Want to understand the graduate opportunities at Microsoft UK

1. The world’s
greatest
startup
UK Graduates
& Interns
Spirit
, of
75
Class of 2014

2. The start of something new
Contents
The start of something new
Products
Interns
Graduates
Microsoft Studios
Training & Benefits
Career Journeys
Culture
Diversity
Community
Application
2
3
4-5
6-9
10-13
14
15
16-17
18-19
20
21
22-23
It’s a new era at Microsoft, yet the imagination
and passion that fuelled our founders in 1975
– the unquenchable desire to make things
better – is stronger than ever. Over the past year
we’ve shifted our focus to devices and services,
enabling us to act faster to changes in the
market. And we’ve embraced a joined-up way
of working, one that gives our customers a
unified experience, no matter who they talk
to or what products they use. If you want to
create a more exciting future, find out more
and apply at microsoft.com/uk/graduates
3

3. Products
From Bing and Windows Phone, to Xbox, Surface
and Skype, we help people connect in ways no one
else can – and make everyday life that bit more
fun. Creating products that touch people’s lives
in so many ways is inspiring. It drives us on to the
next big thing, wowing our customers, opening up
even greater opportunities for our people.
/
A hub of news, sports, weather,
entertainment and more, MSN
also brings you services such as
Outlook and Bing.
Combines the latest Office
applications with offerings
such as Skype world minutes.
Also includes Azure, the open
and flexible cloud platform
businesses depend on.
Calling, seeing, messaging
and sharing with others
– wherever they are.
Designed specifically for Windows
8, Surface is our first-ever piece
of hardware. It’s ultra thin and light,
and with eight hours of battery life,
lasts the whole day.
Bespoke homepage tiles allow
you to personalise your phone
like never before. Also includes
the best low-light smartphone
camera on the market.
Offers exciting new ways to use
your PC, on the old desktop
you love. Put all your favourite
apps, sites and people on the
Start screen, get live updates at
a glance and do almost anything
with a click or a tap.
4
A search engine that brings
together the best of search and
people in your social networks
to help you spend less time
searching and more time doing.
An enterprise social network
that’s transforming how
colleagues engage with
each other. Used by 200,000
companies worldwide, including
85% of the Fortune 500.
This all-in-one entertainment
device is a state-of-the-art
gaming console, a new
generation TV, a movie system
– and a whole lot more.
5

4. Interns
Spirit
, of
If you want to work at the forefront of
business and technology, we have a
role for you – whatever you’re studying.
We’ll put you on real projects from the
start, developing your natural talents
and giving you insights that will change
the way you look at everything from
smartphones to search engines.
75
Trendsetters
of 2014
The world’s
greatest
interns
Stretch Projects
On top of your day-to-day role, you
may have the chance to get involved in
a variety of stretch projects. These will
allow you to develop skills you don’t get
in your everyday job, and gain exposure
to people across the business.
These stretch projects include:
Campus Team
You’ll demonstrate Microsoft products
at promotional events nationwide
and tell university students about
the amazing new technologies we’re
launching. You’ll also reveal what life
is like at Microsoft.
6
UK Youth Fundraising Team
Passionate about giving back? This
team runs and organises fundraising
events for our partner charity, UK Youth.
Microsoft Blog
Conceived and run by interns, the
“Be Your Future” blog offers a unique
perspective on life at Microsoft. You can
get involved in various ways, including
overseeing technical aspects of the site,
collecting and collating content and
promoting the blog internally.
“Microsoft stood out for me in a number
of ways. Mainly because their products
and services have such a wide impact
around the world, but also because
interns have the opportunity to carve
their own success. I wanted real
responsibility on real business projects, and
I wanted an environment that was as big
as my ambitions. At Microsoft, I get both.”
Mitali Gohel (Intern)
7

