www.PassMyInterview.

com
www.PassMyInterview.com

1 3
89
Welcome to your guide…
02
MICROSOFT INTERVIEW
:0

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

ID

Copyright © PassMyInterview.com. All Rights Reserved.

For personal use only.
er
rd
O

MICROSOFT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
 www.PassMyInterview.com

Q1. Tell me about yourself?
Sample Answer:
I am somebody who loves to work hard, because hard work develops good habits. Hard work enables
you to continually learn, and it gives you a sense of achievement that makes you feel positive and
satisfied in your work. I would say I am a high-achiever and everything I have done in my life and career
to date has been to a high standard. For example, in my last job my manager always noted during my
performance reviews that I was someone who could be relied upon to complete difficult tasks and
projects under pressure. Microsoft is an organization that anyone would feel proud to work for, and if I do
get the chance to become a member of your team, you have my word that I will always work hard, I will

3
contribute positively to the goals of my team, and I will always focus on the long-term vision of the

1
organization to ensure it maintains its position as a market innovator and leader.

89
Q2. Why do you want to work at Microsoft?
Sample Answer:
02
I want to work at Microsoft for three reasons. The first reason is, this is a place where I see my long-term
future. Microsoft has an unbelievable history that is steeped in innovation and continuous achievement,
and I want to have a successful career with an organization that will allow me to learn, grow and develop.
:0
The second reason is, Microsoft is a place I can be myself – I am an honest person who has lots of
different skills and abilities, but I am also aware I still have a lot to learn. As the saying goes, ‘knowledge
can be learned, but trust has to be earned’, and I feel this is a place I will be able to gain trust with my
ID

work colleagues and managers through hard work and an honest approach to tasks and projects. Finally,
Microsoft creates some amazing products that literally change and improve people’s lives. One of the
things I enjoy doing at work is being creative, and what better place to put those creative skills to use
er

than Microsoft!
rd

Q3. What do you think the top 3 qualities needed to work at Microsoft are?
Sample Answer:
O

Having conducted lots of research before applying for this job with Microsoft, I would say you need to be
able to ADAPT AND COLLABORATE effectively, have a sense of PARTNERSHIP and also TREAT
PEOPLE WITH RESPECT and overall, be a nice person! Being willing to adapt and collaborate is
important because you have to quickly change your direction of working to meet the demands of your
project. You have to collaborate, because working at Microsoft means working with others as part of a
team, and also engaging with and dealing with external developers and contractors. A sense of
partnership will always bring success to an organization, if it is embraced positively. And of course,

MICROSOFT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
 www.PassMyInterview.com

treating people with respect and dignity will always make the working environment a happier place to be
and also, more importantly, highly productive.

Q4. Tell me a time when you had to work with a difficult team member?
Sample Answer:
SITUATION: In my current job, my manager asked me to work on a web-based project with another
department as they were short of staff due to sickness.
TASK: Being somebody who is always open to a new challenge, I joined the team on the following

3
Monday morning and I made it one of my first jobs to get to know the team members and also find out

1
which part of the project I would need to focus on.
ACTION: As soon as I joined the team, I could detect one of the more senior members of the group took

89
a dislike to me. He kept talking over me during one of the team briefings and I so decided to speak to him
in private to try and build a better relationship with him. After the meeting was over, I approached him in
private, introduced myself and asked him for his advice on how he felt I should approach my own tasks
02
whilst I was seconded to the team. He was initially quite frosty with me, but I persevered!
RESULT: After a few minutes of talking to him, and continually asking him for help and advice, his tone
:0
changed, and he became more approachable. Moving forward I continued to collaborate with him, and I
showed my appreciation for his experience and expertise. Towards the end of my secondment to the
project we had built up a strong, positive working relationship that has lasted right up to this day.
ID

Q5. How would you deal with external developers and contractors whilst working at Microsoft?
Sample Answer:
er

I would deal with them by first of all remembering that I am working for Microsoft and therefore, I should
maintain professionalism and communicate in a manner that is commensurate with the brand. I would
rd

also be clear and concise in my communication. This is important because you have to set expectations
and timescales in order to achieve your own projects. I would also be confident in my communication
when dealing with them, but I would also be respectful and nice, too. It would be my intention to build
O

strong, positive, long-term relationships with external developers and contractors, as this will help
Microsoft to achieve its goals and long-term objectives.

