Channel Development Manager Review

I enjoyed my placement on many levels as during the year I was able to experience many different projects which included my own independent research projects, working to support my team with specific research and data analysis and also collaborating with other interns to provide Microsoft with a detailed insight to the different working generations.

At Microsoft they do not treat the interns like typical interns; they treat them like Full Time Employees, who are capable of completing many senior tasks. If there is any treatment of an intern that seems demeaning then this will be address by the HR. They want the interns to have the most fulfilled experience within their year at Microsoft and encourage them to strive to apply for the Graduate scheme by meeting the criteria set for the application. In addition to this, Microsoft makes sure that during the induction week of the placement that the interns are comfortable enought ot start their placement with a good handover period with the old intern and then new intern.

I am able to have consistent contact with my manager on a weekly basis where we meet for an hour to discuss any problems, updates on my commitments. We also discuss projects that I am completing at the time and anything else she thinks that I may be interested in or would help me in the application of the Graduate Scheme. My manager is constantly available to talk and actually sits next to me in the office, so if I have any issues I can quickly turn to her for assistance to resolve the issue.

As Microsoft works on a quarterly basis, and especially within my team where the first part of the year is mainly planning for the year so therefore is more quiet. Therefore my work load was dependent on the timing of the year, with the busiest time coming within Q2-Q3.

During my placement the level of repsponsibility varied and incresaed over the time that I was there. As part of my role I am responsible for the deelopment and maintenance of the reporting system for the team, and need to have good time-management skills and meet deadlines in order to provide the team with up to date and relevant information and data. With my role being varied, I am able to also develop my own research projects in which I am able to set my own timetable and deadline to meet.

There are many positive aspects to my placement, including the encouragement for interns to have a diverse and wealthy experience at Microsoft. This is shown by my manager’s encouragement for participation in ‘extra-curricular’ projects outside my normal commitments. For example I am part of a millennial v-team project in which we have created a deck to educate internal and external people on the importance of the millennial generation and how organizations can prepare for them. This project is very well supported by all the participating interns’ managers and outside enthusiasts who like to see us representing the younger generation at Microsoft.

At Microsoft and particularly in my team, there is a relaxed atmosphere to each individual’s management of time they spend in the office. As my team is particularly a Partner meeting team, they are consistently out of the office and manage their own time in the office, so I am able to work from home when needed which is not questioned. The main focus in my team is that the work is completed and that you are actually striving to complete your commitments. Therefore they do not hassle you to stay beyond 5:30 every day in order to show that you are doing your work.

The internship was very well organised with the beginning of the placement staring with a thorough induction week set up by the previous interns who take you throught he whole of Microsoft, the departments, the products etc..and also contains team bonding exercises and then team introductions. The placement during the rest of the year is developed by the intern itself and their manager where they monitor their progress.

Dependent on which role you are taking your placment, is dependent on how many training courses and exams you take in order to develop your role. However for every intern they make sure that they develop their skills that is important for the Microsoft graduate recruitment scheme

The future employment prospects within the organisation are very appealing since I have completed a year at the company already, as I am very comfortable at the organisation and dont want to leave it. The process in which interns are prepared for the graduate sheme is very thorough in which they are marked against the competencies for the scheme and shown how they can develop there skills for their future career at Microsoft

Due to being such a large organization, Microsoft is consistently trying to make sure that its employees have a reasonable ‘work/life’ balance. This is encouraged on a quarterly basis by each team being provided with a ‘fun day’ fund in which they are able to use these money to spend an day out of the office training/team bonding through many different ways such as spa days/theater trips/hotel trips etc…where the day consists of work training and experiences that they wouldn’t get on a normal day such as chocolate making. Not only does this encourage work/life balance and make the teams and each individual person feel more motivated to work, it also makes the team feel rewarded for their efforts in the job for Microsoft.

I actually didnt live in the area where Microsoft is- I travelled every day from London.

I actually didnt live in the area where Microsoft is- I travelled every day from London.

Microsoft encourages its employees to get involved with many extra-curricular activities and sports/social clubs for example Microsofy has a great volunteering scheme where by any money that the employees raise they will match it.