Microsoft UK
Graduates & Interns
THE FUTURE ISN’T
WRITTEN YET
It’s a time of exciting change and new thinking at Microsoft. We’re focused on improving the day-to-day lives of our customers, delivering meaningful impact through groundbreaking technology and providing a truly unifi ed experience. Through incredible services like OneDrive and Xbox Live powering a Mobile First, Cloud First world, we deliver a positive blend of work and play across different devices, locations and users. Across digital life, we’re reinventing productivity. In order to fuel this change, we need people prepared to challenge convention, question the status quo and collaborate with likeminded individuals that don’t fear failure but see it as a necessary step toward making a mark on the world. If shaping a better, more exciting future is what motivates you, you’ll be in good company. Find out more and apply at microsoft.com/uk/students.
cONTENTS
Fresh Eyes. New Questions. Better Outcomes
3
Our Products: Helping People Get Stuff Done
4 - 5
Interns
6 - 7
Technical, Business & Gaming
8 - 13
Graduates
14 - 15
Choose Your Path
16 - 17
Training & Benefi ts: Innovate. Collaborate. Iterate. Repeat
18 - 19
Hear From Your Peers
20 - 21
The
Path
To
Success
22 - 25
Diversity
&
Community
26 - 29
Application
30 - 31
Get
In
Touch
32
MES
.
FRESH
EYES
.
NEW
QUESTIO
ES
.
NEW
QUESTIONS.
bETTER
OUT
From Bing and Windows Phone to Xbox, Surface and Skype, we help people connect in ways no one else can, making everyday life that bit more fun. Creating products that touch people’s lives in so many ways is inspiring. Whether it’s one person, a team or a whole business. This is what drives us to create the next big thing, wowing our customers and opening up even greater opportunities for our people.
OUR PROdUcTS:
HElPINg PEOPlE gET STUFF dONE.
“We help people get stuff done. Stuff
like term papers, recipes and budgets.
Stuff like chatting with friends and family
across the world. Stuff like painting, writing
poetry and expressing ideas. Stuff like
running a Formula 1 racing team or
keeping an entire city running.”
Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO.
Listen to yourfavourite Xbox Music playlist while jogging.
Wake up. Go to bed.
Skype mum to wish her Happy Birthday.
Use Microsoft Surface & pen to write lecture notes on OneNote. Upload onto OneDrive and share with the wider project team.
Later on at home, play Xbox with friends online.
Use Office 365 to finish coursework before heading to bed.
Take a photo, post on Yammer & drop best mate a text.
Use Bing to find out bus timetable.
“WE HElP PEOPlE cONNEcT IN WaYS
NO ONE ElSE caN, makINg EvERYdaY
lIFE THaT bIT mORE FUN.”
What will a year as an intern involve?
INTERNS
This isn’t your average tea-making, hand-holding internship. We’ll put you on real projects from the start, developing your natural talents and providing you with insights that will change the way you look at everything from smartphones to search engines and beyond.
IF YOU WaNT TO WORk aT THE FOREFRONT OF
bUSINESS aNd TEcHNOlOgY, WE HavE a ROlE
FOR YOU - WHaTEvER YOU’RE STUdYINg.
“I signed up for a Stretch pr
oject as a technical lead for the
Be Your Future blog. I led the r
e-branding and re-design
for the site and was part o
f the team that kicked o
ff Skype
Roulette. Not only did I do something I enjoyed, but I also
helped to make an impact for the company
. The program
is not only designed to see what you can do, but also
what Microsoft can do for you.
”
Stretch Projects
On top of your day-to-day role, you also have the chance to get involved in a variety of stretch projects. These will allow you to develop skills outside of your everyday job and gain exposure to people across the business. From working on citizenship projects and diversity events to assisting with personal development and onboarding programmes, as well as managing blogs, designing apps and working on impactful internal projects, there’s an opportunity for everyone.
Intern End of Year event, celebrating success
– Intern Awards Welcome Day Induction week to
START STRONG
JUlY
JUNE
JUNE
OcTObER
JaNUaRY
Intern Off-site Intern Mid-Year Event
Chien Yee Lim
BSc (Hons) Computer Science, University of Bath.
