Releasing Your Inner Geek

When Cristina thought about where she wanted to work after getting her degree, she knew she wanted to do marketing for a large corporation. One look at Microsoft, however, and her choice became clear. ”The variety of Microsoft products made the opportunity to work for Microsoft even more appealing. Plus, it’s hard not to get excited about technology. Every time I see the cool things technology does, the geek inside of me can’t help but get excited.”

The Interview
Cristina hoped that her enthusiasm wasn’t too much when it came time for her interview. “I remember walking out of my interview thinking this either went really well or the recruiter thinks I’m insane. She forced me to think out of the box and I loved that the questions were original and challenging. I guess she liked the answers!”

As an intern at Microsoft in 2004, Cristina worked in the Academic Developer Marketing Group, a group she returned to after graduation. “From day one, it’s incredible the amount of trust they give to grads. The responsibility I have, it’s great and scary at the same time. The things I work on become the strategy for the whole US.”

The Future of Microsoft
Cristina’s current role at Microsoft is all about planting the seed for future Microsoft employees. “In a sentence, we get college students excited about Microsoft products. Working in the academic space means I help future developers get excited about Microsoft products, ensuring that they will go on to continue building great applications.”

When the future developers finally do arrive at Microsoft, Cristina doesn’t know exactly where in the company she’ll be. “It’s hard to say, there are so many paths you can take at Microsoft. The good thing is that no matter what path you decide to take, there is a clear plan for you to follow.”

Wherever she may be, she remains excited about the prospects. “Technology changes so fast that I can only imagine what we will be producing in the future. The internet has opened a new environment and we are learning to adapt our business to it. It should be one of the greatest challenges.”

Life on Campus
Even with all the great innovations and applications, Cristina’s favorite parts of Microsoft is the overall feeling she gets at work. “It’s a cool balance between business and fun. I love that the campus feels like a college campus, the buildings are not big and that allows for a sense of community to develop in each building.”

The buildings? C’mon Cristina, out with it.

“OK, I have to admit that my favorite thing on campus is the brownies in the cafeteria.”