Go here–
More information about the various positions:
This kind of data is probably useful for most jobs, really.
I’ll try to answer questions as people have them. Gina knows one hell of a job more about this area that I do, but I’ll try to help where I can. =\
That test apprentice position sounds pretty beastly. I think thats how one of my former bosses (when I did game testing for MS) got his lead position on the FORZA game dev team. He did not have to code anything and was still making games!
Thanks for the heads up.
Funny this subject comes up, I’ve been interviewing at least 2 people a week for a month in our group. I feel like I’m working for HR… at least MS coughs up the dough for the lunch interviews.
As far as resumes go, I (and most people here) usually ignore resume fluff and look for/ask about side projects or other tidbits that indicate a genuine interest in what you do. It’s also important to target your resume for the position that you’re applying for, adding work experience and work/school/personal projects relevant to the job. Generally, people don’t ask too many fluffy questions and usually want to know what you bring to the table and if you can back up what’s implied in the resume. Not saying it’s all technical questions but you have to know what you’re doing, and do it well, or else its hard to stand out.
Then again, I can’t speak for the marketing/business/HR positions.
Definitely seems like a good program. I applied for it, but they never called back :sad:
I didn’t graduate from college. I took a contract position in test and parlayed that into my current job. I had self-taught myself programming - I took a bunch of programming classes in college, but dropped out of CS because I hated their program. I definitely taught myself. I learned jack from them.
There’s not any ‘cake’ jobs at Microsoft, really - but if you’re sincerely interested in kicking ass, it can be just about the best place in the world. I just worked harder than anybody else on that test team and so within ~3 months the dev team was knocking at my door asking me to apply for a job. That’s probably the exception, but … anybody has every opportunity to excel.
So contract positions are another way to get money/gain experience. Those are being scaled way the fuck back for the most part, but – it’s still a great way to get your foot in the door, especially if you don’t think you can make it through regular channels for whatever reason. But even then, know your shit. If you go into an interview ‘blind’ at Microsoft, that just shows a lack of respect. Whatever prejudices/feelings you have are fine - I work with extremely opinionated people - but … just know what you’re applying for and what you generally want to be doing. <3
You forgot to mention that you didn’t need to graduate from college to get that job because you’re a bosshogg Zach. I dunno I would apply but I dunno like what I could apply for and also that place seems too prestigious for me hahahah. We’ll see what’s up I guess.
Microsoft’s selection of beverages is unmatched. Unlimited coke and pepsi products for life!
This is true. I was up to 8 Mt Dews for a while. Now I try to limit myself to 2-4 per day. Also there’s a Starbucks iCups dispenser in almost every kitchenette (each floor has one of these) if you like coffee. You freak. Who drinks coffee?
It’s OK to drink at work. I have a beer fridge. I don’t drink, but it’s all part of being a team.
There’s showers in my building (and a bunch of others) so that if you bike to work you can shower. Or if you play Ultimate or soccer or baseball or volleyball on the fields (a lot of people do this) you can shower down afterwards.
EDIT: Hell, my boss lives in Olympia and so only comes in two days a week. One of my coworkers works in Virginia and comes in one week every three months. I’m working from home today listening to DJ Cheese as I work on a project over the corporate network. If you do your job - and you’ll be assessed every six months and in between - you can pretty much write your own ticket. There’s no free ride at all, but – you know, you do your work, you’re going to have a nice rewarding career and never have to wear a tie in your life.
I don’t think it would benefit anyone, but I can give peeps a quick campus tour if they want/are serious.
Should hook me up with contact info or something. I registered to their career website, posted my resume awhile ago and never got anything back from them 
did you have to answer those annoying puzzle questions for your interview when you got the contract job? i hate those. a lot.
Yep. And I ask them too, although I’m kind of getting away from that. To me, it is important to see how people react to things they don’t have ready answers for.
Given a square pool with trees outside every corner, double the size of the pool without changing the shape or touching the trees.
Horribly dumb, but you’d be surprised how many people freeze. =\
Never heard that one but my first guess is double the depth, unless you meant the two dimensional size. 
I clarified the question to be the actual question. Should be straight-forward to answer now.
I had heard that MS got those questions that they’re famous for asking from some book, but someone else found out what it was and that they stopped doing it?
-9
Zach,
If you get me a job in the marketing department or wherever, I will travel with you anywhere this year. Yes, even to India or Japan or wherever.
jmar