How they work at Microsoft. How they work at Microsoft

It's either a company you've always wanted to be a part of, or it's New Product, in which you are simply eager to invest all your creative potential. Whatever it is, there is always a certain type of job that is ideal for you.

However, it is easy to imagine your ideal post. The hardest thing is to get it. For those looking to start their career at a large technology company like Microsoft, the job search is made difficult by the sheer size of the company itself. Resumes can get lost in a sea of ​​applications, and searching the right person, which one might turn to can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

However, this does not mean that you should give up on your dream of working for one of the most successful and dynamic corporations in the world. We will give you some tips and tricks on how to find a job at Microsoft, which were given by the recruiters and company employees themselves.

Start

Since the company has many branches and products, the first place to start when looking for a job at Microsoft is to decide where you want to work and what you want to create. The Microsoft Careers website will help you answer these questions. There, on the navigation panel, you can search for the position you are interested in or select a country in the drop-down menu. The Find Your Fit page features detailed information O various professions and company technologies.

Stand out

But how can you “display” your name and at the same time not be annoying? Mitchell simply made himself known as needed. He kept in touch with the recruiter after each screening interview and sent small thank-you notes only to the hiring manager he interviewed personally, not to everyone who interviewed him. According to Mitchell, the recruiter kept him in the loop, which solved the problem of over-communication.

Find what you need

At Microsoft great attention is given not only professional suitability, but also the ability to work in a team. Recruiters are looking for people who will give their all to the job, whether that means taking additional computer courses or working on outside projects, Ledgard says.

However, there is no proven way to find a job at Microsoft. Even if you feel that the position you are applying for is ideal for you, it may not be. Recruiters and hiring managers at Microsoft know exactly what kind of person will fit well into the company. What's the best thing to do here? Relax. If it has to happen, then it will happen.

Microsoft Word is a text editor that can be part of the Microsoft Office suite or a program installed separately on your computer. The program can be used to record letters and various types documents, which may include graphics and images. This guide explains how to open Microsoft Word, launch, create, and save new document using operating system Windows 7.

Don't be afraid that something might not work out or go wrong. This program was created for users, and it is thought out to the smallest detail to make it as convenient as possible for you to use it. And of course, the main thing in every task is training, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. If you accidentally click the wrong button, there is always a curved arrow in the upper left corner that allows you to undo your last action. You can also do this using the Ctrl and Z key combination.

One last tip before you start detailed instructions by use text editor from Windows - . This is especially important when working with large texts or serious documentation. Anything can happen: the electricity can be cut off, the laptop can discharge and turn off, and no one is immune from breakdowns. Losing important files and then spending hours restoring them is not the most pleasant experience. All you need to do is click on the floppy disk in the upper left corner from time to time.

The program can be found in the Start menu under Microsoft Office. Follow these step by step instructions to launch the document in Microsoft Word.

Program navigation

How to select (highlight) text

Selecting or highlighting text allows you to change the selection in terms of style, font and/or color, and even replace words if necessary. Follow these step-by-step instructions to select text in your document.

Step 1. The mouse is used to select text. The pointer will change as you move it.

Step 2. Move the pointer to the beginning of the desired fragment. Click and hold the left mouse button. While doing this, move the pointer to where you want to stop the selection. As you move the mouse, the text will be highlighted. When you are finished with your selection, release the left mouse button.

The selected text can now be formatted or modified.

You can copy text using the Ctrl+C keys. Delete text - Backspace.

Changing the size and font

The following steps can help make your writing more interesting and engaging. The text can be changed in different ways.

Text alignment

Sometimes the document you are creating may require a different arrangement of paragraphs. By default, text is aligned left. However, text can be aligned to the right or center.

On a note! Select all text Ctrl + A.

You can change the selected text using a combination of keyboard shortcuts, which is sometimes easier:

1. Center - Select the text, press Ctrl + E.
2. Align to the right - Ctrl + R.
3. Fit width - Ctrl + J.
4. Left - Ctrl + L.

How to make text bold, italic, or underline

The ability to change the font style can make your document more interesting. Different text styles, such as bold or italic, can make it stand out. Underlining can be useful for headings.

• bold - Ctrl + B;
• italics - Ctrl + I;
• underline - Ctrl + U.