Q6. Tell me about a product you think is marketed really well and why?
Sample Answer:

MICROSOFT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
 www.PassMyInterview.com

I would say perhaps one of the best marketed products were the Beats headphones developed and
created by Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine. The Beats headphones are a great product, but the way the pair
utilized the power or celebrity and social media at the time was ingenious. By giving
music stars they had worked with free headphones to wear during television interviews, helped to build
up a buzz around the headphones and also gain free marketing exposure at the same time.

Q7. Give me an example of a project you were involved in where your initial assumptions were
incorrect?

3
Sample Answer:

1
When I first started working in my previous role a new, young manager joined the team as our leader.
When he walked into the office on his first day at work, I can remember thinking to myself how

89
inexperienced he looked and also, foolishly, I doubted his credentials and experience. How wrong I was!
As soon as he started addressing the team his level of authority, his passion and his expertise quickly
became apparent. Despite his years, he was very good at his job and the team all wanted to work hard
02
for him and show him what we could do. I learnt a lot from that experience and I never judge anybody or
anything until I have all of the facts to hand.
:0
Q8. What’s your favorite Microsoft product and why?
Sample Answer:
ID

I would have to say Windows 95 was one of my favourite products because it was a real game-changer at the
time. Although Microsoft has developed significantly since then, at the time I fell in love with its simplicity,
great functionality and unique features such as File Manager, Program Manager, Explorer and Print Manager.
er

The built-in internet support was a real bonus too, and in particular, the desktop with icons was an innovative
and simplistic approach that made everyone’s lives much, much easier. Windows 95 connected millions of
people and its place in history as one of the most innovative products of our time will never be questioned.
rd

Q9. Tell me a time when you went above and beyond for a customer or a client?
O

Sample Answer:
SITUATION: I can remember a number of occasions when I would go above and beyond for a customer.
One particular time comes to mind when I was speaking to a customer on the telephone about a product
they had recently ordered from our website. The product had, unfortunately, become damaged by the
courier company, and they needed to return it for a replacement. However, there was an additional issue
in the fact the customer really needed to use the product the next day, yet they were unable to, due to
the damage that had been caused.

MICROSOFT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
 www.PassMyInterview.com

TASK: I put myself in the shoes of the customer and I could genuinely feel her frustration. I decided to
take ownership of the situation and resolve the problem as it genuinely was not her fault the issue had
occurred.
ACTION: I kept the customer on the line whilst I sourced a new ‘guaranteed delivery’ courier company
who was able to pick up and deliver a new replacement product within 24 hours. After some quick
searching, I managed to find a company, and whilst the customer was still on the line, I facilitated the
order. I then informed the customer that we would have a new product with her in time for the following
day, which she was absolutely thrilled about.

3
RESULT: The following morning I called the customer back to make sure the product had actually

1
arrived in time, which it had done. The customer then went on to leave a glowing review of our company
and I am pleased to say she has been a regular customer ever since.

89
Q10. Describe a situation at work when you failed?
Sample Answer: 02
SITUATION: I don’t like to fail, but if I do, I always take ownership, put things right, and above all, view it
as an opportunity to learn, grow and develop. During a challenging and exciting project at work in a
:0
previous role, I was part of a team of talented people who were working on the creation of a new product
for an important client.
TASK: The task required us to work together as a team and use our combined expertise and experience
ID

to create the product for the client within very strict timescales and specifications. The project should
have been a breeze, simply because we had done this type of work together many times before.
ACTION: We started out as usual with the project manager giving the team the usual brief. I can
er

remember thinking the brief was perhaps not clear enough for the specification required by the client, but
I chose not to say anything, which ended up being a huge mistake. Part-way through the project, it
rd

became apparent we had missed a very important specification off the product, which ended up putting
us two weeks behind schedule.
RESULT: Although the client was forgiving and he allowed us additional time to complete the project, we
O

had failed to deliver on our promises as a team. During the team debrief, I disclosed I had concerns
during the initial team briefing, but I chose not to say anything. I apologized for not doing so. As a team,
we learnt a lot from that experience, and moving forward the same mistake never happened again.

Q11. What’s your biggest weakness?

