Kenji Yamaguchi
My name is Kenji Yamaguchi and I'm a Recruiter for the Windows & Windows Live engineering teams here at Microsoft. My groups are responsible for a variety of products & services which really serve to enhance the Windows user experience and keep track of all the online "stuff" you care about. If you've ever used products like Hotmail, Messenger, SkyDrive or Photo Gallery - you've sampled the effort and hard work my team is passionate about delivering.
As a Seattle Native, and long-time reader of Jobsblog, I’m thrilled at the opportunity to contribute and give my first-hand experience of Microsoft from the inside.
So if you have questions – ask away – that’s what I’m here for!
Posts by Kenji
The Microsoft Interview Process
I’m sure the enterprising reader has already read through this site and numerous others to piece together our interview process, however I don’t believe we’ve ever fully outlined it in one place. (Ginny did a great post on the college process– though it’s slightly different than what’s used for experienced candidates.)So what’s going on from the experienced/industry candidate side? Here’s the general Microsoft interview process (from an industry recruiter’s perspective – mine!)
- Application (via our Microsoft Careers website)
- Recruiter review (See below for more details)
- Recruiter interview (often by phone, sometimes email)
- Technical Interview (phone, in person, email, or Live Meeting)
- On-site interview (also in rare situations: Video Teleconference or Live Meeting)
Now, the details for each of these steps can vary slightly by recruiter and position. And each probably warrants its own topic within this blog. However, the one piece I want to focus on today is Recruiter Review, as this hasn't been discussed much previously.
"Recruiter Review" is the step during which the recruiter is reviewing the resumes for all the various applicants on a given position. To do this, the recruiter applies a search algorithm to pull a list of applicants which closely matches the requirements for that position. The recruiter then goes through that list of applicants, reading each individual resume to determine who to move forward and contact.
What does this mean for you? Well, remember this post from Gretchen way back when? What’s better than one recruiter attempting to read every resume submission that matches our profile? 200+ recruiters checking resume submissions and matching them against our profiles! :-). Keep in mind we’re only human, but we’re out there looking and matching every day!
So what’s the next step? Search our site, narrow your search to the right jobs, and apply online. Oh, and if you happen to come across anything that mentions Windows Live – click those first! ;-)
- Kenji (who also happens to recruit for Window Live ;-)
Does unrelated experience look bad on my resume?
Dear JobsBlog: If I take a job where I get unrelated experience will it make me a less-desirable candidate?
-Tangent Torn
Read on to hear the answer from Microsoft Recruiter Kenji...
Resume review & advice: what I look for in a resume
Resume review & advice. Part II of II. (read Part I)Resume review actually consists of several different “layers” of consideration.
There are multiple factors that I consider simultaneously and all need to be accounted for before I make the decision to contact a candidate for a phone interview. What I’m looking for is a resume that “pops out" at me on multiple layers.
The first thing that I look for when reviewing a resume, are the basics: does this candidate meet the minimum requirements for the position? Keep in mind, for many positions there are two sets of requirements – the bare minimum required – and the bonus qualifications that I’m ideally hoping to find. In this layer, I’m only looking for the former – but I’m militant in my resolve. If I need a year of experience, and you have six months – sorry, I just clicked “NEXT”.
Resume review & advice: behind the scenes
Resume review & advice. Part I of II. (Read Part II)I’ve considered writing about resume advice since I started contributing to JobsBlog. However, I’ve put it off and even considered not writing about it at all because the subject matter can be VERY controversial.
I’m not going to make you the empty promise that following my advice will *really* help you land that next job or get your resume noticed in the sea of resumes. Resume writing is more art than science and any advice charading as the singular truth can lead you down the wrong path.
What I will share with you is, for better or worse, the process I use when reviewing resumes – and I’m going to give you the honest not-so-sugar-coated-truth about what goes through my mind when I click “NEXT.
This is an unvarnished account. Reader beware:Social Networking - it's not just virtual
With all of this focus on internet social media – it’s easy to lose sight of those tried and true methods of decades past. In recent years, it seems like everywhere you look the term “Social Networking” is staring you right in the face. Stories abound from recruiters and jobseekers alike telling of how their latest social media experience lead to that last “great” hire. But what about back in the day of the dinosaur: before Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn dominated the marketplace? How did people network for jobs before social media? Did people really have to *gasp* meet face-to-face??? It seems like a foreign concept – yet recently, I’ve discovered that face-to-face networking events are making a bit of a comeback. And you know what else? I think they actually work better.
After a suggestion from one of my out-of-work friends, I decided to try out a networking event known as the Seattle Job Social, which is held monthly at Twist Lounge in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood (if you’re interested in relocating – Belltown has great nightlife, just FYI). While I’d been to my share of job fairs, this was my first social networking event, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
Strengths and weaknesses revisited
Not long after JobsBlog started in 2004, Gretchen answered a reader who wanted to know what he should say when an interviewer asked him to describe his strengths and weaknesses.Six years later, that post is still one of the most popular articles on this site. Gretchen’s advice remains relevant, of course, and we encourage you to read it – but we thought we’d give you an update from varying viewpoints. Check out what Kenji, Lisa and Matt have to say about this infamous interview question!
The dreaded compensation question
Dear Jobsblog:
When and how is it appropriate to ask about salary, benefits and vacation time? I don’t want to seem like I’m just looking for money and perks, but, at the same time, this information is important to consider. How should I approach this? Whom should I ask these questions?-All About The Benjamins (just kidding)
Dear Mr. (or Ms.) Benjamins:
Compensation (salary, benefits, etc.) is an important aspect of any job search. As a recruiter, it’s easy to forget how nerve-wracking this question can be for the candidate. After all, I answer it almost every day.Questions relating to compensation are best dealt with early in the process and need to be treated with tact and care. By no means are they something that should be put off until the end or skipped over lightly. Candidates should approach compensation questions in terms of Who, When and How.
CES reflections
Hey Jobsblog readers!
These past few months have been all about change and new experiences for me. While I continue to work very closely with the Windows Live team, I’ve also expanded to encompass parts of Operations & Windows Engineering. It’s fun to see how other teams operate and learn about all of their exciting products and features. I really do love technology and that passion is one of the main reasons why I work at Microsoft.
On that note, I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Now, with a few weeks between me and the event, I've had the opportunity to reflect on the CES and the state of technology:
Doing your research before the interview
Congratulations! So you’ve made it past the initial resume review and you’re being called in for those important next steps. There are a few days between now and then, and anxiety is building in anticipation. You want to do well in your interview, and in this economy you know that it’s tougher than ever to stand out amongst the crowd. So what do you do? Time to channel that energy into something productive!
Tips and Advice vs Giving Away the Farm: My $0.02
Now that you’ve seen where I’m coming from in terms of tips and advice, I feel it’s time to introduce my top six pieces of Kenji® branded recruiter advice. Handle with care!