5 Fears About Applying To HBS Dispelled

Microsoft Wants To Hire Even More MBAs

Microsoft has been on a hiring spree of MBAs. Since its refocus, Microsoft has sought to offer services in cloud platforms, enterprise software, and artificial intelligence.

The company says it hires several hundred MBAs a year from nearly 150 schools across 40 countries and it plans to continue hiring even more, according to the Financial Times.

“With MBAs, we know what we’re going to get,” says Chuck Edward, Microsoft’s head of global talent acquisition. “Our demand [for MBA talent] has gone up significantly in the past two or three years.”

Refocus Leads to More Opportunities for MBAs

Edward tells Financial Times that Microsoft’s refocus in cloud platforms, enterprise software, and artificial intelligence means a wider selection for MBAs.

Microsoft’s reinvention has led to widespread layoffs of sales staff outside the US. According to The New York Times, the company laid off 3,000 to 4,000 employees this year in its sales and marketing sector. But Edward says the job cuts haven’t affected MBAs. If anything, MBA job opportunities at Microsoft have increased. Financial Times reports that Microsoft hired about 30% more MBAs this year compared to last, mostly through its summer internship program.

“Our goal is to convert,” Edward tells Financial Times. “When we bring in an intern, [we want them to] become a full-time hire.”

How to Stand Out in Microsoft’s Interview Process

Microsoft’s leadership principles are “to create clarity, generate energy, and deliver success,” according to Grow360 — a personal development company. Edward says if an applicant wants to stand out in an interview, he or she should try to reflect Microsoft’s leadership principles.

Generally, the application process starts with a phone interview with the next round of interviews at the company’s headquarters, where applicants meet with current employees. According to Microsoft, the application process can last anywhere from three to four weeks.

Michelle Hopping is director of MBA career management at the Wharton School. Hopping tells Financial Times that Microsoft heavily recruits through college campuses. At Wharton, Microsoft recruits through recruiting events on campus, but also offers case competitions and educational opportunities within the classroom. Each year, Microsoft sponsors The Wharton Technology Case Competition—an event that “aims to provide MBA students an opportunity to address some of technology industry’s most pressing business challenges,” according to Wharton Technology Club.

Joining Microsoft

Once MBAs get an offer from Microsoft, there are a number of opportunities to connect and grow with fellow colleagues. A majority of MBA hires at Microsoft participate in the Microsoft Academy for College Hires (MACH) — “a customized learning experience designed for our newest university hires in various full-time roles within the Evangelism, Finance, IT, Marketing, Operations, Sales and Services organizations,” according to Microsoft.

Safiya Miller is an MBA grad from Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management and an account executive at Microsoft. Miller joined MACH after getting hired and says many of the opportunities she received as a new hire were through the MACH program. At the end of her first year at Microsoft, Miller organized a diversity event, where she brought together 150 recent MBA hires from 10 tech companies across the Silicon Valley.

“There’s a spirit to want to give back and do service and have a larger conversation across the company,” Miller tells Financial Times.

Miller says her decision to join Microsoft is in large part due to the company’s legacy in the industry and her desire to learn from experienced colleagues.

“If I was going to move all the way out west, I wanted a team where I could learn and grow,” she tells Financial Times. “I wanted to learn next to [people] who have not only been in the industry for years but were also experiencing this refresh, rebirth of the company.”

Sources: Financial Times, Grow360, University of Pennsylvania—Wharton, Microsoft