Microsoft has done it again. They have amazed me in the way they accommodate and treat their employees. As you read from my previous post, I was job sharing in a Staffing Consultant role working 24-hour weeks. In October, I decided to switch back to working full-time. Well one of the career paths I have always wanted to explore is in program management working with our staffing systems. Guess what? It just so happened that the team needed some extra help, so now I am doing a stretch assignment for them for the next 8 months!

A stretch assignment is a temporary role where you work full time in that new role and have a new manager/team. At the end of your assignment, you’ll return to your previous role, unless of course you decide your stretch role was the dream job you were always looking for. In that case, you might explore similar opportunities within Microsoft unless you really hit the jackpot and the team you did your stretch assignment with has an opened headcount. 

These assignments are also a great way to network within Microsoft, see other team dynamics, understand different roles and take on new challenges. While it’s only been a little over a month in this new role, I’m really enjoying looking at our staffing systems from a new perspective. This has been a great opportunity thus far and I’m thankful it came along at the right time!

-Lisa