5. Interns
Business Consulting
Project Management
Business Operations
Data Analyst
Finance
Game Production, Art,
Design User Research
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.
Want to put your business degree
to the test? Join us in a Business
Operations role and you’ll
have the chance to develop an
extensive range of skills, including
process improvement, business
change management and
customer and partner research.
If you’ve got a head for numbers
and love making sense of
seemingly complicated data,
this is the role for you. As a Data
Analyst, you’ll help us understand
data from every area of our
business, which we’ll then use
to make key business decisions.
Want to gain insight into how
the world’s largest technology
company runs its hugely complex
finance organisation? Join us as a
Finance Analyst and we’ll give you
everything you need.
Some of the UK’s most brilliant
creative minds help us design,
create and produce world-class
games, TV experiences and apps.
Are you one of them?
Human Resources
Citizenship
Journalism
Editorial Support
Marketing
Public Relations
Internal Communications
Sales
Software Development
Technical Consulting
With over 5,000 staff in the UK,
our HR and Citizenship teams are
constantly looking for new ways
to make Microsoft an exceptional
place to work. If you’ve got ideas
we could use, join us as an
HR Operations Consultant
or Citizenship Coordinator.
Microsoft delivers tailored news,
sports and entertainment content
to millions of people every day.
Come and work in our busy
Journalism and Editorial teams
and you’ll contribute content that
will be viewed around the world.
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.
If you’re a bit of 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
producing a newsletter for 5,000
Microsoft UK staff.
Our Sales teams are the lifeblood
of Microsoft. They know how our
products help our customers,
and they ensure we keep our
competitive advantage. Join them
and you’ll learn the ins and outs
of selling products to some of the
biggest companies in the world.
This is where the fun begins for
coding gurus like you. You’ll work
with some of the smartest minds
in the tech sector, helping us
develop the next generation of
operating systems, applications,
games and apps.
Wondering what opportunities
we have for interns? Here’s a look
at all the different ways in which
you could fit.
Salary:
£16,000
8
Locations:
Reading
London
Twycross
Edinburgh
Guildford
Your degree
must allow you
to do a one-year
placement,
starting July ‘14.
9

6. Graduates
Spirit
, of
At Microsoft, we look for highly energetic
people with initiative and drive; for passionate,
creative individuals who can think laterally.
75
The Microsoft Academy for College Hires
programme – or MACH, as we call it – is an
18–24 month comprehensive onboarding and
development programme that runs alongside
your real job. It offers world-class training and
coaching from some of the brightest minds in
the country, and a global community of over
1,800 MACH peers in 60 countries.
It’s challenging. It’s rewarding. It’s everything
you would expect of a graduate programme
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.
Go-getters
of 2014
The world’s
greatest
graduates
10
11

7. Graduates
Every graduate on the MACH programme
is part of the same programme with the
same structure and development
opportunities. The only thing you need to
decide is which one of the programme’s
three areas you wish to focus on.
Salary:
Technical
Project Management
Business Consulting
Sales
+ sign-on bonus
This is where ideas get
transformed into technology.
By focusing on the technical side
of things, you’ll get a first-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.
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.
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.
£34,700
Locations:
Reading
London
“I’ve worked on lots of great projects but the
one I’ll never forget is an app I created for
the recruitment team during my first month
at Microsoft. They used it on university
campuses across the UK. To have worked on
such an important project during my first
30 days was mind-blowing, and I definitely
don’t think I would have been given that
opportunity anywhere else.”
Kishore Rajendran (MACH)
“I’m constantly developing at Microsoft.
There’s a massive focus on making sure
you’re always working on your strengths
and weaknesses, from a technical and
non-technical point of view. Some of the
things I’ve done include taking Microsoft
Certification Exams and honing my
presentation skills in front of colleagues,
customers and even schools.”
Richard Lowe (MACH)
12
2:1
Criteria expected
in any degree
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.
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.
As a graduate on our Sales
programme, 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.
13

