Trip to Seattle for Microsoft Interview
In early September, I flew out to Redmond, Washington for a final round interview with Microsoft for a finance position. Even though I am in the Master of Accounting Program, I decided to explore other career paths besides public accounting when deciding where I wanted to apply.
When I first stepped foot on the Microsoft campus, I was instantly reminded of Ohio State. The campus is very green and large yet easy to navigate. People were outside running and enjoying their time on the basketball, soccer, and volleyball courts that are scattered throughout the Microsoft campus. Microsoft also has a bus service that takes employees around campus, similar to Ohio State's CABS system. I enjoyed being able to see technology of the past, present, and future at Microsoft's Visitor Center.
After walking around campus to get the nerves out, I went into my "Super Day" where I had lunch, four interviews, and dinner with Microsoft finance professionals. I had an awesome experience talking with employees from the company and decided to accept a full time position with them the following week.
No visit to Seattle would have been complete without visiting the Space
Needle! I was stunned by the amazing views from the top deck of the 605 foot tower. There is also a deck a level below that has a rotating see-through glass floor. Having never been to the Pacific Northwest, I was amazed at how beautiful the natural environment was.
Signing my name on my offer of employment was a huge stress reliever. After having interviewed with dozens of companies throughout my college career, my best advice to someone in the job hunt is to just be yourself! By landing an interview, you have already demonstrated to employers that you have the background of someone who is a potential fit for their company. Now, it is time to make sure you are a cultural fit for them and they are a cultural fit for you! Most people do not realize that interviews are meant to find a mutual fit. It is important to do your research and have a strong list of questions prepared to learn more about employees at the company you are evaluating.
A fun fact about the MAcc program is that all students receive a career consultant to work with as we are searching for jobs. I utilized mine to help with evaluating and negotiating my various offers. There are so many different career paths that you can take after the MAcc and I am glad Ohio State provides us with the resources to figure out which path is best for us.