Role: Lab Engineer at Microsoft Technology Centre.
“Microsoft knows how to or
ganise a proper
student internship. They give you sufficient time
to learn your craft, and hand you r
esponsibility
in business management almost fr
om the
get-go, which is not something I can say about
many other internship pr
ogrammes.”
Syd Zaidi
MEng Electrical and Electronic
Engineering at Loughborough University
Role: Technical Account Manager
TEcHNIcal
Technical Support and Field Engineering
Provide technical support to a wide range of customers across all of the Microsoft product range. If you are passionate about the cloud and infrastructure, you may even get the chance to work at one of the Microsoft Technology Centres in either Reading or Edinburgh.
User Experience and Visual Design
If you want to work on the delivery of technical projects and consult to internal and external customers, have a passion for user experience and strong skills in visual design, this is the area for you.
Technical Programme Management
You will play a key role on the Programme Management team and collaborate closely with the developer and test leads in the UK to design, develop and test features for Bing.
Software Development
This is where the fun begins for coding gurus. Work with some of the smartest minds in the tech sector and help us to develop the next generation of operating systems and applications.
dIScOvER THE
maNY dIFFERENT
WaYS YOU cOUld FIT
IN TO
OUR TEam
,
WHaTEvER YOUR
dEgREE OR
caREER PlaNS.
Our internship programmes fall into three distinct buckets of talent:
Technical, Business and Gaming. Where will you make your mark?
lOcaTIONS
:
REadINg,
lONdON, EdINbUR
gH.
bUSINESS
Business Consulting & Project Management
Are you an excellent planner who enjoys working to tight deadlines? Then we’d love you to work in one of our Resource Management, Account Management or Project Delivery Support roles.
Business Operations
Want to put your business degree to the test? Join us in a Business Operations role and develop an extensive range of skills including process improvement, business change management and customer and partner research.
Data Analyst
If you’ve got a head for numbers and enjoying making sense of seemingly complicated data, this is the role for you. As a Data Analyst, you’ll help us understand and develop strategy from data across every area of our business.
Account Delivery Management
Work with some of our biggest enterprise clients to ensure they maintain their competitive edge. Working as part of a close-knit team, you will produce innovative solutions and outstanding outcomes while maintaining and developing accounts and delivering projects.
Sales
Our Sales teams are the lifeblood of Microsoft. They know how our products help our customers and ensure we keep our competitive advantage. Join them and learn the ins and outs of selling products to the world’s biggest companies.
lOcaTIONS:
REadINg, l
ONdON.
“I had no idea that I could get this far in a
company that is seen as a pioneer in its various
industries. With a successful and per
sonal
internship scheme, Micr
osoft allows you to
learn and experience things that will be
valuable for expanding your per
sonal
interests and futur
e career prospects.
”
Mona Neuhauss
Psychology, University of Surrey.
Role: Editorial Intern for MSN International.
Finance
Want to gain insight into how the world’s largest technology company runs its hugely complex fi nance organisation? Join us as a Finance Analyst and we’ll give you everything you need.
Human Resources & Citizenship
With over 5,000 staff in the UK, our HR and Citizenship Teams are constantly looking for new ways to enhance our corporate reputation, social responsibility and make Microsoft an exceptional place to work.
Marketing
Our world-class products require world-class marketing strategies. With over 30 Marketing intern opportunities each year across our UK business, you’ve got every chance to help us capture the imagination of our customers.
Public Relations & Internal Communications
If you’re a wordsmith and a stickler for good grammar, we could use you in our PR and Internal Communications teams. You could work on anything from copy for a new product launch to a newsletter for 5,000 Microsoft UK staff.
Your degree must allow you to do a one-year placement starting July ‘15.
“First off, I have always been extr
emely passionate
about technology and how we have har
nessed the
power of computer
s to improve day to day tasks
and create innovative solutions to existing pr
oblems.
I love to see how a concept or idea is taken, designed,
implemented, and then tested right thr
ough to
production on the market wher
e the end user can
benefi t from the impact the pr
oduct creates.
”
Giuliano Rapoz
BSc (Hons) Computer Systems: Networks, Nottingham Trent University.
