Phone Interviews

re: Phone Interviews

HeatherLeigh — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:04:47 GMT

You could try to think about the questions you'll likely be asked and how you would like to respond. That's an exercise that I go through every time I interview..."what will they ask me/how will I reposnd?". You can also jot down a few notes for yourself...things you want to highlight in the conversation. You obviously wouldn't want to be reading directly off your notes for the phone interview, but it make help to just have a few words down on paper. Also, work through any technical problems out loud, let them know how you are getting to your answer. hope that helps!

re: Phone Interviews

Zeeshan — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:44:06 GMT

I have applied for a job at MS for SDE and expecting a phone interview soon. Since this is my first exprience to be interviewd on phone aby any company, I do feel nervous. I don't know whether I will be able to express my self completely over phone. Any tips for that?

re: Phone Interviews

HeatherLeigh — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:37:57 GMT

Hi Alan,

Good question. I would definitely try to focus in on one or a few areas; specifically where you feel you would have the most strenfgths that lend well to the role. And then do your preparation around those roles and groups.

All of our hiring managers will be thinking "could this person be a fit at Microsoft long-term?" but they will want your immediate focus to be on the job at hand (given their time investment in getting someone on board". I thikn the key is expressing your desire to be at MS down the road, but not as the intial job being a stepping stone. Hope that makes sense (I am on cold medication right now, so if it doens't, that's why ; ))

re: Phone Interviews

Alan — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 21:37:49 GMT

Hi Heather, thanks for all of the really great information here. This article is one of many that I am reading through while preparing for an upcoming in-person interview in Redmond. I was glad to see your write, "The other stuff helps me determine whether you could really have a long term career at Microsoft. Typically, folks at Microsoft move around...to different groups and different roles...because they are smart and adapt to their new industry space and working environment."

I liked that because I'm looking at this opportunity as one step in a hopefully long career at Microsoft, and not just one solitary job. There are so many things that I'd love to do at Microsoft, and because of that I have applied for a lot of jobs there. However, now I am concerned that all those applications may make me look UNfocused instead of MULTIfocused (yes, I made up that word :)

How do other Microsoft interviewers tend to view this kind of situation? Should I spend extra time in my preparations to properly position the breadth of my interests, or would I be better served focusing elsewhere?

Thanks!