I applied through a recruiter. I interviewed at Microsoft
Interview
Contacted by internal Microsoft recruiter. Very easy to speak with. She said next step would be to bring me into a “loop” with four managers and the other candidates being considered for two openings. A scheduler took over from the recruiter and everything was handled well. Day of interview reported to the Microsoft office and was placed in a small conference room. Should mention I saw two other candidates in the waiting room before being brought back- no biggie, said hello to both shook hands. All three of us were placed in rooms down the same hall side by side.
Each interview lasted 45 minutes. Hard to know what to expect with four completely different interviewing styles since obviously four individual managers. Really felt like the first person asked deep probing questions which really got me excited that I was able to describe myself and my experience very well. Second person was much harder to get that rapport going. Person was rather closed off, so much so I figure I was not favored at all. Struggled through second one. Had a 15 min break still in that same room. Third person also closed off. Didn’t ask many probing questions at all. Didn’t really dive into my experience was almost like I was filling a quota for number of candidates. Last interview and not going to lie at this point I am fried. Also pretty much know I will not be shortlisted. Fourth person was great. Gave me some energy back and really dove into my background again and was genuine with questions and paying attention to who I was.
Overall, in am disappointed in my performance of the day and would change a dozen different things
It was a one on one interview with basic behavioral questions. Looking for your experience and ability to interact with other people. Questions also regarding company culture and your fit.
I applied through college or university. The process took 7 weeks. I interviewed at Microsoft in Oct 2018
Interview
The process consisted of two rounds. (On campus recruiting.)
Round 1 was a standard behavioral interview. You "interview" for all sales positions. If you are selected for a final round, you think rank both your location and role preferences. They then combine this with the interviewer notes and if there's a match, you are invited to interview for that position.
The second round interview was with four people in the sales teams. It was quite conversational. They want to see if you are a good fit for the role based on experiences.
The process itself was quite slow. It also seemed to lack a cohesive structure. There was a main recruiter, but also two other people contacting me regarding logistics. When I asked a question, I did not receive an answer until the night before my interview.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
How would you handle the stress/pressure of a quota-based sales role where you have to hit your numbers monthly?