Audience Marketing Manager Review

I truly had the most phenomenal year. I have never been at a company that prepares you for working life better than Microsoft. On top of that, it really is the most brilliant company to work for, with an amazing internal working culture, fantastic benefits, and a real sense of value and responsibility.

I loved coming into work everyday, feeling like an integral part of a team, but unlike most big corporations, like my insights and ideas really mattered. I felt like I had just as much say and weight as anyone else in my team, and that whatever I said, my insights were really valued. Microsoft employ really lovely, nice but hardworking people, so if you make it far enough to get the job, you would have these qualities too and would fit in straight away!

I had a manager who was a little less hands on than most, although personally I preferred that. I like to take on a lot of responsibility, and feel as if I owned something and could truly make the most of my year here. Whilst my manager was brilliant at giving me lots of responsibility, he did often take a step back when it came to the support and guidance. However it all depends on what you are looking for from a manager, I'm sure if I had asked him for more support I would have got it!

I made sure I made the most out of my year, my day to day role was busy enough, and parts of the year truly was some of the busiest I have ever been. I made sure I got involved in extra projects, different areas of the company (because they allow you to do that!) and just made sure that by the end of the year I had learnt exactly what I wanted out of my future career.

For an intern, I truly was given the amount of responsibility as full-time employee, and that to a senior one! I was given the opportunity to run my own global competition, and even go to Russia because of it! There was definitely no lack of responsibility at all!

If I am honest with you, coming back to university almost feels like a step backwards now. Doing a Business degree, I feel like I truly learnt the real essence of business whilst working at Microsoft, and nothing I do at university quite compares.

Microsoft has the best internal Working culture, from Ping-Pong tables in my office, to x-box's everywhere, to its non-hierarchical culture and easy-going yet hardworking atmosphere, they really get the most out of their employees, and push them to deliver results whilst also having fun!

It was very well organised, I came to do a year at Microsoft, and I left with an amazing one... what more could I have asked for!?

They really took the time to enroll interns in training every few months, got us involved in loads of stretch-projects, pushed us to work together, and really helped us develop in our roles.

I am yet to find out if I have a job with them, but lets hope I do!

There was so much to get involved in, with every weekend there being a night out organised. Also there was often lots of events within my team that I could attend that were so much fun, and i had a blast!

Coming from Exeter where the living costs were awful, this was really cheap for me. However on the scale of things, it is probably quite average in that to get a nice house it would be around £70-80 ppw

Not better than Birmingham or London, but definitely better than Exeter!! What makes them fun is having a great group of people to go out with which we definitely did have!

There are so many things to get involved in, its just about finding the thing right for you. But they almost have university type societies from football to tennis to running etc!