The world’s greatest startupUK Graduates & Interns

Class of 2014

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Contents The start of something newIt’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

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The start of something newProductsInternsGraduatesMicrosoft StudiosTraining & BenefitsCareer JourneysCultureDiversityCommunityApplication

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ProductsFrom 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 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.

A hub of news, sports, weather, entertainment and more, MSN also brings you services such as Outlook and Bing.

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.

Calling, seeing, messaging and sharing with others – wherever they are.

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.

Bespoke homepage tiles allow you to personalise your phone like never before. Also includes the best low-light smartphone camera on the market.

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.

An enterprise social network that’s transforming how colleagues engage with each other. Used by 200,000companies worldwide, including85% of the Fortune 500.

Combines the latest Office applications with offerings such as Skype world minutes. Also includes Azure, the open and flexible cloud platform businesses depend on.

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Trendsetters of 2014

The world’s greatest interns

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InternsIf 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.

Stretch ProjectsOn 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 TeamYou’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.

UK Youth Fundraising TeamPassionate about giving back? This team runs and organises fundraising events for our partner charity, UK Youth.

Microsoft BlogConceived 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)

InternsBusiness Consulting & Project Management

Journalism & Editorial Support

Human Resources & Citizenship

Marketing Public Relations & Internal Communications

Sales Software Development & Technical Consulting

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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Locations:ReadingLondonTwycrossEdinburghGuildford

Your degree must allow you to do a one-year placement, starting July ‘14.

Salary:£16,000

Wondering what opportunities we have for interns? Here’s a look at all the different ways in which you could fit.

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The world’s greatestgraduates

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GraduatesAt Microsoft, we look for highly energetic people with initiative and drive; for passionate, creative individuals who can think laterally.

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 succeedTo 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

GraduatesEvery 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.

“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)

Locations:ReadingLondon

Salary:

£34,700 + sign-on bonus

2:1Criteria expectedin any degree

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Technical Project Management & Business Consulting

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sales

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.

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.

Microsoft Studios

Benefits

Training

- 25 days’ holiday- Three volunteer days- Product discounts- Subsidised cafes and restaurants- Gym membership- Wellbeing centres - Free legal advice and

emotional support

Grads also get:- Life assurance - Income protection- Pension- Flexible benefits package that

allows you to choose additional benefits, including extra holidays, health assessments, dental insurance, travel insurance and retail vouchers

- End-of-year performance bonus (when you hit your targets!)

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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:

- 70% learning on the job- 20% learning from your

manager, peers and mentor- 10% learning through structured

courses and role-specific training

However far you want to go, we’ll encourage you to go even further.

Intern training programme

- Four day induction- Manager one-to-ones- Regular performance reviews- Work shadowing- Bespoke skills training- Stretch projects

Graduate training programme

- Week-long induction- European training events- Annual global conference- One-to-one development - Continuous on-the-job learning- Microsoft Office Specialist exams

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

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.

“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)

MACH stream: Sales Original MACH role: Partner Account ManagerDegree: Business Administration with French, Aston University

Career journeys

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.

Just ask Jamie and Yannick, two of our former graduates who hit the ground running and haven’t looked back since.

Off to a flyerI 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.

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.

Presentation heavenContinued 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 lastAs 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.

Loving every momentI’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.

Starting with a bangI 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.

Rapid growth spurtFrom 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.

Speciality blissI 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 momentAfter 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.

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MACH stream: TechnicalOriginal MACH role: Partner Technology AdviserDegree: Forensic Science, Kent University

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Trailblazers of 2014

The world’s greatest workplace

Culture

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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:

- Flexible- Innovative- Inspiring- International- Insightful- Fun- Open- Creative

- Informal- Social- Ambitious- Friendly- Thrilling- Supportive- Buzzing- Energetic

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.

Core offices

- Reading- London- Edinburgh

Studios

- London- Guildford- Twycross

Community

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DiversityDiversity 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.

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

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 generationWe’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.

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Top 50

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The number of disabled university students we’ve provided with a PC and accessibility software

The percentage increase of women we hired last year

1,200Schoolgirls have attended our DigiGirlz eventssince 2005

- Where women want to work list

- Companies for diversity (DiversityInc)

The amount of time we’ve been supporting LGBT issues in the workplace

The percentage of women on the Microsoft UK Board of Directors

Corporate Equality rating from the Human Rights Campaign, for the eighth year running

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ApplicationWhoever 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.

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3Online applicationApply at microsoft.com/uk/graduates and tell us about yourself.

Online aptitude testWe encourage you to practice and to read the instructions carefully.

Interactive interview assessmentUsing our applicant tracking system, record yourself answering a set of questions.

4 Skype interviewThis gives us the chance to find out more about each other.

Assessment centreYou’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.

OfferCongratulations! You’re in!

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We have MACH programme opportunities in various countries around the world. Here’s how to find out more:

Ireland: microsoft.com/university/irelandCentral & Eastern Europe: microsoft.com/CEEMACHUnited States: microsoft.com/university China: joinms.comGermany: Email Stephanie – snather@microsoft.comMiddle 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 next-generation applications will impact millions of people.

Interested in working abroad?

microsoft.com/uk/graduates

MicrosoftUKGraduateRecruitment

0207 832 8380

studhelp@microsoft.com

beyourfuture.net

Get in touch