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Interview for Software Design Engineer in Test (SDET) at Microsoft on Friday

J

JonTheBaller

Golden Member
Can anyone give me first or second hand insight into this position? What are the requirements/expectations? What sorts of tips or suggestions do you have for the interview? What types of questions can I expect to be asked? Any other comments? Thanks.
 
Expect to be asked about half coding questions and half testing questions. Its not as hard as the full SDE position but it is pretty hard. Do you know what groups you are interviewing with yet?
 
Make sure you know your stuff. They most likely will ask you to implement something on the spot using your favorite language.
 
Originally posted by: Ameesh
Expect to be asked about half coding questions and half testing questions. Its not as hard as the full SDE position but it is pretty hard. Do you know what groups you are interviewing with yet?
Click to expand...

I don't know much about the position besides what is described on the web page:
http://www.microsoft.com/college/fulltime/sdet.asp

Also, how does this compare to SDE and STE? And is the potential for career growth/promotion the same as with SDE/PM? Will I be a "tester" for the rest of my career?
 
Originally posted by: johnnytightlips
Originally posted by: Ameesh
Expect to be asked about half coding questions and half testing questions. Its not as hard as the full SDE position but it is pretty hard. Do you know what groups you are interviewing with yet?
Click to expand...

I don't know much about the position besides what is described on the web page:
http://www.microsoft.com/college/fulltime/sdet.asp

Also, how does this compare to SDE and STE? And is the potential for career growth/promotion the same as with SDE/PM? Will I be a "tester" for the rest of my career?
Click to expand...

You will be doing dev work but for the test orgs. Most likely writing test automation and stuff like that. Career growth is similar but in the Test Org,

So if you want to grow technically it could go something like:
SDET->SDET Lead->SDET Manager->Test Architect

or if you want more business side:
SDET->SDET Lead->SDET Manager->Product Unit Manger->GM->VP->etc

SDE will be working on shipping code, and STE is will be running the automation that an SDET writes and manually finding bugs



 
Sounds like a tough but great job.. Good luck, hope you get it. Imagine that a job that challenges you and has actual progression, I wish I knew what that was like!
 
I interviewed at MS for a PM position with the Outlook group, so I'm not sure how much I can help.

I can say this. My interview wasn't anything like the first round. I was expecting more programming questions and brainteasers. I didn't have a single one.

My interview was more about design. They pretty much gave me a problem and told me how I would go about to solve it. I came up with a program and they had me go up to the whiteboard and write everything down (ie. how would the UI look, how would the user use this, what are the goals, how would you break down the problem).

Oh yeah, there's another hint. If they ask you to explain something, say that you would like to write it down on the whiteboard. They won't suggest it right away, so you have to take the initiative. Also, your interviewers are dressed pretty casual so you don't have to go in a suit/tie. One of my interviewers was in a T-shirt and looked like he just woke up.

Overall, they just want to make sure that you are truly passionnate about technology. It's not enough that you dedicated 4 years of your life to computers. They want to know things that you have done outside of school. Have you read any technical papers or scientific journals? Remember the articles! Have you written any shareware program or created your own web page?

Anyway, hope this helps a little. Again, I don't know how much this will apply to a SDET interview. Good luck and if you get a job, hook me up!
 
Just to clarify, this is for a full time position.

Thanks for the help guys!

I'm naturally anxious but also confident that this interview will go well.
 
oh yeah i wore jeans and a polo to my interview. i mean it no one gives a damn what you wear. be comfortable cause its gonna be a long day. devs wearing suits are hiding something.
 
One caveat: I didn't get the position. So take my advice with some caution. haha maybe I should have mentioned that from the beginning.

cheers
 
Originally posted by: Ameesh
oh yeah i wore jeans and a polo to my interview. i mean it no one gives a damn what you wear. be comfortable cause its gonna be a long day. devs wearing suits are hiding something.
Click to expand...

Indeed, their Star Trek shirt underneath.

I interact with a lot of MS folks, but I've never actually gone through an interview process. I've heard a lot of stories, and each of them conveyed a level of difficulty that leaves me feeling humbled in their presence. Good luck johnny!
 
Originally posted by: Descartes
Originally posted by: Ameesh
oh yeah i wore jeans and a polo to my interview. i mean it no one gives a damn what you wear. be comfortable cause its gonna be a long day. devs wearing suits are hiding something.
Click to expand...

Indeed, their Star Trek shirt underneath.

I interact with a lot of MS folks, but I've never actually gone through an interview process. I've heard a lot of stories, and each of them conveyed a level of difficulty that leaves me feeling humbled in their presence. Good luck johnny!
Click to expand...

Well, you have to be pretty talented to hide that many bugs in one application.😉
 
Originally posted by: Shanti
Originally posted by: Descartes
Originally posted by: Ameesh
oh yeah i wore jeans and a polo to my interview. i mean it no one gives a damn what you wear. be comfortable cause its gonna be a long day. devs wearing suits are hiding something.
Click to expand...

Indeed, their Star Trek shirt underneath.

I interact with a lot of MS folks, but I've never actually gone through an interview process. I've heard a lot of stories, and each of them conveyed a level of difficulty that leaves me feeling humbled in their presence. Good luck johnny!
Click to expand...

Well, you have to be pretty talented to hide that many bugs in one application.😉
Click to expand...

It takes a lot more talent to convince people those bugs are features.
 
Originally posted by: kt
Originally posted by: Shanti
Originally posted by: Descartes
Originally posted by: Ameesh
oh yeah i wore jeans and a polo to my interview. i mean it no one gives a damn what you wear. be comfortable cause its gonna be a long day. devs wearing suits are hiding something.
Click to expand...

Indeed, their Star Trek shirt underneath.

I interact with a lot of MS folks, but I've never actually gone through an interview process. I've heard a lot of stories, and each of them conveyed a level of difficulty that leaves me feeling humbled in their presence. Good luck johnny!
Click to expand...

Well, you have to be pretty talented to hide that many bugs in one application.😉
Click to expand...

It takes a lot more talent to convince people those bugs are features.
Click to expand...

LOL. Half my job is telling department managers that my application's behavior is "by design".
 
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