Sample Answer:

MICROSOFT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
 www.PassMyInterview.com

One thing that frustrates me the most about myself is that that I find it really hard to say no to people. If
somebody asks me to help them, I will always say “yes”. The problem is, I sometimes take too much on,
and I then get overwhelmed. Although I am very hard-working, and I will always help when I am able to, I
am learning to think before I say yes to everything!

Q12. Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

Sample Answer:
I still see myself working here at Microsoft either in this role, or even having perhaps gained

3
advancement of some sort. Providing you are happy with my performance, which I genuinely believe you

1
will be, I will still be here in five years’ time, for sure. Five years from now, I expect to be a highly
respected member of the Microsoft team, fully competent in my duties, and someone who can perhaps

89
help train up new members of the team when they join in similar positions to myself!

Q13. Describe a time when you overcame a difficult challenge at work?

02
Sample Answer:
SITUATION: In my previous job, a long-standing client who had brought in good business for a number
:0
of years, made contact with us to say he was moving to a new service provider and that he no longer
required our services.
TASK: This was bad news for the company, and I saw it as my responsibility to try and keep hold of his
ID

business. Although this would be a difficult challenge, the impact of losing the customer would be
significant for our company from a financial perspective.
ACTION: I reached out to the customer by telephone and asked him to meet me the next day over lunch.
er

He agreed, and in the time period between the telephone call and the meeting, I did my homework,
looked at how we could improve the service we currently provided for him, and also looked at the options
rd

surrounding what he was paying for our services. At the meeting, I asked lots of questions about how our
service could be improved and what we could do to keep his business. It quickly became apparent he no
longer felt valued as a customer with our company.
O

RESULT: After a couple of hours of discussions, I managed to keep hold of his business by offering a
new tailored service that would mean we provided a closer working relationship with him. When I
returned to the office, I immediately implemented a review of all clients to make sure we never had the
same situation again, where a client felt devalued.

Q14. Why should we give the job to you and what makes you the standout candidate?

MICROSOFT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
 www.PassMyInterview.com

Sample Answer:
I believe you should offer the job to me because, having studied the person specification and the job
description carefully, I feel I can hit the ground running quickly due to my technical skillset, my personal
qualities and positive attitude to work and life in general. I understand that working for Microsoft take
skills, vision, a can-do attitude to projects and the ability to collaborate with others both internally and
externally. If you hire me within this position at Microsoft, I will be a high-performing team member and
someone who can be relied upon to work to consistently high standards.

3
Q15. Which do you prefer, working as part of a team or on your own?

1
Sample Answer:
To be honest, I would prefer working as part of a team, but I am just as comfortable working alone,

89
unsupervised. I enjoy being around people where you all need to support each other to be the best you
possibly can be and to achieve the long-term vision and objectives of the organization. Having said that,
in my previous job and also when I was studying for my exams a few ago, I sat down on my own for
02
lengthy periods of time, working hard and being totally focused. I believe I am an adaptable person, so I
can work very well in both types of situation.
:0
Q16. Tell me a time when you experienced conflict with somebody at work?
Sample Answer:
ID

SITUATION: I was working in an office and a customer emailed the team to complain about the errors
that they had found in one of our company newsletters. The newsletter was created periodically by
another department within the organization and its purpose was to generate new business for the
er

company. I took a look at the newsletter and I was shocked at the number of errors that were contained
within it.
rd

TASK: I felt it was my responsibility to raise the issue with the department responsible for the creation of
the newsletter, so we could explore ways in which it could be improved. It was my view that the
newsletter, in its current format, was letting the business down.
O

ACTION: I spoke to the manager of the department and I was met with an immediate defensive attitude.
I was basically told to mind my own business and he disagreed with my suggestion the newsletter should
be improved. However, I persevered, and I outlined the benefits of what a strong newsletter could bring
to our company. I also offered to proofread the newsletter before it went out, as this would then enable
me to suggest different ways in which we could improve the newsletter and use it to leverage new
business.

MICROSOFT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
 www.PassMyInterview.com

RESULT: After some perseverance and tactful relationship building skills, the manager agreed for me to
work with them to improve the newsletter. Six months after I initially made contact, the newsletter was
seen as an integral part of the business and it was responsible for helping to promote new products and
also offer incentives and discounts for our loyal customer base.

