Microsoft is motivated and inspired every day by how their customers use our software to find creative solutions to business problems, develop breakthrough ideas, and stay connected to what's most important to them. Noah Spitzer-Williams graduated from Tufts in 2006 and is a Program Manager with Microsoft in
A: The best things about working at Microsoft are the global impact, amazing opportunities, and laid back culture. We ship software to just about every country on the planet and to literally billions of people. Therefore every employee has a global impact from day one. The opportunities are incredible because Microsoft is like 300 companies in one. There's something for everyone, and they encourage changing teams every few years to keep things fresh and to share your experiences with others. The culture is super laid back--no dress code, no 9-5, pets allowed.
A: I'm a Program Manager (kind of like a Project Manager) so my biggest challenges are keeping my team focused and on track to hit our deadlines. It's also tough to figure out what to build next to satisfy the many requirements from usability, design, product planning, marketing, international, legal, etc. This wasn't easy as a college hire but a sense of hunger and a willingness to learn from others is all it takes to get off on the right foot.
A: It's only getting more competitive for college hires so it's more important than ever to differentiate yourself from others in your class. I found mixing my computer science major with an entrepreneurial leadership minor was one of the key things that landed me at Microsoft. Students who can mix engineering with another profession (econ, psych, etc.) will find themselves in a very strong position. At Microsoft, we want to see people who are passionate about technology and can use it to solve real world problems.
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Alumni like Noah have volunteered to share advice about majors, internships, and jobs with you? Visit http://careers.tufts.edu and check out the Tufts Alumni Career Network- a database with over 8,000 alums!