Copy and paste

There is no need to talk about the importance of these two functions. They save our time significantly and allow us to insert without retyping it, as was the case in the days of typewriters.

This can also be done using hotkeys. Everything is the same as last time: press Ctrl and C at the same time to copy the text, and Ctrl and V to paste.

How to Create a Numbered or Bulleted List

Using numbered or bulleted lists can help highlight items or show important steps, hierarchy or sequence of something.

To stop adding new elements and return to standard text, click the numbering icon again at the top of the document.

A bulleted list is created using the same principle, the only difference is 1 step. Instead of the “Numbering” button, click on the “Markers” button, it is located to the right.

There is another way to create a list. First, the user enters all the list items, each one must be new line. When all the items have been typed, select them all and click either on the numbering or on the markers, depending on what kind of list you need.

You will get the same result. These are different ways and there is no right or wrong, the main thing is that the goal is achieved. Use the method that is convenient for you.

They help to structure information and present it in a more presentable form. You can't do without this skill.

1. Step 1. In the top toolbar, go to the Insert tab.
2. Step 2. Click on the table icon. A window will open in front of you in which you need to select the number of cells. This can also be done by entering the numbers manually. To do this, in the panel that appears, click on the “Draw table” area.

All you have to do is fill out the fields. If you suddenly need additional rows or columns, you don't have to redo the whole thing. Left-click in the table area. In the menu that appears, click “Insert” and select the appropriate option.

This basic knowledge should form your basic principles of working with text. Let's highlight the main ones:

1. The text is entered where the blinking cursor is located and nowhere else.
2. To change a character, word, line, paragraph, or entire text, you first need to select it. It is necessary that the computer understands what exactly it must perform actions on.
3. Once you select the text, you can do whatever you want with it. You can practice, select a fragment and alternately click on the buttons located on the “Home” tab. You'll notice which features can be used together and which are mutually exclusive.
4. Don't forget to save your changes to protect yourself.
5. Use those methods of solving the problem facing you that are convenient for you.

Video - Word for Beginners

Which representatives of the sphereIT Would you refuse to collaborate with any of these three Silicon Valley giants? But Gail Laakman McDowell also worked in , and in , and in . And wrote a bookThe Google Resume to help those specialists (including young ones) who want to get into these companies.

So, what do representatives from Apple, Microsoft and Google expect to see on a job applicant's resume? The book by Gail Laakman McDowell was studied by experts from the Business Insider portal.

Firstly, they will not ignore the “Education” column. Prestigious educational institution will significantly increase the candidate’s chances of getting an interview. But if you only have a diploma from a not very well-known university, you shouldn’t despair either: you can look for other “entries” into the company through already working graduates of your alma mater or through social media. Also, McDowell notes, it is important to communicate closely with teachers during your studies. She herself periodically drank coffee and talked in an informal setting with one of the professors - as a result, he wrote to her several letters of recommendation. And thanks to them, she got jobs at Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Wharton. McDowell believes that it is not enough to be a good student in any subject - it makes sense to offer help to a teacher with his research projects (or even become his assistant).

Speaking of choosing a major, a liberal arts education or a degree in chemical engineering is very unlikely to open doors to Apple or Microsoft. Yes, there were precedents when, for example, artists were hired. But this is rather an exception. "I guess I should be enthusiastic about saying that your major doesn't matter until you figure out what you really love and what you really want to do. But I'll be honest: your major does matter. Until, for example, Google decides to start its own chemical laboratory, chemical engineers have little chance," McDowell writes in the book. Education in Finance, accounting, marketing and, of course, computer technology will attract the attention of a recruiter.

Finally, the good news is that GPA doesn't really matter. Naturally, best companies looking for best candidates, but in this search they focus on the experience and knowledge of candidates, and not on their average score at the university.

Internships in the field are no less important than a good education. Not every experience will interest Google or Apple representatives. McDowell urges you to start thinking about the “right” internships as early as your freshman year (or even earlier). She herself began to engage in web development before entering college. The author of the book recommends that future IT specialists be sure to gain relevant experience during internships - working under the guidance of some teacher or in some startup (even for free).

About the benefits of charity, communication and versatility

Volunteers, according to McDowell, are held in high esteem by recruiters. But not all types of volunteer work can impress them (serving soup in a soup kitchen is certainly commendable, but not enough). This means either creating a startup related to charitable activities, or working in a similar project.

