Steven Chia

I had my first Microsoft interview on Friday. I’m really hoping it went well and that I’m given a chance to prove myself again during the second round in Redmond. Overall the first interview was about the interviewer getting to know who I was, my past experiences, and how I think in around 30 minutes. Before going into this interview I really had no idea what kind of questions they were going to ask. Microsoft is famous for their puzzle and thought-provoking questions. So, I did my research beforehand. I practiced solving puzzles, reviewed my Java and C++ and went over some design questions. Since I applied for a Program Manager position which was more of a designing software role than a programmer role, I had a design question. My challenge was to create a GPS for a 16 year old novice driver. I think the trick was to ask a lot of questions and talk out loud when trying to solve these types of problems. The interviewer wants to hear and understand your thought process.

I don’t know how it went, but whether or not I get through to the second interview I’m grateful for the experience and the chance to practice my interviewing skills.