Why Microsoft, and what you expect to find there that you found nowhere else

Why do you want to work at Microsoft? And what do you expect to find at Microsoft that you have not found anywhere else? These two questions opened a behavioral round in an onsite loop for a cloud compute team, followed by others in the same vein. Answer both as you would in the room. ```hint Specific to this team Tie your answer to the work this role does, running a cloud compute platform, rather than to the company's size or reputation. ``` ```hint The contrast is the point The second question asks for a difference. Name something concrete that your past roles did not offer, without criticizing a former employer. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Should the answer focus on the team you are interviewing for, or on the company as a whole? - Is it fine to say what is missing in your current role? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - Researched, specific reasons connected to the role and the team's problems - A truthful contrast with past experience that reads as growth, not complaint - Evidence from your own history that makes the motivation credible - What you will contribute, not only what you will get - A concise, structured delivery ### Follow-up Questions - What do you know about the challenges of running cloud compute at large scale, and which one interests you most? - If the work turned out to be mostly operations rather than new features, how would you feel about it? - Where do you want to be in three years, and how does this role get you there? - What would make you leave a team?