Software Development Engineer Review
by Microsoft
This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
-
The Role
4.8
-
The Company
4.6
-
The Culture
4.0
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
My placement with Microsoft has been the most interesting experience I've had so far in professional level. I joined a really good team that welcomed me and provided all the help I needed to improve my knowledge and skills. This, along with the great support from my manager that always put me forward, inspired me to work harder and gradually become a trusted and productive member of the team.
My team made me feel like a valued team member, not just an intern that came for a few months.
My manager was really helpful though the year giving me guidance to improve my technical skills as well as how to work and flourish in a big international company
The work load was just a bout right. I was given enough tasks to keep me busy and also I could always ask for more work if I didn't have anything to do.
I believe I was given a lot of responsibility since I usually took up essential and sometimes big tasks to accomplish. I was also asked to lead a small project which gave me a good sense of responsibility.
The software engineering techniques I've learned through my placement year can and are applied in my degree studies and will be used later in my job.
The Company
The office environment is very carefully designed within Microsoft to provide a healthy and productive workspace. Also, the people were very friendly and warm.
I was given interesting project work to do that got me involved in the complete life cycle of a software product. I also had the chance to go to training sessions and also the time to read books, watch videos and presentations online.
Flexi Time
Subsidised Canteen
Sports and Social Club
Subsidised/Company Gym
Company Parties/Events
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
I would love to work for Microsoft at some point in the future. It's a company that helps the employees become productive and better themselves everyday. With their offer to be in the Student Retainer scheme I can see good prospects of going back to work as a normal employee.
The Culture
The canteen and cafeterias had very reasonable prices.
Reading is a small but alive city with enough cinemas, bars, clubs etc
There were a lot of sports, social events and all sorts of groups organizing events like photography competitions etc.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Information Technology
Wales
November 2009