8. Microsoft Studios
Ready to inspire a new generation of
gaming? We offer exciting graduate
and undergraduate opportunities to
Animators, Artists, Designers, Sound
Designers, Software Development
Engineers, Marketing professionals,
Business and Data Analysts and more
– from four state-of-the-art studios.
Established in 1985 to focus on the
expanding console market, Rare partnered
with Nintendo and sealed a reputation for
quality with titles ranging from Donkey
Kong Country to GoldenEye. Since joining
Microsoft Game Studios in 2002, Rare
developed two of the three launch games
for the Xbox 360. Our Kinect motion sensor
is Rare’s current source of inspiration, with
the best-selling Kinect Sports franchise
having already won double BAFTAs and
millions of fans worldwide.
Lionhead Studios is on a mission to create
ground-breaking, genre-defining games
such as Black White and The Movies.
What began with a handful of designers
has grown to a team of over 100, and now
Lionhead is home to some of the industry’s
14
Training
most creative talents. This team lives and
breathes games, and since joining Microsoft
Studios in 2006 has been focused on the
multi-million selling Fable franchise.
The goal of our Soho studio is simple: to
change everything you understand about
television. It started when they developed
SKY and CANAL+ players for Xbox 360.
And it continues as Soho Productions
works with leading entertainment partners
to create experiences that transcend the
normal bounds of television and gaming.
Soho Productions is based in Soho, London
and staffed by both industry veterans and
fresh new talent. They dream up unheard of
ideas, then put them into products no one
thought possible, such as the BAFTA
award-winning Kinect Sesame Street TV.
The ultimate 21st century entertainment
studio, Lift London creates experiences
exclusively for the cloud. Built from the
ground up and staffed by some of the
industry’s best talent, Lift London makes
awesome digital experiences for connected
audiences. Going beyond the box,
Lift London delivers entertainment
when, where and how people want it.
Every new era of technology needs a new
era of talent. People with big ideas and
wide imaginations who can transform
an industry in the way our founders did
nearly four decades ago.
Whichever programme you’re on, we’ll help
you make the most of your talents with
training that looks something like this:
- 0% learning on the job
7
- 0% learning from your
2
manager, peers and mentor
- 0% learning through structured
1
courses and role-specific training
However far you want to go, we’ll
encourage you to go even further.
“The thing I love about the
studios is that you work with
such complex technology and
yet it’s so creative. My tasks
have ranged from digital
artwork to 3D modelling
and technical work. My first
project was as a Technical
Artist on Kinect Sesame Street
TV. It went on to win loads
of awards and was amazing
to be part of.”
Elle Dudley (Intern – Studios)
Benefits
- 5 days’ holiday
2
- hree volunteer days
T
- roduct discounts
P
- ubsidised cafes and restaurants
S
- ym membership
G
- ellbeing centres
W
- ree legal advice and
F
emotional support
Intern training programme
- our day induction
F
- Manager one-to-ones
- egular performance reviews
R
- ork shadowing
W
- espoke skills training
B
- tretch projects
S
Graduate training programme
- eek-long induction
W
- European training events
- nnual global conference
A
- ne-to-one development
O
- ontinuous on-the-job learning
C
- icrosoft Office Specialist exams
M
Grads also get:
- ife assurance
L
- ncome protection
I
- Pension
- lexible benefits package that
F
allows you to choose additional
benefits, including extra holidays,
health assessments, dental
insurance, travel insurance
and retail vouchers
- nd-of-year performance bonus
E
(when you hit your targets!)
15

9. Career journeys
1
Jamie Burgess
Sep
2008
From the day you join Microsoft’s graduate
programme, we’ll take you on a journey unlike
any other. One that will challenge and reward
you. That will be unique to you. That will ignite
your passions while uncovering your talents.
MACH stream: Technical
Original MACH role: Partner Technology Adviser
Degree: Forensic Science, Kent University
Off to a flyer
I started life on the MACH programme
as a Partner Technology Adviser. My job
was to excite partners about selling our
technology. It was a brilliant role, and
I quickly discovered my inner geek.
I also established myself as a technology
evangelist, delivering some pretty big
customer and partner sessions, and
gaining real influence in the business.
Just ask Jamie and Yannick, two of our former
graduates who hit the ground running and
haven’t looked back since.
2
Yannick Davey
Mar
2011
Sep
2013
Sep
2007
MACH stream: Sales
Original MACH role: Partner Account Manager
Degree: Business Administration
with French, Aston University
Starting with a bang
I started off as a Partner Account
Manager in Small and Midmarket
Solutions and Partners (SMSP), where I
learned the importance of our indirect
channel. I worked with Dell for three
months creating the ‘UC in a box’ unified
communications strategy, successfully
launching what is now one of the most
successful mature teams in the UK.
Jul
2008
Brilliant exposure
Worked with various divisions across
Microsoft creating an important new
strategy that involved pushing devices
and Windows, building BorrowIT and
coming up with a range of content for
the business to use.
Loving every moment
I’m now a Client Solutions Sales
Professional with an $89 million target to
hit. It’s been a joy to watch the devices
strategy grow and to help the UK achieve
best practice as a sub-division for a few
years running. I’ve also had the privilege
to speak at TechReady and bring to life
the new Windows Experience Room.
Rapid growth spurt
From there, I worked as an account
manager in Central Government in
SMSP. This enabled me to experience a
large portfolio of enterprise technology
and sell at enterprise level. It also gave
me vital experience in setting a strategy
and being accountable for revenue.
Jan
2012
Oct
2012
Aug
2010
Sep
2013
16
Presentation heaven
Continued presenting at various events,
including one at Wembley and another
in Estonia. I presented alongside Will
Greenwood, Steve Ballmer and the
Lions Rugby team, and I also featured
in a couple of Windows adverts.
Fame at last
As an Optimised Desktop Technical
Solution Professional, I became known as
the ‘Windows and devices guy’. I helped
sales people with technical questions
and overcoming any technology
challenges their customers faced.
Speciality bliss
I took on several specialist roles as
part of the account team in Unified
Communications and Business
Productivity. This allowed me to develop
in-depth knowledge and skills about
technologies I really believe in.
Loving every moment
After six years I’ve had exposure to almost every sales
role at Microsoft. I’m now in the Enterprise Group,
in charge of nine large and strategically important
accounts, including Burberry, Argos and EasyJet.
17

