I have been in the job market for months and gotten responses from Amazon and Google and few others but Microsoft never responded to any of my application. Not even when i was referred. I really wonder why, any clue? Profile: Program Manager, 15yoe TC:190K
Referrals are useless unless someone is actually making a personal connection to the hiring manager for you. Many times postings are inundated with resumes and it's literally impossible to review them all and we rely heavily on recruiters to propose candidates for phone screening. Try reaching out to a recruiter on LinkedIn, they may help ensure you get routed to the HM if you are a strong candidate. I'm sure Amazon and Google deal with the same flood so not sure why your experience has been different.
Interestingly i have been through personal interview rounds at Amazon as well as Google but nothing beyond automated response from Microsoft ever. Even recruiter on LinkedIn havent been responsive and i agree with you on the referral aspect too. Only the (real) referral works in today's world where someone is really sweating for you.
I have same experience, amazon is super responsive, google is responding on referrals but Microsoft is not that great
Apple does the same to me...
That's because MS recruiters are awful. They don't even send out automated rejection emails.
Last time I was job hunting an MS recruiter told me at Microsoft they won't interview until a hiring manager says they want you. She said she would just shop my resume around and see if any hiring manager bites. Never heard back from her. I got interviews easily everywhere else except Apple.
Same experience. I can't even get an automated rejection from them 🤷♂️
Same here. Even had a highe level referral direct to HM. I also hit up a few local Sr. Recruiters on LinkedIn. I saw at least one looked at my profile but never had the courtesy to respond.
Microsoft is dealing with reorgs all the time and internal candidates use up all headcount.
It's so much easier and less risky to hire internally. And for a long period of time we didn't compete with FAANG offers. So if I did get an amazing resume from a recruiter and looped them, 75% of the time I was just being used as a competing offer. It's not worth my time. I work on indemand shit and the pool of internal resumes is overflowing. My entire management career at Microsoft is built on forced college reqs and internal hires.