Role::Technical Programme Manager
lOcaTIONS:
lONdON,
TWYcROSS, gUIldFORd
.
gamINg
The majority of gaming-related roles will be based at one of our four state-of-the-art Microsoft Studios, with opportunities to work with leading brands including Rare, Lionhead Studios, Soho Productions and Lift London.
Software Engineering (Tools/Services/ Graphics/Gameplay & Physics)
Working as an intern engineer, you’ll help shape key elements of a great game across a range of disciplines. There’s a lot to be learnt and a great deal of fun to be had.
Game Design
A Game Design Intern collaborates with artists, designers, programmers and producers to bring visions to life in interactive entertainment. They will design, implement and touch a variety of gameplay features alongside industry experts.
Animation
Animation Interns take a model from a bind-pose and fi ll it with character through movement. They work alongside artists, designers, programmers and producers to create characters, environments and animations.
Art
Artists bring our games to life, creating cutting edge and next-gen art in a talent-rich environment. An Art Intern collaborates with artists, designers and programmers to help maintain a consistent visual-style.
Audio
An Audio intern will support the Audio Director and Audio Team in focusing on the implementation and process of Audio content in game, be it voices, effects or music.
Production
Support essential parts of the game production process and help deliver top games on budget and on time. An Intern Producer ensures collaboration and communication across disciplines to ensure a smooth production.
Product Marketing and Business Intelligence
Tell the world about the latest and greatest games to come from Microsoft Studios by maintaining a coordinated schedule of all activity across products and campaigns and working closely with a varied selection of internal teams.
At Microsoft, we look for highly energetic people with initiative and drive. We want passionate, curious individuals who can think laterally and ask new questions.
Our teams follow the process of making it, breaking it and making it better in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Our graduates are placed into real job roles, and alongside this they are enrolled into the Microsoft Academy, which provides three international training weeks during their fi rst 18 to 24 months. These bring together a global community of thousands of graduates from over 60 countries, enabling them to build a global network of contacts and to gain exposure to real Microsoft business activities.
It’s challenging. It’s rewarding. It’s a great opportunity at one of the world’s most advanced technology companies.
What you’ll need to succeed
To make your mark, you’ll need to thrive in fast-paced, continuously evolving environments. You should also be passionate about our industry and want to have a say about where it goes next.
gRadUaTES
PaSSION. dRIvE.
EXPERIENcE.
RESUlTS
.
“I wanted to work for a company
I had unknowingly gr
own up with.
I’ve gained huge experience, gr
eat
responsibility and exposur
e to
inspiring people. It’
s #Awesome!”
Rachel Varley
Account Executive, Corporate Accounts Sales Team.
Studied: Management (Marketing), University of Manchester.
“Microsoft’s graduate oppor
tunities provided
a chance for real-world business experience
early on. There’s a warm cultur
e and friendly
people who help each other a lot. Har
d work
and getting the job done is the curr
ency.”
Andy Coker
Technical Account Manager, Microsoft Services.
Studied: Business and International Relations, Aston University
cHOOSE YOUR PaTH
Every graduate is part of the same community and receives similar training. The only thing you need to decide is which one of the three streams you wish to apply to.
Technical
By focusing on the technical side of things, you’ll get a fi rst-hand look at our revolutionary business solutions, and a say in how we make good products even better. If all goes well, we may even develop one of your ideas – an idea that could change the course of technology. Taking on a Technical Consulting role, you’ll get to grips with the world’s most advanced technologies, see new products come to market and introduce cutting-edge technology solutions to our customers. We have some of the world’s biggest companies as clients. If you like the idea of developing technical solutions to help them overcome their business problems, this is the role for you.
Project Management & Business Consulting
Enabling our enterprise customers to maintain their competitive edge isn’t just down to the technical geniuses at Microsoft. If you love working with people, tackling challenges and coming up with innovative solutions, we’ve got a place for you, no matter what your degree.
“There’s a great fl
exible
working lifestyle at Micr
osoft
that allows you to mould your
work style to suit you, and
endless oppor
tunities to be a
part of various communities
and to continuously
meet new people.
”
Holly Wade
Associate Project Manager.
