I recently had a phone screen for a SDE II role at Microsoft. While the process itself was straightforward, the interview experience was highly unfair. The interviewer did not allow me to run my code or provide test cases and stated that syntax was not important. I completed the coding problem quickly and correctly, showing through syntax highlighting that my code was bug-free, importing libraries like SortedList() , and answering follow-ups with binary search efficiently, stating the time complexity as Log N and using bisect_right() and mentioning edge cases like duplicates in the list. Having solved 1,700+ LeetCode problems and created 1,000+ YouTube coding videos, I have objectively proven technical skill and fluency in coding. Yet, I was rejected and ghosted for over two weeks, even after a polite follow-up. This felt inhumane—evaluating candidates who clearly demonstrate mastery as if it didn’t matter. It’s paradoxical that interviews where candidates are less fluent in syntax might pass, while candidates who are highly fluent can fail. I hope Microsoft moves toward a more objective process that focuses on real problem-solving and code correctness rather than subjective impressions.

1. Recruiter screen: recruiter was friendly but had their camera off. They asked me about my recent work experience, my strongest programming language, and salary expectations 2. Technical Screen: live HackerRank coding challenge with a team member of the team hiring for the role, over Microsoft Teams. The interviewer had their camera off but was easy to talk to. The coding challenge was a LeetCode-style challenge that required the backtracking algorithm. Interviewer spent extra time aftwards to take questions from me and share information about the team and employer. 3. 3x "Full Loop Interview Technical". The interviewers did not show up to these interviews. I emailed the recruiter who told me that interviewing for the role had been cancelled. My overall impression of Microsoft based on their hiring practises is the company is dysfunctional, employees are disengaged, their hiring practises are disconnected from the actual job, and they don't care about candidate experience.