Multiple interviewers who didn't connect prior to meetings, so a lot of repetition. Very smart questions and overall not an unpleasant process. Recruiters are overwhelmed so feedback takes a long time.
I applied online. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Microsoft (Bellevue, WA) in Mar 2011
Interview
I was contacted by a recruiter who completed an initial phone screen. A week or so later, a phone interview was set up with the hiring manager, which went well. Then another week or so later, the recruiter called to schedule an in-person interview and begin travel arrangements.
Travel was rescheduled once due to a scheduling conflict with the hiring manager.
I flew out the day before and arrived at the office in the morning. The on-site interview began with the recruiter and then a series of peers to the role, a key customer to the role and finally the hiring manager. I was there for almost the entire day and pretty wiped out by the time I met the hiring manager... a little jet lagged too.
I thought everything went swimmingly, even the "bad cop" interviewer which MS is know to use in their interviewing process, until the end of the day... Questions throughout were focused and challenging. Conversations were engaging and friendly.
Ultimately, I was not made an offer but given good feedback as to why. Communication throughout was good. Travel coordination was simple and expense reimbursement was all automated and painless.
Their online systems used to manage the process were a bit tricky but usable.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
How would you develop a strategy to market this product?
I applied through a staffing agency. The process took 5 months. I interviewed at Microsoft (Toronto, ON)
Interview
I had different 9 interviews that lasted over a number of months for a contract role. Most people asked the same types of questions. The process could have been cut in half had they spoke to each other.
The interview process was very straightforward. The interview process was very straightforward. First go through headhunter, then hiring manager, then someone in the peer level. All oral interviews... whole thing took only 2 weeks ....
Interview questions [2]
Question 1
It was a very specific and technical question... how do you drive participation