Joshua Dennis

j2dennis@edu.uwaterloo.ca +1 (416) 909-4106

November 8, 2018

Microsoft
1950 Meadowvale Blvd
Mississauga, Ontario
L5N 8L9 Canada

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am writing to express my interest in pursuing the Business Analyst position at Microsoft. I am currently a fourth year
Science and Business student at the University of Waterloo with a strong interest in tackling business problems. What
appeals to me about working at Microsoft is the opportunity to take a high level of responsibility, engage in strategic
advisory activities for different kinds of clients, and continue to cultivate my knowledge of business strategy. I believe
my personality, skills, and experiences will all allow me to thrive at Microsoft while being a valuable addition to my
team.

Some of the key attributes I hope to bring to Microsoft include:

• Analytical mindset: At my most recent internship at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, I implemented
technological solutions to ensure that the Investment Division was able to efficiently execute investment
decisions. Additionally, I honed my analytical skills by assisting in the training of new analysts in market
data and used electronic trading tools such as Bloomberg, Charles River, and advanced Excel Plugins.
During my past internship at HPE, I was in charge of collecting data from sponsored conferences at the
Canadian Headquarters. Using excel, I built various models that analyzed survey responses and compiled
the data in order to see which events required improvement, and derive performance metrics from those
that the clientele was enjoying. Throughout my past work experience, I was able to hone my critical thinking
skills, which I believe will be transferable to any domain.
• Adaptability and initiative: I have made it my personal objective to constantly seek out challenges, set
tangible goals, and exceed expectations in every setting. Throughout my internship at HPE, I experienced
many organizational changes due to the large-scale restructuring of the company - this taught me how to
deal with changing business environments. Additionally, I took on a greater level of responsibility due to
the company downsizing, which allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and take on exciting projects
like starting a partner-wide podcast.
• Collaboration and communication: Throughout my time at Waterloo, I have worked in numerous cross-
functional teams, which has required me to interact with various personality types and assume leadership
roles. As a sponsorship coordinator with Investors of Tomorrow, I secured $2,500 in fundraising from new
start-ups, advocate groups, and non-profit organizations, while attracting a panel of new speakers, which
consequently allowed us to host our annual stock pitch competition. In this setting, I was required to
maintain open lines of communication with my immediate team, as well as convey the value proposition of
the proposed solutions to business partners. Through my prior work experiences, I have also built close
rapport with my colleagues and believe I would excel in similar team-oriented settings at Microsoft.

I am confident that I will be a strong fit at Microsoft given my intellectual curiosity, hardworking nature, and ability to
tackle new challenges. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,