How to complete an internship within a multinational like Microsoft? How does the recruitment process take place within a GAFAM? Anou, a former intern at Microsoft as a Business Program Manager, gave us all the secrets to succeeding in your interview. She also lifts the veil on her daily life within the company.
Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975. It is a company operating in the field of computing and microcomputing and whose main activity is the development of operating systems and of software. In addition to these activities, it has other business sectors such as entertainment (Xbox). In 2020, Microsoft achieved revenue of $68.04 billion. An increase of 2.98% between 2019 and 2020.
Anou’s journey
Can you present your journey?
I obtained a scientific baccalaureate at the La Bruyère high school in Versailles before turning to a preparatory class for the Grandes Écoles in Paris. Following the entrance exams to the Grandes Ecoles of Business, I was lucky enough to be admitted to Grenoble EM in the first year of the PGE in English Track. During my M1 I was selected to join, in the first semester, the transcontinental course at the University of Cambridge. It is mainly thanks to this experience that I discovered a real passion for the world of Tech. The different conferences I attended (with like guest star Bill Gates or even Silicon Valley investors) reinforced my decision.
For my second semester, I opted for an academic exchange at the University of Bologna, Italy, but unfortunately it had to be cut short due to Covid-19.
During my gap year, I chose to do my first internship at Microsoft in Dublin as a Business Program Manager. I then followed up with a second internship at Amazon Paris as a marketing intern.
Recruitment processes at Microsoft
How did the recruitment processes go at Microsoft Dublin?
The school’s network helped me enormously to prepare for the recruitment tests and to land my internship at Microsoft. An alumni of the school hosted a webinar on how to join the company. This allowed me to prepare effectively and put all the chances on my side.
To join the ranks of Microsoft Dublin, I had to go through three main recruitment phases. However, it is important to note that recruitment processes may differ from country to country.
I first applied on the company website by sending my CV written in English. To put all the chances on my side, I took care to clearly emphasize my interest in the Tech sector.
My CV having succeeded in retaining their interest, I was quickly contacted by HR to take part in a motivational interview lasting around thirty minutes entirely in English. She asked me questions about my academic background, my motivations and my professional ambitions. This is a crucial step which essentially allows us to gauge the candidate’s motivation and above all to evaluate their fit with the company culture. HR is mainly looking for two types of profiles:
- A learner : equipped with a growth mindset who continually seeks to learn and surpass himself.
- A team player : able to work harmoniously in a team and to help colleagues.
Once this step was validated, I was invited to take the last test which is entitled assessment center from a distance. Normally, this stage represents the opportunity for candidates to go on site and physically visit the premises. Accommodation and travel costs are fully covered by Microsoft. However, due to the health crisis, the last three interviews took place virtually. They consisted of:
- A Situational Interview. These are questions where you will be asked to explain how you would react to certain situations. Above all, you should not hesitate to ask for time to reflect in order to provide structured answers.
- A case study. During this step, you will be asked to choose between 3 investment projects. Your interlocutors mainly seek to understand the way in which you think and how you structure your ideas. So there is no right or wrong answer. Following the prep-type structuring methodology which is broken down into several points of view (geopolitical, economic, social/cultural) was extremely useful to me.
- A presentation of a Microsoft product. During this stage, you must explain why you made this choice and put forward tangible arguments. It is therefore important to prepare in advance.
As soon as the tests are finished, HR will contact us quickly within 3-5 working days to announce the final choice.
The internship at Microsoft
How did your internship go? Have you noticed a gap between the image you had of Microsoft and reality?
Microsoft exceeded all my expectations for a first internship in a large company. I actually couldn’t have dreamed of better. This is because the company invests a lot of time and money in its intern programs in the hope of attracting and retaining as many young talents as possible. Despite the uncertainty linked to the health context, my manager and the HR team supported me with kindness, from my installation in Dublin until my return to France. To make my procedures easier, the company sponsored my Paris-Dublin plane ticket and paid for a month of hotel accommodation to give me time to find accommodation locally.
I had the chance to work with understanding and attentive people. I was not treated as an intern, but rather as an important member for the smooth running of the projects. This certainly involves a lot of responsibility and work, but remains very educational and rewarding. The atmosphere between trainees was also very pleasant. We were very united and active.
Within Microsoft, there is a very strong culture of networking. All employees can chat with each other, regardless of their hierarchical position or country. These meetings allowed me to have a macroeconomic vision of the technology industry and of Microsoft in general.
For all these reasons, I strongly recommend that any student interested in new technologies apply to Microsoft.
What is a typical day like at Microsoft?
There is no real “typical” day, strictly speaking, since it depends on the projects in progress. Like all major technology companies, hours are very flexible. Overall, I started my day around 9:30 a.m., giving myself a lunch break of 1-1:30 a.m. Then I finished my day around 5:30 p.m.
The downside is that, from time to time, I had to attend international meetings very late in the day, partly due to the time difference. But in these cases, my manager kindly pushed me to start my day later the next day.
What were your missions during this internship at Microsoft Dublin?
I worked in Microsoft Incentive Operations, the leader in incentive payments. In this case, I had to identify opportunities to reduce costs per payment, reduce the volume of manual calculations and identify automation opportunities. I was also responsible for improving the partner experience in order to generate an increase in customer satisfaction.
A second part of my internship concerned the organization of an event dedicated to the animation of the Microsoft community. As a member of the Diversity and Inclusion team within Microsoft, I organized and hosted an online conference on the theme “The impact of Social media on Mental Health” inviting speakers from the high-profile Netflix film The Social Dilemma to express themselves on the subject.
Why did you go to Dublin for your internship?
Dublin is the European capital of technology and the European Silicon Valley. It presents great networking opportunities since you can meet employees from Google, LinkedIn or even Amazon on every street corner. This is an opportunity for you to learn about their jobs and keep in touch with them for future opportunities.
Furthermore, Microsoft Dublin is the headquarters Microsoft European. The offices are new and equipped with a roof topof a restaurant healthy and a modern gym. There is also a digital lake. Everything is put in place so that employees feel fulfilled and perform as well as possible.
Tips for succeeding in Microsoft recruitment processes
Any final advice for those who want to apply to Microsoft?
For the CV creation phase, I strongly advise you to create an atypical, colorful CV that stands out from the crowd. You can use Microsoft colors and align with their graphic charter, this will earn you a lot of points. Furthermore, you must clearly highlight your skills and put the key figures in bold in order to stand out in the minds of your recruiters.
During interviews, it is important to:
- Show that you know Microsoft very well and that you have been well informed about its news throughout the year
- Prepare in advance 2 to 3 examples of Microsoft products/services that interest you and talk about them in an interview, such as Hololens or the Xbox adaptive controller.
- Prove that you have a real appetite for technology. I therefore recommend that you take Microsoft certifications on sites like edX or Coursera
- Value your growth mindset
Finally, do not hesitate to contact me on LinkedIn if you have any questions.
