What can you do at Microsoft? Introducing the “Spotlight on MACH” series

Last week I graduated from the Microsoft Academy of College Hires (MACH).  Prior to joining Microsoft, I didn’t realize there were so many roles at Microsoft apart from developers on a product team, even though I’d interned at Microsoft and other software companies while in college.

MACH facilitates the transition from college student to a challenging role in the technology industry.  In my first week at Microsoft as a full-time employee, I was thrown into the exciting world of valuable trainings (presentation skills, business simulations, career coaching, customer scenarios, to name a few), a private concert with The Black Eyed Peas, an appreciation for and understanding of how everyone in various roles brings a different skill set to contribute to the success of Microsoft, and a network of new friends.

Several of my fellow MACHs have generously agreed to contribute guest blog posts in an effort to shed light on the program and possibilities—from Technical Account Management to the Finance Rotation Program to Microsoft Consulting Services.  I will update this post every Friday with links as new guest articles are published.  Apart from my own post on being a technical evangelist, none of the writing is my own; and even individuals in the same role will tell completely different stories.  Feel free to sound off in the comments if you’d like to see a guest article from someone in a particular role.

Alice Pang, Developer Evangelist (Los Angeles, CA)

Tim Bennett, Technical Account Manager (Atlanta, GA)

Rick Seeger, Consultant-Commercial Sector (San Francisco, CA)

Ke Chen, Finance Rotation Program (Redmond, WA)

Paul Kotylo, Consultant-Public Sector (Sacramento, CA)

Todor Batchvarov, Program Manager (Redmond, WA)

Brooke York, Operations Account Manager (Reno, NV)