in the selection process.
Interview Round 1:
The first interview was 3 days after the online assessment. It was a 45-50 minute online interview on Microsoft Teams. The interviewer was nice and started by introducing himself then asked me to introduce myself.
Problem Statement:
He gave me a problem to find the sum of two linked lists of different lengths. The platform used was Codility and I had to provide the structure for the linked list as well. The coding environment was a black box.
I took 20 minutes to explain the code and gave a basic approach to the problem. Then he asked me to modify the solution for the sum of the two linked lists which took 10 minutes. He then asked about the edge cases for the problem.
Resume Discussion:
After the coding round we discussed the projects mentioned in my resume. He asked simple questions about the work I had done on those projects.
End of the Interview:
He asked if I had any questions. I asked about my performance. He said good.
Full-Time Interview Round 2:
After successfully completing the first interview, I was scheduled for the second round just four hours later. Similar to the first, this interview lasted 45-50 minutes on Microsoft Teams, with a stronger emphasis on Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA).
Introduction and Resume Questions:
The interviewer began by introducing himself, followed by some technical questions related to my resume. He briefly inquired about my projects and the technologies I had used, setting the stage for the more technical aspects of the interview.
Dynamic Programming Question:
The first technical challenge involved Dynamic Programming and centered around a coin grouping problem. I presented a basic DP solution but was prompted to optimize it. I enhanced the solution by memoizing subproblems to eliminate redundant calculations, which seemed to satisfy the interviewer.
Tree-Based Problem:
The next question dealt with binary trees. I was tasked with determining whether a tree was a Binary Search Tree (BST). I employed an in-order traversal method but was questioned about the time complexity of my approach and potential edge cases, which made me reconsider my solution. I explained my reasoning, and the interviewer appeared pleased with my responses.
General Discussion: Microsoft Apps and Technologies:
Following the technical segment, the interviewer asked about my favorite Microsoft app and its advantages and disadvantages. I discussed one I frequently use, pointing out both its strengths and areas for improvement. This part of the interview felt more conversational, focusing on my critical thinking regarding software.
Conclusion:
The interview wrapped up on a positive note. I inquired about the team culture at Microsoft, and the interviewer provided insights into the collaborative environment and the meaningful projects that interns engage in. This round challenged me to optimize my solutions and think critically, leaving me feeling confident about my performance.
This was a very positive experience for me and helped me develop my technical skills and helped me in my overall development also.