Destined For Microsoft

For someone who started programming QBasic in DOS in the 5th grade, working at Microsoft has always been a dream opportunity. For John, that opportunity started early. “I actually applied for and won grants from Microsoft for my junior high and high school, then spent 3 summers at Microsoft and worked for Academic Developer Marketing / MSDN Academic Alliance as a technical consultant and faculty liaison for 3 years during college.”

All that exposure to the company has only made him more impressed with the opportunities the company affords him. “I learn so much everyday from the technical, to communication, to leadership, to project management, to interpersonal skills. People here are so passionate about technology and having a positive impact on the world. It is inspiring.”

Instant Impact
While Microsoft has influenced John in many ways, his impact on the company has been just as great. “As an intern, I was the first person at Microsoft to work on Virtual PC and Virtual Server performance after Microsoft acquired Connectix. Within 4 months of starting full-time, I worked with a few developers and architects to develop a new algorithm that doubled the performance of Virtual Server 2005 R2 on many common server workloads.”

Virtual Vision
John’s current task is to help create the next generation of virtual machine technologies. “My team is helping to deliver a high-performance Windows Virtualization platform which is a very important core technology that has numerous potential applications. In order to improve performance, we’re continually working with innovative talents such as the people in the Virtual Machine, Kernel, and C/C++ Compiler groups.”

Campus Life
As a Harvard graduate, John appreciates being around smart people who are excited about learning. But, like college, it isn’t all about classes. “There is such a diverse set of talents and interests, not just in technology but also in music, writing, community service, outdoor activities, … There’s so much that you can learn from every person here.”

Getting To Know You
Which is why John is even more proud to be a member of the Microsoft family. “I deeply appreciate how much I have learned from the people here—from colleagues, to managers, to mentors, and to friends—not just in terms of technical knowledge/experience, but also interpersonal skills, leadership, planning, and about myself and life in general.”