How I got into Microsoft

I hope you wud have seen my earlier post on Microsoft interview. I didnt update my blog, after that, due to so many events... Let me recount some of them.

After coming from the Microsoft interview - 1, I was totally confident and felt happier that the interview went well. I had more than 5 interviews and the interviewers gave a fell-good factor. So, I was pretty upbeat about the results. So, I started waiting for the results from Monday after the interview on Friday (10th Feb). But, as days started moving, I didnt get any results. I was panicked. I called up the recruiter and she asked me to wait further, while most others had gotten the negative results. By Friday, I felt pretty dejected and the recruiter called me up and conveyed her regrets that the team profiles didnt match with me and so they cudnt offer me. I knew exactly what she was talking, as in couple of interviews I gave a strong liking for distributed systems (the teams were dealing with security and subscription) and expressed my desired to change the teams, once I join Microsoft. I realised how politicially incorrect, that was. After all, it is the team that is goin to get you into Microsoft and if you dont show an interest in the team, the team wont be interested in you.

So, the Rule No. 1: Always show interest and passion in what you work. If you r interviewed for sweeping, convince the interviewer that sweeping and mopping are the best jobs in the world.

Rule No. 2: Never be too candid and open in your remarks. In business and politics, the art of 'sweet lies' have to be learnt.

That weekend, I was a bit moody, as the Microsoft 'rejection' came at the same time as rejections for my PhD admission from MIT & Stanford. Truly, I believed it is the end of the world. Not becaz, some big company kicked me out, but because I cant do much better on my interview and I wont know what to improve on to bring a success. On Monday, I took on the pre-planned trip to Virginia to interview with the company, where I interned. Its a really good one for my research and had very good pay package. I went and spoke to them, had a couple of interviews and the CEO (its a small company, after all) liked me and was upbeat in offering me a designer job. But, the only thing about the place was there was something that was bothering my intuition about that company. I associated it with a bit of damp air and without sun shine. Whereas Microsoft appeared fresh and sunny and it was a psychologically important factor for me to have sunlight at work. But, I was to seal the offer in a couple of days.

But, then on Tuesday, Microsoft got back to me and asked me about the team preference and in one not-so-usual case they were offering me a second interview and with a team closer to my interests - XML enterprise team (though the name didnt appear cool to me, their work on distributed tools and systems for MSDN interested me). And I wanted to interview immediately, as I had give the decision to the other company. So, tickets were booked urgently and within 2 days, I went back to Seattle. This time, I was not as much upbeat as I was last time.

Rule No. 3: Know what you like and dislike and we need not cheat ourselves on that. If stick to what you like, the doors of opportunity will open eventually.

I'm not goin 2 explain the interview process in much of detail. Its goin to be a separate post. But, this time the interview process were different. In general, it was more like kicking my ass. The interviews were deliberately pressurising.

The first interview needed me to explain clearly why I'm choosing distributed system rather than anything else. Second one, asked me why I'm choosing Software Designer position, though my interests suited me the Program Manager position. I argued that I'm not experienced enough to handle the post of a Program Manager, rightaway and eventually would like to become one. Third interview pressurised me on my team skills . Fourth one, with the development manager (who was the same person who interviewed me first, at my campus) I was asked about my research interests and why I wanted to get into Microsoft. The last interview, with the project manager was even more pressurizing. He told me all my negative reviews from the all the previous interviews. He told me that I might not be a good team player, I didnt listen to the interviewers, I made my problems harder.... I was smiling at him, as he said I think you have the abilities to become a computer scientist. This final interview gave me enormous confidence and a liking to work under such a person. I decided that I'm not goin 2 do a PhD for now, then and there, and to make my decision easier CMU sent a rejection in that same evening.

I appeared more confident, because interview by Product Manager at the end, is a positive sign. I told my recruiter that I wanted the result within the next 24 hours and true the word. She had it ready next day. The next morning, I was too late for the flight -- 50 min before the flight, I was at my hotel 30 min away from the airport. So, when I stopped over at Detroit, in the evening, I called her up and she gave me the good news. I GOT THROUGH.... Now, remaining is negotiation. I said, since I was at the airport, I would negotiate the offer the next day.

The next day (Wed, 1 March) I set up the time for negotiation. The package details have to be strictly confidential, by agreements, so I cant reveal any of that. The recruiter went in great detail in explaining all the benefits, including shares and relocation. I was not extremely satisfied with the base-salary, since the other company's salary was equally good. But, over the course of the week, the negotiation went well and I was convinced of the process and finally accepted it on 6th March. It was a great feeling... Now over to the legal processes...