ENGINEERING NOTES
My Microsoft Senior Frontend Interview Experience — Live Coding, Behavioral Gaps, and Rejection
By Jitendra Khilar ·
A look back at a Senior Frontend interview process at Microsoft — the format, what it tested, and what I'd do differently next time.
I recently went through the interview process for a Senior Software Engineer (Frontend) role at Microsoft. It didn't end in an offer, but it was one of the more structured processes I've been through, and I wanted to write down what I took from it.
The format. The process started with a HackerRank assessment covering DSA and React fundamentals, followed by a live-coding technical phone screen, and then a final loop of three interviews — two technical rounds and one "as appropriate" round with a senior interviewer, all scheduled on the same day.
What it actually tested. The technical rounds leaned heavily on live coding combined with how I reasoned through the problem out loud — not just arriving at a working solution. The final round felt less about a specific technical challenge and more about how I think and communicate under pressure.
My honest self-assessment. Looking back, my first technical round felt strong. My second had a weaker behavioral moment I could have handled better. The final round went well — I walked out feeling genuinely good about it.
The outcome. About six days after my final interview, the decision came back as a rejection. It stung in the moment, but going through a process at that bar sharpened how I think about interviews — and about my own gaps — more than an easier process would have.
What I'd do differently. Two things, specifically: sharpen my DSA fundamentals so live coding feels less effortful under time pressure, and prepare more deliberately for behavioral rounds — having sharper, more structured stories ready instead of thinking through them in the moment.