Q17. What would you do if you realized soon after starting working at Microsoft it wasn’t for you?
Sample Answer:
I genuinely don’t believe that will happen. I have researched Microsoft in detail, your values, the strong

3
customer feedback you have online, and also the duties and responsibilities I will have each day. I have

1
also been a consistent user of your products and services for many years and you always excel in all
areas of your work! This is the job for me, and I am 100% sure I will be very happy and fulfilled here.

89
Q18. In your opinion, what makes a good team?
Sample Answer: 02
A good team must have many different qualities including an ability to listen carefully to a given brief. If
you don’t listen to the brief that is provided, then you can’t complete the task properly. In addition to
:0
listening carefully to the brief you must be able to communicate effectively with everyone in the team.
This will include providing support for the other team members and also listening to other people’s
suggestions on how a task can be achieved. You also have to be able to work with anyone in the team
ID

regardless of their age, background, religion, sexual orientation, disability or appearance. You can’t
discriminate against anyone and if you do, then there is no place for you within that team. A good team
player must also be able to carry out his or her job professionally and competently. When I say
er

competently, I mean correctly and in accordance with guidelines and training. You should also be
focused on the team’s goal and not be distracted by any external factors. Putting the needs of the team
rd

first is paramount. Finally, a good team player must be flexible and be able to adapt to the changing
requirements of the team.
O

Q19. What will you dislike the most about working at Microsoft?
Sample Answer:
I don’t think there would be much I would dislike. However, if there was ever a time where I was dealing
with an external developer, contractor or supplier for example, and they were late with sending goods or
getting things completed and this impacted on my own work, then I would find that frustrating. However, I
would see it as my responsibility to build a good relationship with them to try increase their efficiency.

MICROSOFT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
 www.PassMyInterview.com

Q20. What are your salary expectations in this Microsoft role?

Sample Answer:
I have carried out some research in relation to the average salary for this position, and the general range
is between $48,000 and $65,000. Whilst I do personally feel I am worth the higher end of the salary scale
I understand and appreciate I need to prove to you my worth. On that basis, I would be comfortable with a
salary of $59,000.
NOTE: Please conduct your own research into the general salary range for the job you are applying for at

3
Microsoft.

1
Q21. That’s the end of your Microsoft interview. Do you have any questions you’d like to ask us?

89
Sample Answer:
Q. What are the plans for Microsoft over the next 5 to 10 years and how could I help you achieve them in
this role? 02
Q. Microsoft is always bringing out new products and services, what are the next great innovations you
are concentrating on right now?
:0
Q. What’s the first thing you would like me to concentrate on in this role?

How to Use These Interview Questions and Answers:

ID

These interview questions and answers are intended to guide you in your preparation for your job interview.
These questions have been picked by the PassMyInterview team because we believe that they are the
best representative of what you will face in your interview.
er

The sample answers in this resource are collated from years of experience and research in the recruitment
rd

sector. The answers confidently display the appropriate qualities and competencies that the interviewer
expects from successful candidates.
O

Read the sample answers carefully, and take note of what skills and competencies they demonstrate. You
might notice that, when the question asks for examples, the answer uses the STAR method to construct
the response:

Situation. Start off your response to the interview question by explaining what the ‘situation’ was
and who was involved.

MICROSOFT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
 www.PassMyInterview.com

Task. Once you have detailed the situation, explain what the ‘task’ was, or what needed to be
done.
Action. Now explain what ‘action’ you took, and what action others took. Also explain why you
took this particular course of action.
Result. Explain to the panel what you would do differently if the same situation arose again. It is
good to be reflective at the end of your responses. This demonstrates a level of maturity and it
will also show the panel that you are willing to learn from every experience.

3
In order to get the best possible results, apply this system to your own examples and experiences in

1
working life. These sample answers are intended to inspire you to create your own responses to the
questions.

89
Disclaimer:
PassMyInterview is not responsible for anyone failing any part of any selection process as a result of the
02
information contained within this resource. PassMyInterview and their authors cannot accept any
responsibility for any errors or omissions within this resource, however caused. No responsibility for loss
:0
or damage occasioned by any person acting, or refraining from action, as a result of the material in this
publication can be accepted by PassMyInterview.
ID

Get more guides, books and training courses at the website www.How2Become.com.

Copyright © PassMyInterview.com. All Rights Reserved. For personal use only.

er
rd
O

MICROSOFT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS