Microsoft Office 2007 blog no-degree

I have tons of real world experience but no degree. I have seriously deep industry knowledge, accomplishments and “next wave” roadmaps for my industry. Do I have any shot at getting a MSFT recruiter’s attention? How about giving a guy a few clues, eh?

- Degree of Interest
Dear "Degree of Interest": Great question. Microsoft has always prided itself on finding the best talent anywhere, regardless of where it comes from. Yes, we do a lot of recruiting on college campuses and that gets a lot of press. But we also spend a great deal of time scouring resumes, job fairs, industry events and shows looking for people with great talent. In the beginning a degree can be important. CS grads know the basics, know the theory, and have a head start when it comes to our entry-level jobs. On a foundational level, that is a good thing. But once you are out of school and working in the industry, experience is critical. I recruit for the Core OS Division. This is the group within MSFT that ensures all of the deep kernel processes of the OS work seamlessly. We need incredibly talented, technically-deep engineers to solve some of the toughest computer science problems there are. When I am reviewing resumes, I ask the following questions: What do you want to do? What have you done so far? Have you grown in each experience? Are there any gaps in your experience? Have you taken any risks? What degree do you have? What school did you attend? School is important,Microsoft Office 2007, but it's only one thing -- and as you can see from this list, it's more of a data point than a barrier to entry. Be honest in your resume, target and limit the amount of jobs you apply to and make sure they match your skills, abilities and experience -- and then do your homework. Once you are in the interview process (phone interview, tech interview, face-to-face) your educational background will not be a primary part of the evaluation. Can you code? Can you solve challenging problems? Can you work effectively with a team? Can you resolve conflict? Can you make others great? Can you contribute and grow? These are the questions we seek to answer. P.S. – I can think of at least one relatively successful Microsoftie that famously did not get a degree: Bill Gates. Apply away and see you on campus soon. -Greg


Dear JobsBlog: