March 14, 2001, 10:24 AM — Landing a job at Microsoft can be likened to climbing Mount Everest. Igor Leybovich knows this firsthand. When he was studying computer science at Kiev State University, he dreamed of working for Microsoft. His plan was to immigrate to the United States, get some work experience and, with some luck, secure an interview with his dream company -- Microsoft. The daunting statistics that Microsoft receives more than 12,000 résumés a month and hires one out of 1,000 applicants didn't stop Leybovich from shooting for a job.
After arriving in the United States in 1990, he worked at a string of jobs including stints as a technician in a computer store, a programmer at Exxon, and a consultant. Then he got a call from a headhunter asking if he was interested in interviewing for a consultant's position at Microsoft's office in Berkeley Heights, N.J.
The 35-year-old programmer was called to the plate to see if he could play ball with technology's dream team. Even though Leybovich had heard much about Microsoft being a tough place to land a job, he wasn't prepared for the rigorous ordeal ahead. If the entire interview process can be thought of as a three-act play, the first act is what Leybovich calls a "cursory phone screen," a 30-minute interview to "get a good idea of what you know."
Was it tough? "It was more broad than deep," says Leybovich. If you flunk the phone interview, the screening process grinds to a pathetic halt. Ace it and you get a chance to perform in acts two and three, which together amount to an all-day series of interviews that Leybovich describes as "intense and exhausting." You had to turn in a stunning performance during act two in the morning to earn a callback for the final act.
The interviews started at 8:30 a.m. sharp, after Leybovich was offered a continental breakfast (not that he could eat anything). First, an HR person asked the expected questions centering on work history, aspirations, goals, and reflections on prior jobs. Then he met with a consultant, followed by meetings with two managers. Each back-to-back interview ran about 45 minutes.
First and foremost, Microsoft checks to see if you've got the right technical stuff to join its global force of 3,000 consultants. Once the technical interviews began, he quickly concluded, "There was no way I could know everything." When asked about a specific area of programming in which he had never worked, Leybovich had to plead ignorance. He recovered by steering the conversation toward similar programming languages he knew well.
Quick thinking on Leybovich's part kept him in the game. At 12:30 p.m. he was invited to lunch, which was Microsoft's way of saying, "You're doing fine, now let's see how you fare in the final act."
The afternoon consisted of three more interviews, which went pretty well in his estimation. Unlike many companies that make you sweat for a couple of weeks before letting you know whether you've passed or failed, Microsoft tells you where you stand as soon as the interview ordeal is over. Before Leybovich left, an HR person told him he impressed everyone and that most likely an offer would be forthcoming. Two days later, an offer was made and this hardworking programmer felt as if he were on top of the world.
Leybovich joined Microsoft as a consultant. A year later he was promoted to senior consultant. He works closely with some of Microsoft's leading customers, most of which are Fortune 500 companies. Projects usually last four to six months and entail heading a team of four developers, two of whom are typically from Microsoft with the other two coming from the client company. "The goal is to deliver functionality," he says. That involves starting with high-level architecture, writing specifications, and designing all the intricate programming necessary to deliver applications clients can manage themselves.
In fact, the tables have now turned and part of Leybovich's current job is to interview potential employees. As a Microsoft interview veteran, no one is more qualified to offer priceless tips to candidates. Most importantly, your technical skills had better be nearly flawless. Don't try to snow a Microsoft consultant if you don't know something. Second, you also need good interpersonal and team skills.
Finally, Leybovich warns against spitting back answers too quickly. "The speed of your thinking is not as important as how you think," he says. Microsoft is more concerned with unearthing creative thinkers.
Jeff Heath, president of the Landstone Group, an executive search firm specializing in technology in New York City, says Microsoft's problems with the Justice Department and nose-diving stock hasn't made it any easier to get a job there. Although the company's image may be slightly tarnished, "the hiring process is still grueling and I don't think it will ever change," says Heath.
