Microsoft | L62 | Hybrid | June 2024 [Reject]

Microsoft L62 Level Interview

Status: 6YOE, Post-Grad Current Position: SMTS Salesforce Date: June 2024

I interviewed for an L62 level position at Microsoft. I'm posting this experience now due to being busy with other interviews and preparations.

Round 1: Online Coding Assessment (90 minutes)

• One medium-level question.
• One hard-level question related to monotonic stack.

Round 2: Online In-Person Coding Round (1 hour) The panel consisted of one interviewer and a shadow. After introductions, we discussed the "Find the Needle in a Haystack" string matching problem. I started with a basic implementation, discussed potential issues, and suggested improvements using prefix/suffix preprocessing. However, the interviewer was looking for a linear-time solution. After 45 minutes, we moved to a design problem about creating an authentication layer for a microservice. The open-ended nature of the problem, combined with the time constraint, led to an unstructured discussion.

Round 3: Online In-Person Design Round (1 hour) This round focused on an algorithmic problem, likely due to the previous round. The interviewer asked a topological sort problem (similar to "Course Schedule II" problem). We discussed breadth-first and depth-first traversals and how they could be applied. I completed the implementation. The interviewer provided transparent and supportive feedback.

Verdict: Rejected

Overall, this was a valuable learning experience. It helped me prepare for situations where I'm unfamiliar with the question. My recommendation to candidates is to address the problem directly rather than struggling with overly complex challenges. My advice to interviewers is to ask questions that allow for iterative improvement and genuinely test problem-solving skills.