Nov
24
It has almost been one year at Microsoft and I wanted to share my interview experience.
When I received that phone call in October of last year I was very surprised. I would have never thought that I would be working for the largest software company in the world. Search Marketing was just a part time hobby of mine. It was an industry that developed entirely through search engines and the “ecosystem” created. This “ecosystem” spawned a new type of marketing that was instantly measurable called pay per click advertising (ppc). Never in the history of marketing could the marketer get measurable results in real time. Direct marketers would have to create an ad, place it in a letter or post card and mail it to tens of thousands of people. They would then wait 6 to 8 weeks for a response. And in order to improve that response, it would take money and time to change the ad and mail it again. Thus, search engine marketing was intriguing to me. Through PPC you are able to communicate with your customer and only pay for the customers who click on your ad.
After attending the 2005 Webmaster World conference in New Orleans I saw that Microsoft was hiring, but never thought of applying because of my average grades in college. Looking for a change, I placed my resume on several online job search engines. One afternoon in October, I received an unexpected phone call. “Hi this is Rick on behalf of the Microsoft Corporation.” This instantly grabbed my attention and I quickly found myself preparing for my first phone interview which would happen a week later. The three phone interviews were very professional and pushed me to the limits. Later, I was offered an opportunity to interview in person at the Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington. This was an unbelievable experience.
I was on an airplane flying 3000 miles to the Seattle Airport. Rental car, meals and hotel accommodations were taken care of. The interviews were challenging and lasted an hour long, six in total. I walked in Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. and walked out a little before 8:30 p.m. This was a not only a test of intelligence and character, but a test of perseverance. Two days later, back home in Florida, I received the call and was offered a position as a Search Media Analyst for the Microsoft Corporation. I literally jumped out of my chair. What was once a part time hobby that I did in my spare time is now a full time career for a multi-billion dollar global corporation.
I am as excited today working at Microsoft, as I was the first day I walked into the office. The caliber of talent and amazing minds keeps me humble, yet motivates me to stretch myself daily. I realize that my perseverance will be challenged and my weaknesses exposed. However, my passion for learning and personal development will motivate me to succeed. As employees we are privy to the best training, education, sharpest minds and latest software. I would like to share a few interview tips that were passed to me by friends, family, recruiters and authors who helped me along. These tips are universal and can be applied anywhere.
Tip 1: Be Over prepared
Do your research. Before the interview I purchased and read every book I could find on search marketing. After devouring the books I contacted each author via email or phone, congratulated them on their great work and requested a brief moment of their time to answer questions and essentially to “pick their brains.” I was surprised to see how many people were willing to help. I prepared a few questions, listened, and learned. Today, those same authors are now friends. We provide each other with a network to share ideas and thoughts.
Tip 2: Be Honest
During one of phone interviews I became quite nervous and it showed. My voice was cracking and I was silent for parts I should have elaborated on. I instantly thought that I blew it. Instead of pretending I was cool, calm, and collective I admitted that I was nervous. The interviewer appreciated my honesty and explained that Microsoft is looking at the quality of my answers and not how I nervous I was. This instantly put me at ease to do well during the second half of the interview and my shaky voice vanished.
Tip 3: Know Your Weaknesses
Know your strengths and weaknesses. This may sound a little cliché but I did not take time to reflect on my past experiences. Plenty of the questions are situational in nature. For example, “Tell me about a time when you and your team came across an adversity and how did you overcome it?” This question reveals your thought process in overcoming failures. Don’t view your weaknesses as negative; they are areas of opportunity for you to grow. If you believe you know everything, you stop your ability to learn.
Tip 4: Take Good Notes
After hours of talking, the last Microsoft interview was at 6:30 p.m. on Friday evening. The final interviewer and decision maker challenged me and dug deeper. After reflecting on this experience it actually helped me to realize my own weaknesses. However, a simple question was asked, but without good notes I would not have been able to answer it. The question was simple, “Who did you meet throughout the day, and what did they ask and why.” Fortunately, instead of trying to remember each person’s name and roles I took copious notes that I could refer to, very detailed, down to their appearance. If an interviewer wore glasses, I would draw a small picture of glasses next to their name. Taking good notes also helped me develop a personalized email to each person after the interview process.
Tip 5: Prepare Insightful Questions
This tip is often overlooked. The questions you ask reveal your concerns, thought process and your knowledge level. Ask about things that you are honestly interested in knowing, items that you cannot easily find on the web or through a book. How does the culture of the company fit with your specific personality? If you are a person who needs constant challenges, ask what the organization does to foster creativity and promote individual growth? If you are concerned about the people in the organization, ask about the management style of the organization and how are decisions made?
I hope this is helpful to your career. Don’t forget to enjoy your experience and be yourself. Your knowledge will automatically shine through. Please add any additional tips or comments. I would love to hear about your experiences or questions in your journey to the top.
To your success!
Bernard