Entries tagged 'best-of'

  • Mon November 5, 2007

    How to prepare for problem solving questions in an interview

    Janelle

    Greetings from New Jersey! The Recruiting Road Show has started its second week.  If you are curious last week, I interviewed 42 candidates for 30 minutes each, led 3 meet-the-company presentations, and hosted 2 candidate dinners for Microsoft employees and alumni.  WOW.  I’m tired just writing all of that.

    So it’s week 2 of the road trip, and I thought that I would continue my interview tips series—as I could write these for weeks!  Last time, I talked about the top traits we look for in an interview.  Today, I wanted to talk about problem solving questions. Why do we ask them - and how should a top candidate answer? 

    I myself do not ask any technical coding questions in an interview.  I keep things a bit more vague (that’s my tricky way of saying I’m not super technical), but that doesn’t mean I don’t want technical answers.  For instance, I like to ask many open ended questions. I like to see how people think, and open ended problem solving and design questions are the way to go.

    Some good questions are “design a product for a certain type of user” or “test a product” or “come up with some features that would be key in creating a product.”  Think of things like “Design a cell phone for a child” and “test a soda vending machine.”  Here are some hints as to why we ask those questions, and hopefully some tricks that will help you answer those questions:

    1. Get Really Specific:  When asked a question such as “test a vending machine,” think of as many possibilities as you can.  This isn’t a one sentence answer.  Talk until the interviewer says to stop.  We want your thought process. Come up with as many ideas as possible … this way you can build off other ideas and show that you are really detail oriented.

    2. Ask Clarifying Questions:   If you are asked to “design a remote control for a television for a grandmother,” ask a lot of follow up questions; the interviewer will answer.  Questions to ask include: who is the target age group?, how many staff do I have?, what is the price point?, how much time do we have?, etc. This shows you are thinking and not just jumping into creating a product without any background info. There is no right answer; the interviewer will make up answers (i.e. the age of the user is 12) as they go along.

    3. Use the Product Lifecycle as a Guide:   A great interviewer at Microsoft that I know used to ask a fun question.  He would ask, “What flavor cheesecake would you make for the Queen of England?”  Now, he doesn’t want to have you say “Strawberry”… The point of this question is to see if you are familiar with the software development lifecycle. You would first do research on what the queen likes and understand how much time you have until she eats the cake.  Then you would make a test cake, have people try it out, make any adjustments to it, do some more research, and make the final product. The flavor doesn’t matter.  It’s just your thought process getting there.

    4. Talk Out Loud:   Don’t just think of an answer or write through a problem and then 20 minutes later say, “The answer is 43”. Talk it out; a lot of times that’s when the good solutions come. Share with us what you are thinking …. Maybe we can help you out if you are stumped, but we won’t know that unless you tell us. :)

    5. What’s at the Core of the Problem?:   Most interviewers really don’t need to know how you would build a refrigerator for someone in their teens, so think about the question and determine what they really want to know.  More likely than not, we want to hear how you think, what assumptions you made, if you ask questions, if you bring a creative approach, etc.  It’s not the answer that matters; it’s how you get there.  So take your time, and determine what they are looking for. It’s not a race.

    Well, my lunch break is over--- 6 more interviews to go today. Maybe some of my candidates will see these tips prior to their interview. I hope so.

    -Janelle

  • Tue October 30, 2007

    What does Microsoft (and Janelle) look for during an interview?

    Janelle Hello readers! I am writing this blog post from the center of the universe, New York City! I’m on a 3 week long recruiting trip (so I’m tired and full of room service food), and thus far it’s been great.  I’m meeting a lot of great candidates who hopefully can come join our team. I figured for the next few posts while I am on the road I would share some interview tips.  Be on the lookout.  As I interview candidates, it will give me inspiration.

    One of the main questions I have been asked this week is “What does Microsoft look during an interview?”--- so that was something I thought I would answer. (Maybe my next interview candidates will read this first and I won’t have to answer it again :)).

    I don’t think there is a specific profile of what a Microsoft employee looks like … it’s a combination of things. Here is a list of some things that I look for in candidates while they are interviewing.

    1. Be Confident:  You are smart; you have experience—so show it.

    2. Have Good Problem Solving Skills: Many of the questions I ask are open ended --- for instance, in an interview someone may ask you to design a cell phone for a 5 year old.  This question is meant to get you thinking---ask questions to the person who asked it.  Clarify.  We want to see how you think.  There is no right answer.  Relate these questions back to the software lifecycle (ie researching, design, testing and implementation).  Keep talking for as long as you can.  I like to see people who are really thinking and can get down to some fine details even I hadn’t thought of.

    3. Know Your Resume Front to Back:  Interviewers base most of the questions on things listed on your resume.  If you have 20 different programming languages listed and you claim you are advanced in all, then be ready to answer a question on it.  If you aren’t that confident, or if you’ve only HEARD of a language and never worked in it, then list it that way or keep it off.

    4. Be Honest: If you are unclear of what I am asking, then follow up.  If you are asked to code a problem in C++ and you only know Java, then let me know.  I am fine with your coding in Java.  I am trying to determine where your skill set lies, and to do that I need to see your best work.

