Project Manage

PM at Microsoft - Steven Sinofsky

Program Managers help drive product development through designing specifications and product goals, vision, and features. They are technically proficient and have a clear understanding of the algorithmic ideas behind code. PMs have very strong communication skills and project management skills. Coding is not necessarily part of a PM's daily responsibilities, but we do look for people with experience coding in C, C++,C#, and/or Java, and your coding skills will likely be evaluated during the interview. JobsBlog posts that mention PMs can be found here, and a video PM job description is available on View<myWorld>

4 levels:
Group Program Manager, Sr. Program Manager, Program Manger Management, Program Manager.

software development process

Interview of Program/Market Manager position

Program Manager (PM) Interview tips

sample Program Manager interview

Interviewing at Microsoft



* Where do you want to be in 2-5+ years?
* Why Microsoft?
* Why PM?
* Talk about past experiences, what would you do differently?

The day started at 8:30.

* HR

* Introduction to how the day will work
* General HR type questions

  1. PM - Windows Media Player

* How would we design Windows Media Player to run on a TV
* What are the differences between C and C++
* Explain Object Oriented programming to your grandmother
* You have 6 months to do a 9 month project. What do you do?

  1. PM - Windows Media Player

* Why don’t you use Windows Media Player?
* What are 4 improvements you would make to Windows Media Player 9?

* Prioritize them
* You do not have enough time to do them all, now what?

  2. Talk about Windows Media Guide, how do we make it more relevant?
  3. Talked about a lesson learned from a past experience, how do you apply that lesson today?
  4. PM (lunch) - eHome

* Design a 1m x 1m bathroom
* Teach me how to sail
* What was your most difficult project?
* How have you demonstrated leadership at a previous company?

  1. PM - eHome

* Demo’d the technology of one of the teams I was interviewing with
* Talked about a problem with a Microsoft product and brainstormed ways of resolving it
* We talked about the future of the technology and some of the problems they currently have

  1. Head PM - Windows Media Player

* What haven’t you been asked?
* How do you motivate developers?
* Urged me to ask *any* questions about Microsoft (salary,…)

  1. ‘As appropriate’ - Executive for Outlook

* Where do you want to be in five years?
* If you were an absentee landlord how would you take care of your house?
* How do you handle renting to friends?

  1. HR

* Recap of how the day went
* What would lead me to choose Amazon over Microsoft? Microsoft over Amazon?
* Talked about what happens next

  1. Dinner w/Microsoft employee of my choice (Robert Scoble)

* Dinner person was not in on the ‘interview loop’

question to interview a manager
