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Microsoft has such an involved recruitment process...

So I applied for a technical position for recent grads at Microsoft a few months ago. About 3 weeks later, I received an email instructing me to complete some online assessment test, which I did. I wait a week, and receive another email instructing me to complete a pre-recorded video interview, in which I answer questions on webcam and submit my answers to their website. Two weeks later, I had an HR interview with a recruiter over Skype. Since then, I've been waiting for yet another interview with a manager/director/whatever (2 weeks and counting now), and only after that will I invited for an in-person final assessment. So basically I'm currently at like stage 3/5 of the process.

And... this isn't even for a full-time position. It's essentially an extended internship program that can turn into a full-time job at the company. It's really hard for me to maintain interest when there are 230909 different interviews with multiple weeks in-between. So much angst.
 

Hilbert

Deep into his 30th decade
That's crazy.

I contract at Microsoft a lot, technical interviews seem to range from 1-3 hours.

When I became full time, I had 6 hour long interviews over 2 days. I have never heard of what you are going through.
 

Saganator

Member
So I applied for a technical position for recent grads at Microsoft a few months ago. About 3 weeks later, I received an email instructing me to complete some online assessment test, which I did. I wait a week, and receive another email instructing me to complete a pre-recorded video interview, in which I answer questions on webcam and submit my answers to their website. Two weeks later, I had an HR interview with a recruiter over Skype. Since then, I've been waiting for yet another interview with a manager/director/whatever (2 weeks and counting now), and only after that will I invited for an in-person final assessment.

And... this isn't even for a full-time position. It's essentially an extended internship program that can turn into a full-time job at the company. It's really hard for me to maintain interest when there are 230909 different interviews with multiple weeks in-between. So much angst.

There are probably at least a few hundred if not thousands going for the same job. Companies like MS have to make people jump through a bunch of hoops so they only waste their time on the most serious and qualified candidates.
 
I did a recruiting thing with Microsoft once and all I think I had was a call with the recruiter, an online assessment test and an interview loop. Didn't end up doing very well but the middle interviewer was spending the majority of the time answering emails and only got up to tell me my answer was wrong so I didn't really care xD
 
Keep going, it's worth it. Good job and good luck.
Thanks!

That's crazy.

I contract at Microsoft a lot, technical interviews seem to range from 1-3 hours.

When I became full time, I had 6 hour long interviews over 2 days. I have never heard of what you are going through.
It's likely different depending on the position. I was never aware they did this, honestly.

But I'm keeping hope. Just wish I didn't have to wait so long in-between interviews.
 

Lazlo

Member
Just wait until you get to the in person part, then you get to do the loop.
If you make it beyond lunch then you're doing well.
 

Falchion

Member
Seems like a really drawn out process to weed out anyone they aren't looking for. Just look at it as a positive that you're still in the hunt after all of those steps.

Good luck, hope you land it!
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
You don't think they get amazing work like this just by casting a wide net, do you?

zlhqq6M.jpg
 
There are two sides to the coin. Its good to have a thorough application process but you also need to be decisive. Companies that let their application process drag on for 3+ months will probably loose candidates to more decisive companies. No sane person is going to turn down a good job offer to wait on Microsoft.
 
It was easy for me? They asked me if I wanted an interview, I said yes, they had a phone call chat and set me up with a prescreen interview on my university campus and then flew me over for an on-site.
 

Ahasverus

Member
Ha. Try ABInbev. I've got 6 stages behind me since march and still have 4 more left. Big companies are serious about recruitment. It's worth it though.
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
You just sent that image in and got the job, didn't you?

No. I described it in a Tweet. Then explained the concept of Tweeting and sent in the source code and server structure of Twitter, including cloud processing which I also had to diagram and create working scripts for.

It was easy for me? They asked me if I wanted an interview, I said yes, they had a phone call chat and set me up with a prescreen interview on my university campus and then flew me over for an on-site.

Jokes aside, this is the normal process for candidates with relevant experience. There are different processes for interns, grad students and so on.

In theory you've been vetted by "the world." The background check is the scariest part because you're like, "What if I murdered someone and just forgot about it?"
 

AlexMogil

Member
My interviews with Microsoft were great fun. Great technical conversations with people I'd drink a coffee with. I didn't get further than that but it was a lot of fun and something I'd love to do again.
 
Microsoft has good money and crazy benefits. If you stick with it (and the company), you will be taken care of in the long run.
 
Microsoft is actually comprised of 2 disctinct warring factions. They have to go deep on the interview to figure out which side you are on.
 
Jokes aside, this is the normal process for candidates with relevant experience. There are different processes for interns, grad students and so on.
Yup, of that I am aware. Definitely noticed that experienced professionals tend to have a shorter process and generally fewer interviews.
 
Yeah in my experience this does seem to be a commonplace system for Microsoft and other major tech companies. Specifically ones that tend to put a big focus on quality workers. It's a lot of hoops, but, as many here have said, it usually results in a heck of a good job and workplace.
 

tokkun

Member
General advice for interviewing at tech companies:

- If you know someone at the company, ask for a referral rather than cold-applying. You can usually skip the first few steps and save a lot of time. The company may even pay a finder's fee bonus to the person who referred you.

- If you have a competing offer, let them know about it. They may expedite the process.
 

_Aaron_

Member
This is pretty much the norm for graduate schemes/jobs at big companies. At least in the UK.

I gave up applying for grad schemes. I found the whole process to just be frustrating and a waste of time.
 

Proelite

Member
They have different processes for industry veterans vs newbees, locals vs someone they'll have to fly in. The former all they do is a recruiter call, tech screen, and on-site. For people with 10 years of tech experience in Seattle with companies as Google, Amazon, etc, they'll occasionally skip the tech screen.
 

Deepwater

Member
The tech industry is entirely way too big for so many college upperclassmen/recent grads to subject themselves to such cutthroat interview process like ones at Microsoft. I'd much rather earn my stripes at smaller companies and ride into a big name company with 5-10 years of experience and the applicant pool is significantly smaller.
 

tokkun

Member
The tech industry is entirely way too big for so many college upperclassmen/recent grads to subject themselves to such cutthroat interview process like ones at Microsoft. I'd much rather earn my stripes at smaller companies and ride into a big name company with 5-10 years of experience and the applicant pool is significantly smaller.

I'd much rather start at a big name company and retire after 10 years.
 
The tech industry is entirely way too big for so many college upperclassmen/recent grads to subject themselves to such cutthroat interview process like ones at Microsoft. I'd much rather earn my stripes at smaller companies and ride into a big name company with 5-10 years of experience and the applicant pool is significantly smaller.

That's a good point. However, consider that it would result in 5-10 years of potentially lost income, benefits, stocks/options, etc.
 

godhandiscen

There are millions of whiny 5-year olds on Earth, and I AM THEIR KING.
So I applied for a technical position for recent grads at Microsoft a few months ago. About 3 weeks later, I received an email instructing me to complete some online assessment test, which I did. I wait a week, and receive another email instructing me to complete a pre-recorded video interview, in which I answer questions on webcam and submit my answers to their website. Two weeks later, I had an HR interview with a recruiter over Skype. Since then, I've been waiting for yet another interview with a manager/director/whatever (2 weeks and counting now), and only after that will I invited for an in-person final assessment. So basically I'm currently at like stage 3/5 of the process.

And... this isn't even for a full-time position. It's essentially an extended internship program that can turn into a full-time job at the company. It's really hard for me to maintain interest when there are 230909 different interviews with multiple weeks in-between. So much angst.
if you are going through so many hoops chances are your qualifications are not that great.


For example: The interview process for the engineering team I lead can also be complex, but if it is a candidate i personally reached out to, he can skip basically half of it. When you are a domain expert you don't go through all the crap.
 

entremet

Member
if you are going through so many hoops chances are your qualifications are not that great.

Not true.

These are standard procedures in many big corporation. Trust me, they would not be wasting their time interviewing a poor candidate. Finding time to get all these stakeholders together isn't a fun and easy feat.

Ain't nobody got time for that!
 

godhandiscen

There are millions of whiny 5-year olds on Earth, and I AM THEIR KING.
Not true.

These are standard procedures in many big corporation. True me, they would not be wasting their time interviewing a poor candidate.

Ain't nobody got time for that!
Not true. For Google and Facebook I skipped a lot of it, or the time in between was immediate. It depends on your qualifications.
 
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