Roadmap to Microsoft

Madhan SMicrosoft Corporation

(1996-2007)

Core ValuesCore Values

Great people with great valuesGreat people with great valuesPassion for customers, partners and technology;Passion for customers, partners and technology;

Integrity and honesty;Integrity and honesty;

Open and respectful with others and dedicated to Open and respectful with others and dedicated to making them better;making them better;

Willingness to take on big challenges and see them Willingness to take on big challenges and see them through;through;

Committed to personal excellence and self-Committed to personal excellence and self-improvement; andimprovement; and

Accountable for commitments, results and quality Accountable for commitments, results and quality to customers, shareholders, partners and to customers, shareholders, partners and employeesemployees..

Business DivisionsBusiness Divisions

ClientClient

Server and ToolsServer and Tools

Online Services BusinessOnline Services Business

Microsoft Business DivisionMicrosoft Business Division

Entertainment and Devices Entertainment and Devices DivisionDivision

Career Tracks @ MicrosoftCareer Tracks @ Microsoft

Product Planner *Product Planner *

Program ManagerProgram Manager

SDESDE

SDETSDET

UXUX

Why MicrosoftWhy Microsoft

Still one of the best companies in the Still one of the best companies in the worldworld

Opportunity to work with variety of Opportunity to work with variety of technologiestechnologies

Opportunity to explore multiple career Opportunity to explore multiple career trackstracks

Fantastic work environmentFantastic work environment

Great packageGreat package

What’s the expectationWhat’s the expectation

Good aptitudeGood aptitude

Understanding computer scienceUnderstanding computer scienceData StructuresData Structures

AlgorithmsAlgorithms

DatabasesDatabases

ProgrammingProgramming

Passion for TechnologyPassion for Technology

Ability to learnAbility to learn

Interview ProcessInterview Process

Pre-Placement TestPre-Placement Test

Focus is overall computer science Focus is overall computer science and fundamentals. Algorithmsand fundamentals. Algorithms

Face to Face InterviewsFace to Face Interviews

Problem solving and codingProblem solving and coding

Questions / Discussions focusing on Questions / Discussions focusing on the expectations we had discussed the expectations we had discussed beforebefore

Question PatternsQuestion Patterns

Problem Solving / RiddlesProblem Solving / RiddlesOne train leaves Los Angeles at 15mph heading for New York. AnotherOne train leaves Los Angeles at 15mph heading for New York. Anothertrain leaves from New York at 20mph heading for Los Angeles on the train leaves from New York at 20mph heading for Los Angeles on the same track. If a bird, flying at 25mph, leaves from Los Angeles at the same track. If a bird, flying at 25mph, leaves from Los Angeles at the same time as the train and flies back and forth between the two trains same time as the train and flies back and forth between the two trains until they collide, how far will the bird have traveled?until they collide, how far will the bird have traveled?

Algorithm / ProgrammingAlgorithm / ProgrammingReverse the words in a sentence, i.e. "My name is Chris" becomes "Chris Reverse the words in a sentence, i.e. "My name is Chris" becomes "Chris is name My." Optimize for speed. Optimize for space.is name My." Optimize for speed. Optimize for space.

Application of TechnologyApplication of TechnologySuppose we wanted to run a microwave oven from the computer. What Suppose we wanted to run a microwave oven from the computer. What kind of software would you write to do this?kind of software would you write to do this?

Thought processThought processIf you had to learn a new computer language, how would you go aboutIf you had to learn a new computer language, how would you go aboutdoing it?doing it?

The NumbersThe Numbers

Requirement for pre-placement test. Requirement for pre-placement test.

8-8.5 GPA8-8.5 GPA

Mostly CS and IT students. In some top Mostly CS and IT students. In some top colleges Electrical & Electronics students colleges Electrical & Electronics students are also considered. are also considered.

Out of 200 candidates about 20 gets Out of 200 candidates about 20 gets selected for face to face interviewsselected for face to face interviews

Out of 20 about 1-2 gets the offerOut of 20 about 1-2 gets the offer

Why do people failWhy do people fail

Weak PreparationWeak Preparation

Misrepresenting factsMisrepresenting facts

Solving the wrong problemSolving the wrong problem

Not thinking out loud during interview Not thinking out loud during interview processprocess

Lack of Ability to translate solution to Lack of Ability to translate solution to codecode

Not solving problem efficientlyNot solving problem efficiently

My road to MicrosoftMy road to Microsoft

Continued Continued with the with the

emphasis on emphasis on programming programming fundamentalsfundamentals

Practice, Practice, Practice, and Practice, and

more more Practice.Practice.

Confident, Confident, Passionate, Passionate,

and and presented presented

myself to my myself to my abilities.abilities.Got the Got the

basics right: basics right: Algorithms, Algorithms, DatastructurDatastructur

es, and es, and ProgramminProgrammin

gg

Bachelors

Masters

Preparation

Interviews

TipsTips

BooksBooksProgramming Pearls by John BentleyProgramming Pearls by John Bentley

C Programming by Brian Kernighan and C Programming by Brian Kernighan and Dennis RitchieDennis Ritchie

C++ by stroustrupC++ by stroustrup

Your favorite Data Structures and Algorithms Your favorite Data Structures and Algorithms bookbook

Use the webUse the webTons of materials out there on questions asked Tons of materials out there on questions asked in Microsoft Interviewsin Microsoft Interviews

Questions?Questions?