What to expect from your Virtual Internship

Model Answer
Go To Market
The purpose of this model answer is to use the information the Microsoft interns shared
in the video to illustrate the opportunities and benefits that working for Microsoft offers.
We hope this window into Microsoft helps you see our culture in action and it helps you
to identify the value you could experience from working with us.
 Microsoft Virtual Internship

The first intern described her journey as being ‘full

of speed bumps and uncertainties’ and then
described the benefit of this. Let’s explore what the
benefit was and how Microsoft supported her.
She said it was full of “speed bumps and uncertainties” and then went on to say that
“the great thing is you meet people who are always willing to lend you a hand”. She also
said that “once you get through these speed bumps, you become more confident”.

Resilience, a growth mindset, demonstrating respect and inclusivity are central values of
the Microsoft culture. Human physiological systems are highly responsive to positive
social interactions. When relationships in the workplace are characterized by
cooperation, trust, and fairness, the reward center of the brain is activated which
encourages future interactions that promote employee trust, respect, and confidence,
with employees believing the best in each other and inspiring each other in their
performance.

At Microsoft, we know that positive interpersonal interactions can be a source of

enrichment and vitality that helps and encourages individuals, teams, and the
organization as a whole to thrive and flourish. This is why we are committed to
supporting our team members to be inclusive, helpful, approachable and respectful. And
most of all, to bring a growth mindset to every situation.

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 Microsoft Virtual Internship

One intern spoke about it being eye-opening as he

moved from working with hardware to software.
He called this ‘exciting’ and ‘very amazing’. Let’s
explore the benefit of this type of experience for
an intern.
Broadening your experience by being open to working across different areas enhances
your professional portfolio and opens up opportunities that perhaps you were
previously unaware of. It broadens organizational knowledge, increases exposure to the
business and a range of people. Working in different teams introduces you to different
ways of working, thinking, approaches, styles and specialist knowledge. You start to see
how all the parts of an organization need to work together to achieve the organization’s
goals. You get the opportunity to directly observe what works well, what can be
challenging, how to overcome obstacles, how to collaborate and how to work in a team.
This practical experience is essential for understanding how organizations and teams
work and how to contribute in a way that is valued.

Broad industry knowledge is important for your professional development. Industry is

always changing. Staying up to date in your industry, is now a necessity. Our world is
ever-changing, driven by evolving innovation and technologies that carve out new
trends across all industries. Keeping your knowledge current will not only secure your
relevance in the role but will also contribute to growth, experience and a competitive
advantage in the marketplace.

Read this short article for six ways you can maintain your industry knowledge and skills.

Read this short article about the value of staying current with skills development.

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 Microsoft Virtual Internship

Another intern said that her “Microsoft experience

has been life changing”. Why do you think the
experience of a Microsoft intern could be ‘life
changing’?
At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the
planet to achieve more. Achieving that mission begins and ends with people: Our
people and the people we provide products and services to, whether they’re
organizations or individuals. We believe technology is a powerful force in improving
people’s lives. We see it every day in our work — whether its students discovering the
magic of creating something new with code, or health workers who use cloud services
to better diagnose illnesses, collaborate with colleagues, and treat patients. The
potential of technology to empower people and organizations has never been greater.
We hire amazing people to do amazing things. Come as you are. Do what you love.

How can that be anything other than life-changing?

Our interns work on projects that matter—and teams will rely on your skills and insights
to help deliver those projects to market. You'll get the opportunity to work on real
projects and have fun along the way. This is your chance to show off your skills and
work on cutting-edge technology. Imagine the impact you can make. Join Microsoft and
help us shape the business of tomorrow!

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 Microsoft Virtual Internship

One intern mentioned that they like the fact that

“people at Microsoft take them seriously and really
expect you to know so much about the company
and the business”. What does this tell you about
Microsoft?

At Microsoft, we encourage you to come as you are, do what you love. You will be
empowered to work on things that you are passionate about. You will be given
autonomy. Your ideas matter. All our employees are treated with equal respect.
We want you to hear your voice at the Microsoft table. We value the current and fresh
perspectives you bring.

At the end of the video, the group all shouted, “Be

the Change!”. Why is this important at Microsoft?
‘Be the Change’ is about demonstrating the change that Microsoft is committed to,
through our words and our actions. It is about a laser focus on our mission to empower
every organisation and every person on the planet to achieve more. It is about living
our culture and demonstrating our values ‘in action’. It is about bringing a growth
mindset to help achieve our goals.

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 Microsoft Virtual Internship

How does the video reflect the culture at

Microsoft?

We hope this video gave you a sneak peek into what our culture is really like. This is our
culture in action. Each person viewing this video may see something different. We hope
what you see has been inspiring.

A company’s culture can be seen as the values and beliefs of the company’s leaders
through to its employees, interactions between management and their teams, and the
environment in which they work. It’s a bit like an ecosystem involving a complex
network of organisms and components, which includes us (humans), and the
technology, systems, premises, tools etc. which we need to work. Just like there are
variations in individual’s personalities, business culture varies from company to
company. Just like people, businesses have a personality – it’s called business
culture. Cultural fit is when an individual's attitudes, values and beliefs are aligned with
the core values and culture of an organization. It’s why some people feel they fit into
one set of business values and a particular working environment, but not in others.
Individuals thrive when they feel connected to the values of the business and click
naturally with its nuances.

Company culture is a powerful driver of business success. It is the key to employee

engagement, performance and productivity. Employees who identify more with their
company are happier, experience greater job satisfaction, are more committed, perform
better and are more likely to stay with their organization. That is why cultural fit is
important.

You will learn more about Microsoft’s culture through the virtual internship platform.

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