Studied: Mathematics with Statistics BSc, University of Surrey.
SalaRY:
£34,700
+ SIgN-ON bONUS
2:1 cRITERIa EXPE
cTEd IN aNY dE
gREE
lOcaTIONS:
REadINg, l
ONdON
Joining us as either an Account Manager or Delivery Project Manager, you’ll work closely with some of our biggest enterprise customers. When you’re not managing client relationships, you’ll be solving problems and coming up with brilliant ways to deliver our world-class infrastructure services. And all with one goal in mind: helping our customers realise their full potential.
Sales
It’s no use having world-class products and services if no one knows about them. That’s why we need world-class Sales teams to make sure our customers understand what our technology is and how it can help them. As a graduate in our Sales stream, you’ll come up with cunning sales strategies, build solid client relationships and ensure people realise the many ways in which our products and services can make their lives better. Selling anything is a challenge. But when you’re selling technology that people can believe in – that you can believe in – it changes everything.
Whichever stream you’re in, we’ll help you make the most of your talents with training that looks something like this:
Learning through structured courses and role-specifi c training
70%
20%
10%
Learning from your manager, peers and mentorLearning on the job
Intern training: • Three-day induction • Manager one-to-ones • Performance reviews • Stretch projects • Personal Development Programme • Microsoft Offi ce Specialist Exams • Mentoring • Organised Intern community events Graduate training: • Five-day induction • European training events • International Annual global conference • One-to-one development • Continuous on-the-job learning • Microsoft Offi ce Specialist exams • Local Graduate community events • Performance Reviews • Mentoring
What you get:
• 25 days holiday • Three volunteer days • Product discounts
• Subsidised cafes and restaurants • Subsidised gym membership (HQ) • Complimentary shuttle buses (HQ) • Wellbeing centres
• Free legal advice and emotional support
PLUS... Grads also get:
• Life assurance • Income protection • Pension
• Health insurance
• Flexible benefi ts package that allows you to choose additional benefi ts, including extra holidays, health assessments, dental insurance, travel insurance and retail vouchers
• End-of-year performance bonus (discretionary)
bENEFITS
TRaININg
& bENEFITS
INNOvaTE. cOllabORaTE.
ITERaTE. REPEaT.
TRaININg
At Microsoft, it’s not just about learning while you work. You will also receive a level of training that goes beyond most graduate and intern programmes, with opportunities to develop, learn new skills, attend events and be regularly appraised on your performance. We’re passionate about nurturing our people, helping them go further and achieve beyond their potential.
“The year has been amazing; I have been placed
straight into a real job role and had numer
ous
opportunities both within and outside my basic
job role. I would highly r
ecommend applying for
an internship at Microso
ft, no matter what your
discipline, as the work experience you gain her
e
is invaluable.”
Lucy Goodwin
Tourism Management BSc (Hons), University of Surrey.
Role: Market Engagement Programme Manager (BING).
“I didn’t think I had what it takes to join such a
great company; but as soon as I arrived at the
offi ces at Thames Valley P
ark, I knew this was the
company for me, and was lucky enough to be
offered the internship. The cultur
e is incredible
and the work is both challenging and enjoyable.
”
Alex Seward
Business Studies, UWE, Bristol.
Role: Technical Account Manager, Premier Support, Microsoft Services.
HEaR FROm
YOUR PEERS
Check out the blog at
beyourfuture.net
Every Microsoft intern and graduate has an amazing story to tell; the Be Your Future blog is the place to hear them. For true insight into the culture and community at Microsoft, direct from those living it every day, the blog allows you to explore some of the experiences and activities you too could be involved in, as well as practical advice on the application process and life as an intern or a graduate.
FINd OUT mORE abOUT
THE lIFE OF aN INTERN aNd
a gRadUaTE aT mIcROSOFT
FROm THOSE IN THE kNOW –
THE INTERNS THEmSElvES.
Moving from a Partner sales role to a customer-focused selling role to become an Offi ce 365 specialist.
