What might surprise you about Microsoft

Jobs in IT: What might surprise you about Microsoft

Before he joined Microsoft, Montana native and avid outdoorsman Jack Cowett planned a career in the fly-fishing industry. With little information about what lay ahead, Jack took a chance.  Ultimately, he joined the Surface team, landing a tech job instead—and a new life.

Thinking of Jack’s decision, we asked: “You didn't think you would ever consider working for Microsoft. What surprised you most about coming to work here?”

As Jack tells it:

The best thing about working on the Surface team is the sense of community and camaraderie. I am surrounded by smart people who all care about our product and work like crazy to make it successful.

My colleagues have become an important part of my life. If I ever needed help, they would be there to support me. I think this is rare. It is certainly not something I have felt in my other jobs.

We celebrate our birthdays together; we send cards and support each other through marriages, divorces, funerals, births and graduations.

I was also surprised by how much my manager trusts me and how much responsibility I have in my first year on the job.

While business school certainly prepared me to jump in and add value, the learning opportunity provided by actually doing the work has been huge.

I have had a chance to provide input on the product we are building, the packaging we use to sell it, the countries and retail locations we work with, the copy we post on the website, the commercials we make and the price we charge.

Having this level of involvement on a product from the high-level strategy to product conception, development, distribution, and promotion has been AMAZING. I am constantly humbled by this opportunity.

I am also blown away by the global scale of the work.

We launched Surface in eight countries at launch and I have traveled around the world (literally) several times since I started.

It has been a huge challenge, but it has been incredible to really dig in and look at the different ways business gets done around the world. This type of global exposure and experience is invaluable and something most companies can’t or won’t provide to their employees.

I love that I work for a company and on a product the world cares about.

I find it very rewarding to see our TV commercials during primetime and I love that I can read about the work I am doing in every major publication.

The day we launched I went to the Safeway by my house and picked up a Seattle Times, a New York Times and a Wall Street Journal. The work we were doing was front and center. It is very rewarding to know that the WORLD actually cares about what you are doing.

We all want to know/feel that the work we are doing is important and it is EASY to feel that way working at Microsoft.

In case you missed Jack’s first post

Why did Jack give up his “dream job” to come to Microsoft? Find out here.

Coming up: How do you ace your Microsoft interview? What makes you succeed on the job? What Jack reveals might surprise you.