10. Culture
Spirit
, of
Want to know what life is like at
Microsoft? We asked our graduates and
interns to sum up our working culture in
one word. Here’s what they said:
75
Trailblazers
of 2014
The world’s
greatest
workplace
Our facilities add a lot to the experience
of working here. From libraries, clubs
and gyms to subsidised restaurants
and breakout areas featuring the latest
gadgets, they’ll help you get excited
about coming into work each morning.
The exact facilities depend on location,
and your location depends on the best
role and team for you. Wherever you’re
based though, you’ll find outstanding
facilities, amazing people and a lively
working environment.
18
- lexible
F
- Innovative
- Inspiring
- International
- Insightful
- Fun
- Open
- Creative
- Informal
- Social
- Ambitious
- Friendly
- Thrilling
- Supportive
- Buzzing
- Energetic
Core offices
- Reading
- London
- Edinburgh
Studios
- London
- Guildford
- Twycross
19

11. Diversity
Community
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.
And it’s why we actively encourage all people,
regardless of gender, disability, race, religion,
age or sexual orientation, to join our team.
The more points of view we have, the more
likely we are to come up with the 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.
30,000
The number of disabled university
students we’ve provided with a PC
and accessibility software
1,200
Schoolgirls have
attended our
DigiGirlz events
since 2005
20
29%
The percentage
increase of women
we hired last year
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 LGBT, Parents, Women at Microsoft,
XDisability and BME.
“We celebrate original thinking and embrace
the wealth of ideas, talents and personal styles
each person brings to the company. It’s a
cornerstone of our ongoing business strategy
to build and protect a diverse team; a team
that thinks inclusively, values differences and
provides the tools to give each employee a
chance to do his or her best work.”
Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO
30 years
The amount of time we’ve
been supporting LGBT issues
in the workplace
Top
50
- here women
W
want to work list
- Companies
for diversity
(DiversityInc)
30%
We’ve always believed in giving back. In
doing whatever we can to make a positive
contribution to the world. From our
software donation programme that gives
around £20m of free software to charities
annually, to our Get On programme that
is helping 300,000 young people in Britain
take meaningful steps towards work, our
responsibilities to the wider world are
always at the forefront of our mind.
The same goes for our people. Every year
we offer each employee the chance to spend
three workdays 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 we gave an extra £650,000 to worthy
causes throughout the UK.
Inspiring a new generation
We’re always looking for ways to help young
people engage with technology. Last year,
Innovate for Good, a Microsoft YouthSpark
programme, brought together 80 young
people from across London to look at social
innovation and how technology can make a
difference in their local communities.
We also run Kodu Cup, Britain’s biggest
game programming competition. In 2012,
7,500 energetic 7–14 year olds took part. We
then chose ten finalists, each of whom had
15 minutes to talk about the game they had
developed – and blow the judges away.
The percentage of women
on the Microsoft UK Board
of Directors
100%
Corporate Equality rating from
the Human Rights Campaign,
for the eighth year running
21

12. Application
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 technology,
hungry to learn more and full of potential.
1
Online application
Apply at microsoft.com/uk/graduates
and tell us about yourself.
2
Online aptitude test
5
Assessment centre
We encourage you to practice and
to read the instructions carefully.
3
Interactive interview assessment
4
Skype interview
Using our applicant tracking
system, record yourself
answering a set of questions.
Interested in working abroad?
We have MACH programme opportunities in various
countries around the world. Here’s how to find out more:
Ireland: microsoft.com/university/ireland
Central Eastern Europe: microsoft.com/CEEMACH
United States: microsoft.com/university
China: joinms.com
Germany: Email Stephanie – snather@microsoft.com
Middle East Africa: Email Nada – nhafez@microsoft.com
We also offer Software Development roles for graduates.
These roles are not part of the MACH programme
and are located across the globe. Join us and you’ll
collaborate with a team of programming experts,
solving problems and building some of the world’s most
advanced devices and services. You’ll act as the link
between abstract concepts and delivered solutions, and
your efforts on the design and development of nextgeneration applications will impact millions of people.
22
6
Offer
Congratulations! You’re in!
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
number of exercises. Takes place
November to January for graduates
and February to April for interns.
This gives us the chance to find
out more about each other.
23

13. Get in touch
microsoft.com/uk/graduates
MicrosoftUKGraduateRecruitment
0207 832 8380
studhelp@microsoft.com
beyourfuture.net