How many rounds of interview at Microsoft?

Microsoft’s interview process consists of multiple rounds designed to evaluate both technical skills and cultural fit. These rounds are structured to assess various competencies like problem-solving, coding, system design, and behavioral alignment with the company.

Interview Rounds at Microsoft

1. Initial Screening (Phone/Virtual)

The first round is typically a phone or virtual screening, focusing on basic technical skills and a high-level cultural fit. This is usually a 30-60 minute session with coding questions.

2. Technical Interviews

Microsoft typically has 2-4 technical interview rounds, depending on the role. These focus on coding, data structures, algorithms, and sometimes system design. Each round lasts about 45-60 minutes.

3. System Design (For Senior Roles)

For more senior roles, there will be a system design interview where you’ll be asked to design scalable systems. It usually involves discussing architecture and trade-offs in a 45-60 minute session.

4. Behavioral Interview

This round assesses how well you align with Microsoft’s culture and values, focusing on teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving experiences. Expect 3-5 behavioral questions in a 45-60 minute session.

5. Final "As Appropriate" (AA) Interview

Sometimes, Microsoft conducts a final "As Appropriate" interview, which serves as a last checkpoint to ensure cultural and technical alignment.

Conclusion

You can expect about 4-5 rounds of interviews in total, including technical, behavioral, and sometimes system design. Each interview usually lasts around 45-60 minutes. To prepare, check out Grokking Modern Behavioral Interview and Grokking the System Design Interview.