Communication skills, McDowell emphasizes, are important not only for journalists. All three tech companies are looking for people who write well, speak well, and are able to express themselves.

In general, “multifunctionality” will generally benefit the specialist. As the author notes, the specialist who wants to work in tech company, must have an idea (at least a general one to begin with) not only about the vacancy for which he is applying, but also about the work of other specialists. "The best project managers, marketers, and developers have one thing in common: they understand each other's roles very well," writes McDowell.

An entrepreneur and creator of his own IT project is an ideal candidate for companies like Microsoft and Google. If participation in a charity startup guarantees that the recruiter will pay attention to the candidate and distinguish him from the crowd of applicants, then creating your own project is almost a guarantee of an invitation to an interview (and, in the future, a job offer). But, McDowell notes, the project must be complete and working! If everything remains at the initial stage of development, then this is unlikely to speak in favor of the candidate.

If before creation own business it doesn’t work out, then his popular professional blog or community on a social network can be an advantage for the candidate.

Russian headquarters Microsoft Corporation occupies four floors of one of the buildings of the Krylatsky Hills business park. Here are specialists in promoting various products - for banks, the telecom sector, small companies, government customers and others. There is also a marketing department, finance departments, PR, HR and support services. In addition, on the second floor there are Microsoft evangelists who are involved in the promotion and development of new technologies. All of them can work both from the office and remotely. The Village I found out how the work process works in the company.

Hiring employees

In recent years, the number of interview stages at Microsoft has decreased significantly. Now the candidate goes through four to five interviews. Among them is a meeting with an employee of the HR department, the immediate supervisor and a manager from a related department. Communication with the latter helps to better assess a person’s career prospects. The company does not use tests. Candidates' competencies are assessed during interviews. There are business cases for top managers and interns. They help to find out how a person will behave in a case.

Microsoft

IT company

The number of employees
in the office: about 600 people

Room area: 9,000 sq. m.

The hiring decision is made collectively: all participants in the selection process get together and discuss the shortlist of candidates. Regardless of the results, HR department employees contact all applicants for the vacancy and inform them of the decision made. Subsequently, the person who was not hired may be suitable for a new vacancy - it is important to leave a pleasant impression on everyone.

Work organization

The working day officially lasts from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but employees are not required to spend it in the office. They can work remotely, communicating with colleagues using Lync. It is customary here to exchange files and make appointments using the corporate social network Yammer. Some employees believe that if you can't get work done from your smartphone, then you're not being very effective. The most popular gadget is, of course, Lumia.

For the adaptation of new employees there is the NEO (New Employee Orientation) program. It is designed for one day, during which heads of different segments speak to newcomers - you can immediately understand in which direction it is interesting to develop your career.

All employees have key priorities for the year. Once a quarter, the manager discusses the progress of their implementation with everyone. HR specialists observe how employees perform and create a bench for different positions from among those who can replace the leader now or within three years. Thanks to this, vacancies can be filled quickly enough using internal reserves.

The company also has a shadowing system: a potential successor, like a shadow, follows the leader, observing how he conducts business. This, on the one hand, allows you to prepare a replacement for the manager in advance, on the other hand, it gives the boss a fresh look at his work. Moreover, in order to obtain any position, employees must undergo a series of interviews along with external candidates. Microsoft says this allows them to find the most worthy candidate.

Russians can also continue their careers in one of the corporation’s foreign offices. Moreover, not only engineers, but also marketing specialists are in demand. You can also become a participant in the rotation program and go on an internship to a foreign office for six weeks.

Interior

The office is designed in an open space format. In addition to standard workplaces, there are recreational areas where you can also sit with a laptop. In order for employees to find each other, a navigation and color zoning system has been developed: for example, you can make an appointment on the fifth floor in the red zone. Some tables have wireless phone chargers built into them. In addition to standard meeting rooms, there are spaces for individual work or telephone conversations.

The head of the office sits in an office with glass walls. The company says that he often communicates with employees: anyone can write him a letter or attend a meeting.

The business center has two parking lots. You can find out about the availability of places using a special mobile application, developed by one of the Microsoft employees. In summer, bicycle parking is very popular, as are places on the balcony and lawn near the office, where you can work on a laptop or chat with colleagues.

Food in the office

From 9 to 10 am, free coffee is served in the Windows Cafe on the ground floor.
There is a canteen in the office center - you can buy wok noodles, sushi, pasta or borscht. The stand displays advice on proper nutrition, and employees are compensated for their expenses.

Fresh fruit is brought to the office several times a day. Bananas are especially popular: everyone knows that their time is 16 hours.

Education and entertainment

Besides mandatory trainings about new products, Microsoft has courses for employees of certain departments. Every quarter a new schedule appears, and any employee can sign up for the training.

Microsoft reimburses part of the cost of purchasing gym memberships and allocates money to corporate football, basketball and volleyball teams. Many employees also go jogging after work: the office center has access to a park. Nearby there is also the Krylatsky cycle track, where you can ride a bicycle. In the office itself you can play kicker or Xbox.

At Microsoft, holidays are celebrated within departments. Only in New Year A general corporate party is organized with awards for distinguished employees and performances by employees. There is also a children's day here, when children of employees can come to the office and find out where their parents go every day.

Photos: Ivan Anisimov

Technical Specialist

Pros:

First, if you work at Manpower for Microsoft, this does not mean that you work for Microsoft, and there is nothing to be surprised by the absence of the following. So this review not about the position of secretary or operator. If you work full-time (FTE), then you are doing well. Good salary, which is indexed every year, telephone, laptop, car (if your work involves face-to-face communication with customers) which is repaired, fueled at the company’s expense and updated every 4 years. Flexible work schedule and +3 days of vacation per year. You can work from home and only show up at the office to sign papers. Regular trips to study in America and Europe. Many departments work for Europe, and employees often stay in Europe and Asia on business trips. If you go on maternity leave for the first year, maternity benefits are paid in the amount of 100% of your salary. The bosses usually don’t meddle in your work process; they are only interested in the result. I have never encountered “orders from above” - everything is always discussed openly. A chic office - cozy, a lot of meetings, all around there is greenery. It's a bit far from the metro, but there are shuttles. There is always tea, coffee, juices and fruit in the kitchen. Since most people work from home, there are usually few people in the office and there are no behind-the-scenes discussions. Promotions at work are possible, but you need to understand that there are 10 people competing for any better position, so you really need to prove yourself in order to be promoted. There is practically no nepotism, since you are interviewed in turn by 5 people from different departments in the department, and anyone can reject your candidacy. Married couples are allowed in the company only if you cannot influence your friend’s work. If you get laid off, you get 6 salaries and 2 months to find a new job.

What can be improved:

If you are a specialist in outdated technologies, then you will most likely be laid off soon, since the business is dynamic. But this is difficult to classify as a disadvantage, since it allows you to keep yourself in good shape and constantly learn new things.

Is the review helpful? 1 2

Secretary

Pros:

Big name of the company.

What can be improved:

Conducted an interview via Skype with HR from Moscow. The worst aftertaste from the interview was the arrogant and boorish behavior of this very HR. She constantly interrupted, cut off words, did not listen, was tactless, showed her superiority, tried to humiliate. It’s just not clear why? I'm a man with good experience, and worked in similar international companies. It is absolutely incomprehensible how such a rude and ill-mannered person was accepted and kept in such a position that involves working with people. What can we expect from the rest then? In general, I concluded that I will not work with such an attitude towards myself, even if it is Microsoft. When I left the interview I was glad that I finally got out of there.

Is the review helpful? 4 0

Secretary

Pros: No probationary period, white salary 42 on hand, official employment, working day until 5 pm.

Is the review helpful? 4 1

SalaryBoardsWorkplaceTeamCareer growth

Position not specified

Pros: good entry for a resume, flexible schedule, voluntary health insurance, preferential loans from suspicious banks, normal salary

