Interview with Microsoft tomorrow **Update**

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
bah...i dropped my dual major b/c because of that algorithm class....
The term binary tree still sends shivers down my spine.

Hehe... I've been called a freak more than once. By both EEs and CprEs

 

[Mrfrog840]

good luck man!

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: hypn0tik

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: talyn00

Originally posted by: hypn0tik

Originally posted by: talyn00
from what I heard you get asked a bunch of puzzles and brain teasers besides the basic behavioral questions. A few of the alumni from my school work there, and they told me they got asked some brain teasers like estimate how many gas stations are in the US. Stuff that proves your ability to think logically, solve problems. Just make sure to work out the problem and explain your thought process. He also told me that interviewers coordinate their questions based on how you did in previous interviews. Like between your interviews, the managers tell whomever you would be interviewing with next, that you seem weak in area x, so they might ask you some more questions about it.

Wow. I didn't think they'd do that. My first one is from 4-4:30 and my second one is from 4:30-5.

I'm confident that I can think through some of their puzzles logically. The lady that helps us with career services (Resumes etc...) mentioned that they look more for the though process as opposed to the final answer.

that might just be a rumor, but its likely.

Interviewers will often spend just one or two minutes together between interviews to say, "good experience on X but prod a little at their knowledge on Y."

That's what Analog Devices did to me......This guy started asking me 3rd order differential equation questions.....and by some will God, I got some right (I had no idea what i was doing....I just mentioned laplace, did some fake math, and got some right). The next guy comes in (he is supoosed to drill me on circuits and programming) and he starts asking me Linear Systems questions (didn't take it yet). Needless to say, they never called me back....

Oh man, how I WISH Microsoft would ask me questions such as those. That would totally make my day.

the funny thing about that interview wa sthat I got into a little arguement with oneof the interviewers. He asked how do i make a simple clock. I told him that you put it through one inverter and loop it back to the beginning. He said that I was wrong.....I then proceeded to explain to him how it makes an ocsillator and yada yada.....he doesn't belive and leaves the room in arrogance.....

fast forward to my VLSI class I had 2 hours later....my prof open the class by saying that a simple clock can be made by an inverter whose output is also the input....

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
That's what Analog Devices did to me......This guy started asking me 3rd order differential equation questions.....and by some will God, I got some right (I had no idea what i was doing....I just mentioned laplace, did some fake math, and got some right). The next guy comes in (he is supoosed to drill me on circuits and programming) and he starts asking me Linear Systems questions (didn't take it yet). Needless to say, they never called me back....

Ouch. Not as bad as Texas Instruments though. Only one candidate interview a day and all the engineers know about it. You have a couple of primary interviewers (who are always around) but anyone can just walk in and lob questions at you.

Kinda terrifying for a first time on-site interviewee

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: WhoBeDaPlaya

Originally posted by: Gibson486
That's what Analog Devices did to me......This guy started asking me 3rd order differential equation questions.....and by some will God, I got some right (I had no idea what i was doing....I just mentioned laplace, did some fake math, and got some right). The next guy comes in (he is supoosed to drill me on circuits and programming) and he starts asking me Linear Systems questions (didn't take it yet). Needless to say, they never called me back....

Ouch. Not as bad as Texas Instruments though. Only one candidate interview a day and all the engineers know about it. You have a couple of primary interviewers (who are always around) but anyone can just walk in and lob questions at you.

Kinda terrifying for a first time on-site interviewee

That is terrible....make sure you get the day where the plant is on shut down

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
That is terrible....make sure you get the day where the plant is on shut down

Haha... wish I had the luxury. They just pretty much said hey, come down to Dallas on *some date*. Here are your air tickets, accomodation, rental car, etc. About 1.5 weeks in advance

All things considered, it was kinda memorable. Thank God they gave me a full-sized car though, otherwise I wouldn't feel safe driving among all those honking pickups/SUVs/vans

 

[hypn0tik]

Morning bump.

Thanks to everyone that replied and for their best wishes.

 

[hypn0tik]

Bump for post-interview update.

 

[talyn00]

Sorry to hear you didnt do so well. you mentioned you knew how to do it recursively, did you explain how to do it recursively? I assume pseudo code works for interview purposes.

 

[hypn0tik]

Originally posted by: talyn00
Sorry to hear you didnt do so well. you mentioned you knew how to do it recursively, did you explain how to do it recursively? I assume pseudo code works for interview purposes.

Yeah, I mentioned how to do it recursively. I even explained the algorithm to him in words, but he wanted to see it in paper. He asked what languages I programmed in so I told him C, C++. He goes on to say "Go for it."

Once he said that, the only thing that crossed my mind was, "I'm gong to get WTFpwned now"

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: hypn0tik

Originally posted by: talyn00
Sorry to hear you didnt do so well. you mentioned you knew how to do it recursively, did you explain how to do it recursively? I assume pseudo code works for interview purposes.

Yeah, I mentioned how to do it recursively. I even explained the algorithm to him in words, but he wanted to see it in paper. He asked what languages I programmed in so I told him C, C++. He goes on to say "Go for it."

Once he said that, the only thing that crossed my mind was, "I'm gong to get WTFpwned now"

Depending on what the position actually requires you to do. You may squeak by still.

 

[hypn0tik]

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: hypn0tik

Originally posted by: talyn00
Sorry to hear you didnt do so well. you mentioned you knew how to do it recursively, did you explain how to do it recursively? I assume pseudo code works for interview purposes.

Yeah, I mentioned how to do it recursively. I even explained the algorithm to him in words, but he wanted to see it in paper. He asked what languages I programmed in so I told him C, C++. He goes on to say "Go for it."

Once he said that, the only thing that crossed my mind was, "I'm gong to get WTFpwned now"

Depending on what the position actually requires you to do. You may squeak by still.

What do you think the chances of that happening are?

 

[blustori]

Ouch o_o

 

[Rage187]

My worst interview was a phone interview with a HR lady.

I was on my cell phone sitting in my car in a grocery store parking lot when from across the lot I see a women driver almost hit a pedestrian, I instantly said "stupid women drivers".

The phone went silent for a good 30 seconds

 

[talyn00]

Originally posted by: Rage187
My worst interview was a phone interview with a HR lady.

I was on my cell phone sitting in my car in a grocery store parking lot when from across the lot I see a women driver almost hit a pedestrian, I instantly said "stupid women drivers".

The phone went silent for a good 30 seconds

haha those are the best. I must have had like 4-5 phone interviews in a parking lot.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: hypn0tik

Originally posted by: HotChic

Originally posted by: hypn0tik

Originally posted by: talyn00
Sorry to hear you didnt do so well. you mentioned you knew how to do it recursively, did you explain how to do it recursively? I assume pseudo code works for interview purposes.

Yeah, I mentioned how to do it recursively. I even explained the algorithm to him in words, but he wanted to see it in paper. He asked what languages I programmed in so I told him C, C++. He goes on to say "Go for it."

Once he said that, the only thing that crossed my mind was, "I'm gong to get WTFpwned now"

Depending on what the position actually requires you to do. You may squeak by still.

What do you think the chances of that happening are?

Depends on what the position duties are, as I said.