Gretchen returns to JobsBlog
Hi there, campers! Look who’s back! For those of you who don’t remember me, I’m Gretchen, one of the founders of JobsBlog, and I regularly wrote for the blog until I left Microsoft in April 2006. You might call me the Michael Jordon or Roger Clemens of JobsBlog … will retirement really stick? Or will I be back again, ready to give it another go?
So, the questions I’ve heard a lot lately … Why did you leave? And why are you back?
As I wrote in my good-bye post, Microsoft was my first job out of college – and I stayed here for nearly 6 years, much longer than I probably would have predicted when I accepted my offer. I found myself in a position that’s probably not too uncommon to others’ experiences. I felt to further my breadth and knowledge, I needed to see what it was like on the outside … but at the same time, I didn’t want to leave MS and work for a competitor. So I co-founded my own small consulting company with Zoe, the other original founder of JobsBlog. We got to focus every day on the work we loved while helping small companies and jobseekers.
The best part is that my team here at Microsoft was supportive every step of the way … as I was leaving, once I was gone, and, of course, when I decided I wanted to come back. :) It sounds incredibly cliché, but while I enjoyed working for myself, I missed the impact, resources, and incredibly smart people who define Microsoft.
So, I’m back – and yes, that also means I’m back with JobsBlog as the site’s editor. I’m no longer a recruiter so I won’t be offering up the helpful tips and tricks and insider info that our other JobsBloggers do, but I will chime in from time to time. I’m really excited to engage with all of you and make sure we’re delivering the interesting and useful information you want to see. So look for more on this in the weeks to come.
I’m really happy to be back, and if I’ve got any long-time readers out there, please chime in and say hi. I’d love to hear from you!
Gretchen
JobsBlog Editor
29 Comments
kronos said:
So, if not a recruiter, what then? Is Microsoft paying you to be the editor here? :) That'd be an awesome gig...
said:
I still work in recruiting but I manage a few different recruiting programs, one of which is JobsBlog. So while recruiting is still my focus, I'm not a day-to-day recruiter like Jenna, Janelle, and the rest of the gang.
MikeA said:
Well, welcome back Gretchen! Although the other guys have done a stella job continuing the blog, I for one have missed you :)
We've met up a few times in the past for coffee when I've been up on campus, and I'll try and ping you again next time I'm up there.
Congrats and welcome back.
said:
Hey hey hey
look who is it again!!
Its the Great Legend of Gretchen, back again to impact!!
Loved to meet you at the Second Life Campaign!! U'll remember me as the last guy(from india) u met there!!
So, how are things? And whats ur new role?
said:
Welcome back Gretchen! Great to see that you will be blogging here again as I'd feared silence when you last blogged on JobSyntax.
Russ said:
Welcome back Gretchen, you continue to be on my radar.
James said:
Welcome back Gretchen!
I'd be interested to hear what happened to the company and to Zoe: is she carrying on solo, or returning as well?
Luan Nguyen said:
This is probably the greatest news I heard today ;). Welcome back, we all missed you. I learned a lot about MS interviews by reading your past posts. I want to say "thank you" now, for I forgot to say it when you left.
bigkissy said:
wb
Chakkaradeep said:
Hi Gretchen,
When I first visited this blog, I read lots of post by you and then suddenly I saw a goodbye-post and was really put down. I also like the videos you made for Channel 9 on how Microsoft Recruitment is.
I am really happy that you are back :)
Kenji said:
Welcome back! Long time reader/lurker since 2k4 or so, when a candidate I was recruiting (agency @ MS) referred me here :).
Long story short - he was hired, and I've been following the blog and forwarding candidates here ever since :)
sajid said:
*waves*
Hey there, :D Good to have you back :)
bigkissy said:
eh? why didnt they post my "wb". all it means is, welcome back.
Alex Barnett said:
Congrats on the return Gretchen!
Aakash Mandhar said:
Hi Gretchen,
Welcome back. I heard about you from Jenna. This was when I asked her about what is a cat doing on the header of the jobsblog. She told me about your love for cats and that the cat there is the suggestion kitty :)
Welcome back.
-Aakash
jonee said:
Hi Gretchen,
Nice to know that you are back.
Francesco Esposito said:
Gretchen,
Welcome back. Hopefully we will be seeing some more Channel 9 videos now that you are back? Those were great...
TI said:
Grethchen - Welcome back. Good luck!
Saurabh Garg said:
Welcome back, Gretchen! I am one of the many people you actually interacted with via email just because of this blog :D
Now that you're back, is there a particular theme/topic/aspect in recruiting you would try to focus on? I, personally, would love to find out more about getting a contract position at Microsoft. Seems like there isn't much information out there when it comes to contracting for Microsoft in a developer role.
Cheers!
Saurabh
said:
Welcome back and Good Luck!!!!
I'm very passionate for technologies Microsoft
~Stefan
Romania
InquiryingMITmindsWant2know said:
Gretchen,
Welcome back! I don't want to get too personal but, how did the process work? Did you approach your old boss? Was it an awkward conversation? How do even begin to tackle this very particular "coming back" situation?
Please, share your experience.
Thanks.
said:
Thanks, everybody! I'm happy to see some "old friends" here!
To answer a couple specific questions ....
Q: Now that you're back, is there a particular theme/topic/aspect in recruiting you would try to focus on?
A: I'll leave most of the recruiting topics up to the recruiters, but I'll probably jump in on generally interesting Microsoft things that I see that I think you should know about. But it may not be recruiting specific.
Q: How did the returning to MS process work?
A: I stayed in really close contact with my previous manager and team the whole time I was gone. So it wasn't a situation of having a specific conversation, since we were regularly talking. When I was thinking I might want to return, I took on a short-term and part-time assignment with Microsoft (while still working with other clients) - and once I got into it, I realized I wanted to be back. I did have to submit a resume and interview, but since I've been giving advice on how to do that here for so long, it's wasn't too bad. ;-)
I also got to go to New Employee Orientation, too!
gretchen
Manu said:
Hi Gretchen,
Welcome back. Wish you luck in your new role :-)
Take care,
Manu
hardik said:
hi grethchen,
welcome back!! i left jobsblog after u left cause ur posts were more detailed otehr weren't.so checked after long time and glad to see u here.
keep up the good work.
Srikanth Bhakthan said:
Good to see you back at Microsoft, Gretchen!..
said:
Thanks for the big welcome back, everyone!
Zoe and her husband had a baby in February, and after taking a maternity leave, she decided to continue on as a full-time Mom. The company was going great, but JobSyntax wasn't JobSyntax without "Zoe & Gretchen" so I had to decide what I wanted to do for the next step in my career. I thought about a lot of things ... working for myself, joining a small company, even joining a MS competitor :) - but when it came down to it, I just wanted to be back here. I work in a pretty niche field (recruiting marketing & programs), and when it comes to the tech industry, there's really no better place to do the kind of work I love than at Microsoft.
Plus, I get to interact with all of you again!!
gretchen
Anando said:
Hey Gretchen,
Welcome back ! We all missed you terribly here on jobsblog. You better not leave us again :o))
Cody Horton said:
Hi Gretchen,
Congratulations and it is great to see you back!
- Cody
said:
Gretchen,
Welcome back!!! Greatest news vista RSS sidebar gadget could bring me today! You were SO missed (i seriously mean it). You inspired many people to stand up and go search for a job in Microsoft. Many of them succeeded, and now bring joy to the world in forms of new Windows & Office :) Although i'm still in progress of trying to get in, i hope one day (hope pretty soon), i will be able to join THE team.
Regards,
Andrew