Thanks to all who participated in our #LifeatMS tweet-a-thon this morning.

If you weren’t able to join us then, please take a look at the complete transcript below. There are some great conversations and insights in there. And make sure to keep an eye out for our next Twitter chat (details to come on Microsoft Careers Facebook and @MSFTcareers on Twitter).

And special thanks to Jubal @jubal_ince, Megan @megansmcdonald, Lorrin @lorrinm & Gretchen @gledgard for fielding the questions today! Make sure to follow all of them on Twitter.
 
The questions and answers in the chat are as follows (all answers were reprinted verbatim):

Q: I hear that contract positions are the best way in. What are some of the best agencies to go through?
A: megansmcdonald - Contract agencies vary between countries & professions, but a few biggies in the US are Volt, CoreStaff & Kelly Services
Q: Great! I'm already talking to the first two, but I'll reach out to Kelly Services, too. I'm hungry for a position.
A: megansmcdonald - Awesome! Love your enthusiasm, good luck!

Q: Do you have opportunities for people looking for editorial/communications work?
A: megansmcdonald - Definitely! Head to careers.microsoft.com and select "marketing" under job categories :)

Q: How does one get noticed with so many other applicants out there? LinkedIn is an option but does MS actively use that avenue?
A: jubal_ince - We use many venues (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) It helps to have a professional presence on all of them.
A: lorrinm - If you are personal friends with a Microsoft employee who can vouch for you, they can submit you as an employee referral.

Q: I have submitted over 100 jobs at MS career center and I have a good skills, so why I haven't recruited cause I live in Armenia?
A: megansmcdonald - Finding a job can take some time. Are you applying for jobs in the US?

Q: 1. How is life like at MSFT after you hit 50 years say as a developer? 2. Which Project Management Qualification do you Preffer?
A: jubal_ince - Good Program Manager role breakdown can be found at http://j.mp/iVjlFl. We value what you do, not your age!

Q: I submitted resume for IN Marketing MBA - U11-000320 is there a direct contact I can follow up with? Thank you!
A: megansmcdonald - Unfortunately, we can't follow up with everyone, but good luck & definitely keep applying!

Q: I live in the US, I saw a good match for my skillset for a Bing job in the UK, would I be considered if I'm non-european?
A: megansmcdonald - Yes! Go ahead & apply as normal & if a recruiter contacts you, let them know about your relocation requirements

Q: Is there a good rule-of-thumb regarding applying to jobs that are still available after several months on the MS careers website?
A: lorrinm - If the job is still posted, it's still open and we just haven't found the right fit yet - it could be you, so apply!

Q: Can Skype employees play too?
A: @lorrinm - Of course! :-) We welcome anyone in our #LifeatMS chats!
A: MSFTcareers -  :) RT @lorrinm @timbarrett of course! :-) We welcome anyone in our #LifeatMS chats!

Q: Is there a trick I am missing? I never got a reply back for positions I've applied. What is the best way to apply for jobs at MS?
A: gledgard - There are many great avenues to apply, but always make sure your resume clearly matches the job. That's key.

Q: Will internal references help or applying through careers site is OK?
A: lorrinm - If you are personal friends with a Microsoft employee who can vouch for you they can submit you as an employee referral.
A: lorrinm - If a Microsoft employee has also previously worked with you and can vouch for you, they can refer you too :-)

Q: I hear that MS has many job freezes & only hire internally right now. Is that true?
A: megansmcdonald - Not true! Find open jobs here: careers.microsoft.com :)
A: MSFTcareers - Oh, we are *totally* hiring! RT @megansmcdonald  Not true! Find open jobs here :)

Q: The thing is I never got a rejection letter too for the positions I've applied for.
A: gledgard - B/c of the # of apps, we can only contact those we interview. If no response but job is open, you're still active.

Q: @jubal_ince @lorrinm thank you for the replies! Can a former MS employee refer you as well? If so what is the process for that?
A: lorrinm - Former employees can't refer via the employee referral tool but they should certainly be listed as a reference.

Q: Also how would a typical Software Developer resume look like? I have a 5 page long resume. Is it an immediate turn down?
A: gledgard - No, but make sure the most relevant is on the 1st page. For the US, here is a good example.

Q: Why is the ratio of MSPs being recruited by #Microsoft soooo low in India ?
A: lorrinm - What is MSP? (We have SOOOO many acronyms here; I want to be clear what the question is)
Q: @lorrinm Ohh yeah sure. An MSP is a Microsoft Student Partner.
A: lorrinm - Ah, MSP is managed by our Student mktg team (not staffing) In-country ratios vary by local needs & program budgets.
Q: @LorrinM Apart from the MSP thing, i can directly apply via careers.microsoft.com upon completing my studies, can i?
A: lorrinm - You bet! MSFT India also recruits on campuses; check their grad programs on microsoft.com/careers (select India).

Q: Will there be an assured response after updating the resume at careers.microsoft.com?
A: gledgard - B/c of # of apps, we're only able to contact those we interview. If no response but job is open, you're still active.
Q: @gledgard Ohhh . That was informative . Btw should i opt for employee referrals or update my resume at careers.microsoft.com ?
A: gledgard - Both :) It's a good idea to try more than one way of applying. Good luck!!

Q: Are you taking inters for the summer period in the US ?
A: megansmcdonald - We've finished hiring for summer 2011, but I encourage u 2 apply for an internship next summer! Hiring starts in the Fall.

Q: Wt are best possible positions for some1 with broad IT and business processes experience and not a lot of programming experience?
A: lorrinm - Solutions manager in IT might be a good fit, or release manager…
Q: @lorrinm What is an ideal average years of prev work experience of applicants for solutions manager or release manager? (part 1/2)
A: lorrinm - Ideal # years experience varies by job/level, so check the job descriptions for that kind of detail
Q: @lorrinm what are key areas the applicant for solutions mgr or release mgr would have worked on in the previous jobs? (part 2/2)
A: lorrinm - Key areas of experience also varies by group/job - suggest you search our careers site & check individual results..

Q: I don't have any Microsoft experience (other than product use). Is it possible to get on direct or should I go the contract route?
A: gledgard - You could try for both. Former exp isn't necessarily required for FT. But contract is also a great way to learn about MS.
Q: Follow Up: I have 4+ years of both merchandise and training experience. Should I keep looking at Marketing Manager positions?
A: gledgard - Yes, or Learning Development/Training. But what about the Microsoft Store? :)
Q: @gledgard Store may be an option (have retail exp, too), but how hard is it to get into corporate from there? Preference: WP Team
A: gledgard - The store is part of our corporate structure (in the Sales division) so movement definitely happens.
Q: Thanks for your time, Microsoft Recruiters! I gained some valuable insight.

Q: One final question will be are there any restricting policies/limitations for an applicant who is on H1-B visa?
A: gledgard - It depends on the role/visa. For instance, only some of our roles are H1B eligible. Good luck!

Q: When do you remove a post from the careers site? I see listings from jan!
A: megansmcdonald - The positions stay posted as long as they're still open. If you find one you're a good fit for, feel free to apply!

Q: I was wondering how many years of exp does MS usually require? I have a finance background and my linkedin is on my profile
A: megansmcdonald - Ideal # years’ experience varies by job/level, so check the job descriptions for that kind of detail
Q: Thank you to everybody at MS for the great insight! Very informative!
 

Thanks for all questions to #LifeatMS today. We hope it was helpful. Make sure to keep an eye out for our next Twitter chat (details to come on Microsoft Careers Facebook and @MSFTcareers on Twitter).