    5. Have Some Questions For Me:  Even though I have been talking for 10 hours straight, have a question ready for me when I ask at the end, “Do you have any questions?” Questions show that you are listening and taking it all in. Maybe you thought about something to ask the night before, or maybe you came up with something on the spot.  In an interview I talk about a lot of things, so I know I would have questions for me. :)

    6. Enjoy Yourself: Show me your personality … it’s okay to laugh, smile, breathe.  I’m trying to get to know you and see if I can find a mutually beneficial situation that would work best for both you and Microsoft.  You don’t have to be so serious.

    That’s all from the Big Apple.  If you have any more specific questions you’d like answered about the interview process, let me know.  In the post I will go more in depth about problem solving questions, such as what is the difference between a good answer and a GREAT answer!

    -Janelle

    PS-: I will be on the East Coast for a few more weeks—so if you see someone who looks out of place on your college campus carrying Microsoft products, be sure to wave  :)

  • Mon October 15, 2007

    Microsoft Resume Review Workshop on Live Meeting - hosted by Me!

    JanelleWarning- shameless plug ahead.....

    I wanted to let you know about a resume workshop I led on Live Meeting a few weeks ago. If you are interested in learning about some of my favorite do’s and don’ts, then this is a great workshop to watch.  

    The main topics in this workshop (it lasts around 50 minutes) are as follows:

    1. 3 categories of a strong resume (work experience, education, projects and leadership)
    2. How to get noticed in a crowd of resumes
    3. Tips and Tricks

    So, log-in and check out my workshop.  It's available online until March 2008.

    I have to say it's pretty good.  Well, I am the host...but even if I wasn’t, I would still say it was good. A lot of the content is geared towards college students, but many of the main points cross over nicely to industry candidates. 

    If that isn’t enough incentive for you to log in, here is one more reason—you can hear what I sound like!  I used my best radio voice.

    - Janelle

  • Wed September 12, 2007

    Should your GPA prevent you from getting your next job?

    JanelleI hope not!

    I recently had a great conversation with one of the managers at Microsoft. He was telling me that a certain company had been reaching out to him in regards to applying for some senior positions within their company. As all smart people do, he entertained the offers, seeing what they had to say (side note: I think everyone should always be looking for their next opportunity.  If anything, it's good interview practice and always nice to see what your market value is).

    Anyway, back to the story. So this manager went through the process, and then it came to the time where they asked him to fax over his transcript. He let them know that he did NOT meet the requirement for employment, as it was below a 3.0 (he said it was 2.9999, which I think is what everyone says). The company insisted that he fax a transcript, so he went to his parents house, dug through his old paperwork, and ended up faxing them his report card from 3rd grade instead. I thought that was a great story- the company did appreciate the humor in it as well.

    This got me thinking- do the grades you earn in college really matter? I know that there were some classes I slept through in college (I'm talking about Principles of Accounting 210), and there were some I did great in. 

    Is it fair for this record to follow you all the way through your career? Should there be a cut-off point where it doesn’t matter anymore?

    I know Microsoft employees who love to ask about GPA, but to me it doesn’t make an ounce of difference.

    What are your thoughts? Do grades even matter?  Should they matter to potential employers as you progress in your career?

    - Janelle 

    P.S. In case you were wondering, the manager didn’t take the job.

  • Thu July 5, 2007

    Applying for a Full Time Job in the Summer – Some Things You Should Know

    Janelle Happy 4th of July!! I hope everyone is enjoying themselves.  The weather in Seattle has been AMAZING the past few days (sorry, I have to brag just a little... since people always think it rains here).

    Eventhough it's summer time, this is the time of year that many people begin to look for new jobs. Perhaps it’s the nice weather; the fact that you got back from vacation and realized that you hate your job, or maybe it’s the sight of your boss in short shorts. For whatever reason, people get an itchy finger this time of year.

    One of my best friends is currently in the interview process at another company and he has been asking me a lot of questions. His process has been slow and not moving as fast as he would like, which got me thinking that there are a few things that I should let you know.

    Here are some things to remember when applying for a job in the summer. Happy Hunting!

    1. People are on vacation - this means your recruiter, the hiring manager, and everyone else on your interview loop. It may take a while for someone to get back to you. Please be patient.

    2. Some companies may not have as many openings. It all depends on when they get headcount. Or, perhaps they hired college students as interns and have met the quota for the summer. Look to the job postings to see what’s available.

    3. Don’t be afraid to take a vacation while in the interview process. Companies are reasonable. Don’t cancel any much needed vacations when interviewing. If you have a family vacation planned the day they want to interview, don’t be afraid to ask for another date - companies can be flexible.

    4. Send out an email requesting next steps. Your recruiter may have gone on vacation, and if you email them perhaps they have an out-of-office auto reply that says who their understudy is. They may have info for you as well.

    5. Don’t be blinded by sunny locations. Remember that this is the prettiest time of year, and jobs always seem to be the most fun on the surface when you show up for the company BBQ. Think of what it will be like in winter, when everyone is cold and angry again. (Ha ha!)

    6. Companies may want you to start immediately. Remember that every job is different. A company that may not usually hire in the summer may have lost a key player, and may need their new employee to start ASAP. Remember, you should always give 2 weeks notice to your current employer. Your new company will respect that no matter how “urgent” they make the position seem.  

    I think people are in the best mood during the summer months.  So, go out there and apply for that dream job! No time like the present to make a positive life change for yourself.

    -Janelle