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Targets/Microsoft

UX Researcher

Microsoft · UX Researcher II / Mid-level

Research from Sep 64 rounds, none tried
How did it actually go?

Recommended next: your first attempt

Do the Research portfolio presentation round.

A complete first attempt shows where you stand before any narrow practice starts.

Set up this round →Rehearse the full day
Length40 min · UX Researcher II / Mid-level

The loop

4 rounds · 2 h 40 min

Pick a round to see what it asks of you and where you stand on it.

Research portfolio presentation

Learn whether the candidate can explain research framing, method choice, rigor, synthesis, stakeholder influence, personal contribution, and product impact across contrasting studies.

Portfolio review · 40 minSet up this round →
Not tried yetNo attempt yet.

What strong sounds like

  • Explain the product decision, knowledge gap, population, constraints, and why research was needed.
  • Compare viable methods and explain sampling, rigor, time, and ethical trade-offs.
  • Distinguish the candidate's framing, execution, analysis, and influence from collaborators.
  • Trace findings to a decision or learning and state attribution limits.

Expect to be pushed on

Change one important constraint and ask what survives.
Probe the weakest assumption and the evidence needed.

Shapes of problem you may get

  • A verbal research portfolio narrative contrasting generative and evaluative work

How to prepare

  1. 01
    Select two contrasting studies

    Choose one generative and one evaluative study. For each, gather the decision, knowledge gap, population, method alternatives, your decisions, collaborators, evidence, product action, measure, and unresolved risk.

    The round tests whether you can explain research choices, personal contribution, rigor, and impact across different studies. Microsoft says some roles use work samples and assess thought process and rationale.

    Company researchMicrosoft Careers: Interview tips

  2. 02
    Build decision-led case outlines

    Create a short outline for each study that starts with the governing product decision and ends with action, evidence limits, and learning. Mark claims that rely on your work versus team work.

A first attempt takes the full 40 minutes.

What this loop tests

Researched 27 days ago

Microsoft’s official framework supports role-specific portfolio or work-sample assessment across two to four conversations. Recent adjacent UX Research candidates report a portfolio presentation plus three one-to-one interviews, while a quantitative UXR candidate reports a technical SQL component and cautions that teams differ. Prepare research storytelling, live study planning, synthesis and recommendation judgment, and stakeholder influence; verify method specialty and presentation format with the recruiter.

They reward

  • Research tied to product decisions
  • Rigor calibrated to constraints
  • Inclusive customer understanding
  • Clear limits and honest uncertainty
  • Influence through actionable evidence
  • Growth after methods fail

What to avoid

  • Do not substitute a memorized framework for the supplied facts.
  • Do not hide personal decisions behind vague team language.
  • Do not claim certainty beyond the evidence available.

How sure we are

Worth redoing if you hear something from the recruiter that contradicts this.

Attempts

Every session saved against this target, newest first. Standings live on the round cards.

All attempts in History →

Research portfolio presentation, Live research planning, Evidence synthesis and recommendation, and Stakeholder influence and growth have no attempts yet.

A decision-led narrative makes your reasoning visible and reduces the risk of vague team language. The supplied format expects contrasting studies, but the exact Microsoft portfolio format remains uncertain.

Suggested approach

  • 03
    Rehearse one explanation

    Briefly explain one study using its outline. Include one method trade-off, one attribution limit, and one unresolved risk. Keep the second study ready for comparison rather than completing a full timed presentation.

    This gives you usable material for a 40-minute portfolio review without replacing the interview with a memorized script.

    Suggested approach

    • Then try the round

    You have two selected studies, decision-led outlines, evidence for your contribution and impact, and one briefly rehearsed explanation.

    Resources to focus on
    • User research portfolios — belly up to the BAR | by Lori Birtley | UXR @ Microsoft | Medium

      Focus on “Background,” “Action,” and “Results.” Medium may show a sign-in or membership prompt.

      Use the structure to separate context, your actions, obstacles, stakeholder work, findings, and impact.

    • Quant UX Interview "Portfolio" Presentations: Recommendation

      Focus on “Have a Narrative Story with a Dilemma” and “Resolve the Narrative Arc with a Decision and Impact.”

      Use the narrative to connect the customer and business decision to research choices and product impact.

    Do

    • State the governing decision before adding detail.
    • Use concrete evidence and make trade-offs explicit.
    • Close with the action, measure, and unresolved risk.

    Avoid

    • Do not substitute a memorized framework for the supplied facts.
    • Do not hide personal decisions behind vague team language.
    • Do not claim certainty beyond the evidence available.
    Confirmed · 6
    • Microsoft officially says some roles require creative portfolios or other work samples and that candidates should explain their thought process and rationale.
    • Microsoft officially evaluates collaboration, customer focus, influence, judgment, adaptability, results, and growth mindset.
    • A January 2025 Azure UXR intern candidate reports one portfolio presentation followed by three one-to-one interviews.
    • A July 2024 entry quantitative UXR candidate reports a technical SQL test and discussion of prior quantitative UX projects.
    Likely · 1
    • A representative mid-level mixed-methods plan should test research storytelling, study design, synthesis, and stakeholder influence while treating SQL as a recruiter question, not a universal round.

    Worth asking them

    Questions that close the gaps above.

    Is this role qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods?
    Does the loop include a portfolio presentation, live research plan, SQL, or another technical assessment?
    Which product decisions and stakeholder relationships define success for this UXR II role?

    Research status

    Collected Sep 6. If the recruiter tells you something this brief contradicts, correct it after the interview and the brief updates.

    Correct this brief