Sales Intern

Nick Luscombe

Politics

Placement (10 Months+)

Microsoft

What was the interview process like?

The process consisted of an online application form, on-line test, a video interview and an assessment center. The process was clearly designed to see whether I 'fitted' with the organization. I also saw it as a chance to decide whether I thought Microsoft was going to be right for me.

How much responsibility were you given?

I was absolutely astounded at the amount of responsibility I was given. I was treated not as an 'intern' but simply as another member of the team. Within weeks of joining Microsoft, I was giving presentations to enterprise customers, some very well-known companies!

What advice would you give to someone applying for your role?

I would say to always be yourself. No one is looking for the perfect package before you have even started. They are looking for someone who is passionate, keen to learn and happy to take on challenges and if you think this is you then go for it!

What has been your biggest challenge?

I think the biggest challenge for me was in the first few months understanding that I deserved to be there! Once I realised this I was able to volunteer myself for greater challenges and really come out of my shell.

Where has your experience exceeded your expectations?

The experience has genuinely exceeded my expectations in so many ways! However, the most significant has been how much people have gone out of their way to help and mentor me. So many people acted as mentors for me throughout the year, giving up time to develop me.

What do you most enjoy about your role?

No day is the same! My role was a new role at the beginning of the year. This allowed me to scope the role and to put time into activities which I felt could add value to my team and to Microsoft. I have been involved in so many different projects.

Describe a situation where you have surpassed expectations?

I think people were surprised how quickly I was volunteering to present to customers. In December I covered a colleague last minute, presenting to a group of 40 Public Sector customers in London. He was having travel issues so I volunteered and successfully gave the presentation. This definitely surpassed expectations!

What is the atmosphere like in your team?

The team is friendly and great fun. A little cliché I know but they definitely "work hard, play hard." Everyone works really hard and is very ambitious, yet we have had some great team socials this year. Most importantly though there is a real feeling of everyone helping each other.

What were the activities outside of work

As mentioned we had some great social activities throughout the year such as team dinners and we even went to the races once! We also had a number of off-sites where we all stayed in a hotel and did a range of work based sessions and team building activities.

How promising are the graduate prospects?

There is a really exciting graduate programme at Microsoft, which hires externally as well as bringing back interns who have been successful in their year. Lots of employees at Microsoft have been interns and then graduates and are still with the company. I will definitely be applying!