Key Experience/Benefi t:
“I have had the opportunity to work with some of Microsoft’s largest Offi ce 365 customer references and I feel very privileged to have been involved in their journey to the Cloud.”
cHaNgINg gEaR
JUlY 2006
OFFERINg OFFIcE
OcTObER 2010
Moving from a technical sales role into a pure sales role as a Solution Channel Development Manager, I was responsible for building and activating the SharePoint Partner Ecosystem in the UK.
Key Experience/Benefi t:
“I really loved getting out and meeting partners and customers. I learnt so much in a very short space of time about the way other businesses develop and grow.”
JO caRPENTER
“Being a graduate at Microsoft offers you a safe but motivating
environment to enable you to learn your trade but still have a huge
impact on the business at the same time. The graduate community
gave me a huge network which I have greatly benefi ted from
throughout my career and it offered me the grounding I needed
to learn in business to be successful.”
Current Position: Services Sales Manager in New Zealand
Accountable for leading a well-managed, high-performing Services Sales team and business which results in long-term, predictable revenue growth and satisfi ed Microsoft customers.
Degree: 1st Degree Hons, Business Information Technology.
Original Graduate Role: Technical Sales Specialist.
From the day you join Microsoft you can embark on a journey that will challenge and reward you. One that will be unique to you. A journey that can ignite your passions and uncover your talents.
This has been the case with Jo and Lee, two of our former graduates, who embraced opportunities and haven’t looked back.
THE PaTH TO SUccESS
Winning the Circle of Excellence Employee Award and the UK Chairman’s Award.
Key Experience/Benefi t:
“Winning the Circle of Excellence and Chairman’s Award catapulted my career in a way that I never expected. I was honoured to receive this accolade and I will remember that day for the rest of my life.”
Moving abroad to become the Services Sales Manager in New Zealand.
Key Experience/Benefi t:
“Having worked in Microsoft UK for many years, it was time for a change. I received an amazing amount of support from my management team to guide, advise and coach my thinking into what I wanted to do next.”
THE bIg WIN
Joined Microsoft as a Graduate – Xbox Product Marketing Manager.
Key Experience/Benefi t:
“My manager entrusted me with the Xbox 360 business very shortly after joining Microsoft as a graduate – this was still several months before the Xbox One launched so the role came with a lot of responsibility and accountability, from revenue targets, retail units sold volumes, market share, forecasting and even supply chain management.”
Promoted within the Xbox team.
Key Experience/Benefi t:
“I was fortunate to receive a Circle of Excellence Employee Award for my work on the Xbox 360
business and my manager increased my accountability to add the Xbox One Accessories business to my responsibilities on the Xbox 360 Platform. This meant that rather than focusing solely on my own business, I now worked in tandem with the Xbox One console manager, ensuring our plans were aligned, yet having infl uence to ensure I still hit the numbers and targets that I’m accountable for.”
NEW NETWORkS
JUlY 2010
ImmEdIaTE RESPONSIbIlITY
SEPTEmbER 2012
REWaRdINg PROmOTION
JUlY 2014
Joined Microsoft as an Intern – Digital Marketing Manager.
Key Experience/Benefi t:
“The key benefi t I found as an intern was having the ability to build a network of people, from whom you could learn and take part in various stretch projects that extended beyond the core responsibilities of your role. From this I was able to learn a broad range of skills from business reporting, audience management, internal marketing and agency relations to name but a few. These helped me when back at university in terms of context setting of my course material, but also helped when applying for a graduate role.”
Current Position: Xbox Product Manager
Product Management of the UK Xbox Accessories and Xbox 360 Console business
lEE WIllIamS
“Without becoming a graduate at Microsoft, someone with my
limited experience would not have had the opportunity to work in
Xbox. My time as a graduate, and also having a supportive manager
and team, has allowed me to demonstrate my capabilities, develop
and learn new skills in a short space of time.”
Degree: BA (hons) Business Excellence with Marketing.
Where women want to work list, companies for diversity (DiversityInc).
dIvERSITY
Diversity and inclusion isn’t just a business necessity. It’s the fabric of everything we do and everything we are. That’s why we employ people from over 135 countries and regions. It’s why we actively encourage all people, regardless of gender, disability, race, religion, age or sexual orientation, to join our team.
