Entries tagged 'lisa'
Resume, resume...What did I do with that resume?
Recently I decided to explore new opportunities at Microsoft that are aligned to my career aspirations. This meant that I needed to update my resume (which hasn’t been touched since 2005) with my work experience that I have gained over the last 4 years. Hmmm… what exactly did I do over the last 4 years?
I must have sat there for 30 minutes with a blank resume while I tried to remember what I accomplished. Besides a general idea of the responsibilities I had, I couldn’t remember the exact metrics I achieved, awards I won or extra projects I took on. That’s when it hit me that I shouldn’t have waited until I was looking for a new job to update my resume!
Weird things said in job interviews Part 3
CNN and CareerBuilder recently published a list of the 43 weirdest things said in job interviews, and we asked for your stories. We also asked our JobsBloggers. Here is Lisa's answer.
I actually had to think hard about this one because I block those crazy memories from my head. :)
A few years ago, I was interviewing someone onsite for a Software Development Engineer (SDE) role for Messenger. The last question I asked him was “Why are you interested in working at Microsoft?” I thought it was a pretty easy question to ask.
New Microsoft Careers Site: Now with your input!
You may be wondering where Gretchen, Angela and I have been the last few months. We know it's been awfully quiet around here.Well, we’ve been immersed with a few large recruiting projects that we can proudly say have successfully shipped! One of the projects is Microsoft’s new global careers site.
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!
A morale event to remember
A few months ago I wrote about taking on a stretch assignment with the HR systems team. I’m really enjoying the role and my fun, crazy team and thought I’d give you a taste of what I’ve been up to by writing about our recent morale event.What should I do during a lunch interview?
Dear JobsBlog: I've never done a lunch interview before, but I've heard horror stories about candidates being so nervous they forget basic table manners or get a huge chunk of broccoli stuck in their teeth. How can I enjoy my meal and still impress a hiring manager? Any suggestions on what to order and how to avoid awkwardness?
-Apprehensive AppetiteDear Apprehensive Appetite: You've probably seen us mention on this blog that answers to many questions we receive vary from recruiter to recruiter. That said, we decided to take some bites of advice from several JobsBloggers on this topic. Put your headphones on and get your elbows off the table for podcasts from Matt, Lisa and Janelle that will help improve your lunch interview techniques!
What's the best way to start an interview?
#8 Recently Interviewed said:
I just had a phone interview with Microsoft a little over an hour ago. Now I am wondering: What is the best way to start off an interview? I felt like the first couple of seconds were an awkward "Hello, erm, ugh... Yeah, I'm <name>" moment and I didn't really know what to say, and it almost felt like the interviewer expected me to say something in particular... What would be the best thing to do to make a good impression when starting off an interview?
Dear Recently Interviewed:
I saw your question in the comments section of Matt’s Five ways to fail my phone interview post and felt it needed a post of its own.
How much experience makes me an experienced candidate?
Dear JobsBlog: I am having trouble defining whether I am a college candidate or an experienced candidate, as I only have 18 months of experience. I am not sure if I should be considered "experienced” when the pool of experienced candidates may have experience ranging from 13 months to 10+ years.
-In-Between ExperienceDear In-Between Experience: Yes, you are an experienced candidate. At Microsoft in the United States, we break out our candidate types into two categories: college or experienced. A college candidate is anyone currently enrolled in a university program regardless of professional experience or anyone who has received a degree within the last year. This not only includes full-time students pursuing their bachelor’s but also candidates who are pursuing their master’s or doctorate. An experienced candidate is anyone with one or more years of experience and is not currently enrolled in a full-time university program.
Going out for a stretch... assignment, that is!
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!
Are year-old job postings still valid?
Dear JobsBlog: Some of the jobs I’m interested in were posted almost a year ago. Are those jobs still available or has someone just forgotten to remove them from the website?
- One-Year Wondering
Dear "One-Year Wondering":
That’s a great question! First, yes, the jobs should still be available. Each position has its own story, but here are a few of the common reasons why some positions on the career site have been posted for almost a year:
- The role contains a very niche skill set. In these cases, the role could be opened for the full year while we search for the 1 to 2 percent of candidates that have this skill set.
- The position was put on hold and when it reopened, it wasn’t refreshed. When this happens, the position’s listing date is still the date it initially opened. So while it might only be a few weeks old, it could be showing as being a year old.
- Lastly, a team could have multiple, ongoing positions. In these cases, they are actively hiring for all of them; however, depending on which positions get closed out as they are being filled, it might appear that the position has been opened for a lot longer.
So in all of the above scenarios, yes, the jobs are still available. I hope that helps!
-Lisa