What can be improved: People regularly got poisoned in the canteen; there are no other places with food nearby - it’s a 30-40 minute walk to the metro station or drive through traffic jams, as long as you’re lucky. As written below, manpower are second-class people, FTE (high-class people) perceive them as stupid, poor and temporary people or, rather, things (in many internal bodies these people are in the same category as equipment). Other employees do not respect such people; they ignore letters, questions, suggestions, even invitations to meetings. Without knowing, you can easily become like this (the vacancy is something like at Microsoft) and then it is very difficult to get out. There is a terrible turnover - people perceive a company in the Russian Federation as a way to go to the USA and immediately run away to Google, Facebook, etc. Yes, as written below, even pregnant women and those on maternity leave are fired. Every quarter you are informed that an unexpectedly difficult political situation has developed, a crisis and a global internal reorganization is taking place and, most likely, you will be fired. Such hassle makes it very difficult to work, and even more so, to work well and fight for long-term promising projects. And, indeed, they fired even those who exceeded the plan. What you are doing is not needed by anyone, there just needs to be some kind of activity in the Russian Federation. No one, either in the Russian Federation or abroad, is particularly interested in what you are doing, will not be upset if nothing works out, but will never support any initiative and will not allow you to take part in any promising project. It is impossible to obtain information about global goals and plans and integrate into them, they are always “still in the process of discussion”, in the end you always do something of your own and it is very easy to be called unnecessary and fired at any moment (and also reorg, crisis, politics - a reason is always ready). People are very different, some are very competent and well-mannered, others are simply creepy and incompetent. Nepotism is rampant.

Is the review helpful? 11 2

SalaryBoardsWorkplaceTeamCareer growth

Worked in the company for 3 - 5 years

Position not specified

Pros: The office is quite comfortable. In the kitchen there are juices, drinks such as Sprite, cola, soda. On Mondays, all employees are provided with breakfast. Excellent equipment is provided for work, and the locker rooms on the floors are comfortable. Distributing products is generally easy. The brand is quite well known to everyone. Payments are completely transparent. It is clear how bonuses are calculated, and the salary itself. Trainings are constantly conducted with employees on sales, licensing, and products. Often with foreign teachers. Free transport is available from certain metro stations to the business park. Excellent social package - dentistry, voluntary health insurance.

What can be improved: It's pretty good to become an FTE employee, but if you end up with Manpower, consider yourself unlucky. If they don't hire you, it's practically impossible to become an FTE in any other way. Then it is no longer possible to pass the MS certification exams at the company’s expense. There is only a fixed-term contract in hand, which may well be terminated at any time. Then the employee will be kicked out without much explanation. Even in case of pregnancy. At the same time, they will pay a few pennies. Even the general attitude of the rest of the employees towards you will be quite dismissive. Regarding the promotion, I can completely agree with the previous review. Really career solely depends on the relationship with the leadership, on the ability to weave all kinds of intrigues, organize political games, and so on. You can be an excellent, brilliant, talented specialist, but no one will notice. The salary, by the way, is significantly lower than the market one. Often, superiors have much lower qualifications than their subordinates. They just got their warm place with the help of all sorts of connections, friendly relations with higher-ups. The corporate culture is completely rotten. In addition, if the iPhone is not Microsoft or some other product, then it is better to hide it away. Otherwise, you can easily get a reprimand.

Is the review helpful? 9 3

SalaryBoardsWorkplaceTeamCareer growth

Worked in the company for 5 - 10 years

Position not specified

Pros: The compensation package is excellent. The office is quite nice.

What can be improved: The work of the organization's employees is assessed in a completely inadequate way. This generally and completely ruins the company. The higher-ranking management from above issues orders on how many good and bad ratings should be given at the end of the year. On foreign market There is no competition, and therefore it is filled internally. So everyone in the organization is each other’s enemies. The only winners are the ones who get closer to the leadership and are on more friendly terms with them. No one cares what you really invest in the organization. So don’t overexert yourself, no one will notice it. Conflict situations arise almost every day. At the same time, HR employees not only do not help solve them, but often take direct part in them themselves. Only those who know how to PR and suck up take root in a company.

Is the review helpful? 9 0

SalaryBoardsWorkplaceTeamCareer growth

Works in the company for 5 - 10 years

Position not specified

Pros: The organization also has qualified employees who are worthy of personality, labor compensation is quite acceptable, and insurance is provided.

What can be improved: The level of leadership began to decline too rapidly. So in Lately Working for an organization is becoming less and less interesting. A lot of time is simply wasted on politics. There is no team cohesion to speak of. Everyone is for himself, results are often appropriated, and they end up in normal positions not on merit, but as a result of all sorts of intrigues.

Is the review helpful? 6 1