The more perspective we have, the more likely we are to come up with impactful and innovative solutions that drive our success. More importantly though, it means we’re able to stay true to the values that have shaped us from the start – and that will continue to guide us long into the future.
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
ERGs are vital to supporting and promoting diversity at Microsoft. Our ERGs have more than 10,000 members and include groups such as Parents, Women at Microsoft, Inter-Generational, Inter-Faith, LGBT, Disability and BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnics).
The number of disabled university students we’ve provided with a PC and accessibility software.
30,000
31
YE
ARS
The amount of time we’ve been supporting LGBT issues in the workplace.
30%
women on the Microsoft UK Leadership Team.60
active members ofBAME
Schoolgirls have attended our UK DigiGirlz events since 2005.1,400
50
Top
We want to help secure the future for young people in Britain, and believe this is vital for our economy. In November 2013 we launched our Get On initiative with a three-year goal of helping 300,000 young people in Britain take meaningful steps towards work. So far we have reached over 210,000 young people and are creating more opportunities for them to Get Inspired, Get Skilled and Get a Job. This is part of Microsoft’s global commitment to the next Generation - Youth Spark.
The same goes for our people. Every year we offer each employee the chance to spend three work days volunteering for the cause of their choice. And every year thousands take part. We also promise to match any money our employees raise for charity. Last year, this meant that we gave an extra £502,000 to worthy causes throughout the UK.
Inspiring a new generation
We also run the Kodu Kup, Britain’s biggest game programming Competition that challenges 7-14 year olds to develop their own games using the user friendly Kodu Game Labs tools.
In 2014, 380,000 used Kodu, inspired by the competition, and twelve fi nalists were invited to compete at the grand fi nal at Microsoft Headquarters. Each of them had 15 minutes to talk about the game they had developed – and blow the judges away.
“Microsoft encourages us to step back
from the world of softwar
e sales and
give back to the community thr
ough
the volunteer day scheme.
”
Rachel VarleyAccount Executive, Corporate Accounts Sales Team.
Studied: Management (Marketing), University of Manchester.
For all graduate and intern opportunities
Whoever you are, whatever you’re studying – you could make it at Microsoft. Our people come from all walks of life, but all have similar qualities. They’re passionate about our industry, full of
energy to peform, curious and eager to learn. Calling all undergraduates
interested in Research:
If you are interested in pursuing research as a career path, or want to explore some of the diverse fi elds of computer science, this is your opportunity to get a taste of a world-class research environment by working on real projects alongside some of the brightest minds in computer science.
With a Bright Minds
Internship, you can:
• Gain experience in a commercial research environment in
Cambridge, UK.
• Challenge yourself and explore new disciplines.
• Provide meaningful connections to mentors and colleagues for the future.
Successful candidates will embark on an eight-week internship programme starting mid-summer 2015.
To be eligible to enter, you must:
• Be enrolled in undergraduate studies at the time of application. • Be studying engineering, computer
science, mathematics, physics, design, social sciences or computational sciences. • Have strong analytical abilities
and an interest in pursuing postgraduate research. • Have programming skills. • Have the right to work in the UK.
aPPlIcaTION
Online application
Apply at microsoft.com/uk/students
and tell us about yourself and what you can bring to Microsoft.
Online test
Take a read through some real business scenarios and tell us how you are likely to respond.
Video interview
Record yourself answering some questions from us and, if you’re successful, we’ll follow up with a Skype connection.
Assessment centre
You’ll get the opportunity to gain real insight into our culture and values – spending a day on site, meeting our managers and taking part in a variety of assessed activities.
INTERESTEd IN WORkINg abROad?
We have Intern and Graduate opportunities in other countries across the world. So if you are interested in exploring an opportunity overseas, dig a little deeper on this page to explore where you could go microsoft.com/careers
Offer...
Congratulations!
You’re in!
If this sounds like you then apply here http://aka.ms/brightminds. Applications will be reviewed throughout January and February 2015 with offers made by the end of April 2015.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Apply online:
microsoft.com/uk/students
gET IN TOUcH
Microsoft.com/uk/students
MicrosoftUKGraduateRecruitment
0207 8328380
students@microsoft.com
beyourfuture.net
for graduates to work for
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