This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Adit Sheth, a senior software engineer at Microsoft. Business Insider has verified his employment. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
While completing my master’s in computer science at the University of Texas at Dallas in 2016, I had an opportunity to interview with Microsoft.
I had a 3.9 GPA and was thrilled to get selected for the final round of an on-site interview.
But I quickly realized that real-world success required more than classroom excellence.
I particularly struggled with whiteboarding: data-structured questions where interviewers check your problem-solving abilities. Candidates need to come up with an optimized algorithm solution — it should work and also get translated into real code.
I wasn’t very confident, and I tried my best to provide accurate solutions. They were not up to the mark.
Rejection hit hard. It was a mirror showing me what and where I needed to grow.
After gaining experience at Deloitte for slightly over a year, I applied again to Microsoft in 2017. My ultimate goal was to work with a product-based company.
This time, I was better at writing code, but I still lacked structured thinking under time constraints. I couldn’t clearly explain my solutions or optimize them on the fly. I was rejected again.
Each rejection became a lesson. I took it personally — not with frustration, but with intention. I asked for feedback from recruiters and targeted those areas to try to be successful.
Building a self-improvement plan
The third time around, I approached everything with intensity.
The bar was much higher when I applied in 2018. The process demanded in-depth system design, real-world problem solving, and the ability to navigate ambiguity with confidence.
I knew that this was coming and actually built a full self-improvement plan.
I refined my data structures and algorithm skills, practiced whiteboarding under time constraints, and learned how to approach large-scale design problems with clarity and precision.
I also worked on expressing trade-offs, justifying my decisions, and communicating impact.
I remember having seven interviews on-site. It was intense, but this time, I walked in with not just technical readiness but also clarity of thought.
I cleared all the rounds and got a much better offer than I wanted. It was the most validating moment of my career.
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See rejection not as a ‘wall’
Rejection is not a wall. Take it as an opportunity to improve yourself.
Every time I was rejected, I learned something new about myself. What matters is not whether you failed but whether you followed up with focused effort. You need to identify your weak points and target them.
Build a plan, practice deliberately, and get feedback. Most of all, believe in yourself.
Even if the first few doors don’t open, your efforts will compound.
Do you have a story to share about navigating a tech career? Contact this reporter at cmlee@insider.com.