EMEA CCG Finance Analyst Review

The rating says it all. This year has been one of the most enjoyable years of my life in so many ways: social, experience, learning etc. I can easily say that this has been the most enjoyable place I've worked.

I was given full-time employee responsibilities from day 1. I never felt like 'an intern', my work was valued and I was trusted with genuinely impactful tasks/projects.

Everyone you meet at Microsoft is hugely supportive, from your manager to your fellow interns. Never did I feel uncomfortable asking questions or raising issues.

Undoubtedly, with any job, there are peaks and troughs, but at Microsoft, the you're supported through the peaks and there is an abundance of things to get involved in during the troughs. I found that I was very busy nearly all the time - and this is how I liked it! I learnt loads and I was always pushed to be a better version of myself.

The responsibility you receive at Microsoft is huge - you're treated like a full time employee! You have jobs that needs to be executed, people rely on the work you do and you get to see it making a genuine impact to the business.

At the start of my placement, I generated a list of skills and competencies that I wanted to develop. I have without a doubt improved all of them and more. If there is a skill you want to develop, Microsoft will provide you with the tools to improve it. All the skills I have developed at Microsoft will undoubtedly allow me to be more successful in my final year of university and beyond.

Unfortunately, there was a restructure of the business a few months into my internship. This cast a bit of a cloud over the atmosphere in the office and there were days when the office energy was low. However, as mentioned previously, the support was always there and I never felt like I didn't want to be there.

From day 1, the set-up of the placement is made clear to you. There is a 1 week long induction which introduces you to everything you'd need to know about the company. From there on in, it's pretty much up to you. Your year is there to be whatever you want it to be. I had frequent 1:1 meetings with my manager, but other than that it was pretty much up to me. If you want to push yourself, meet new people, learn more about the business and develop new skills, it's up to YOU to do it. There is the university staffing team who are there to support you along the way but as mentioned, it's up to you to make the most of it.

To put it simply - a lot. They give you opportunities for continual personal development, there are training and qualification opportunities and provided you can make the time for it, your manager will be happy for you to go and learn. This year, I became a qualified Microsoft Excel specialist - something I pursued out of choice. My manager was happy for me to take time out to train for it.

I work in Finance and unfortunately there are no graduate roles in Finance in the UK, which is a real shame. I would have loved to have come back as a graduate but instead I will be heading elsewhere to gain finance qualifications. I'd may well come back to Microsoft to work here in Finance in the future.

YES! I can, hand on my heart, say that I've made friends for life here. The social scene at Microsoft is awesome - there are always team drinks, intern drinks, nights out, parties...the lot. It's not too far off the social scene at uni - you just have more money!

Due to the nature of an intern wage and the cost of living in London, I decided to live at home in Hertfordshire and commute which allowed me to save a fair amount of money. Despite not living with interns, I never felt that I was missing out on anything. As far as socialising is concerned, you're in central London, you don't really need to worry when it comes to opportunities. Cost is another question - London is undeniably expensive, however a lot of my fellow interns who live in London have managed to live on the intern wage...just.

You're in central London so you can find anything that tickles your fancy.

There are a number of sports and social clubs at Microsoft that you can get involved in. I was in the football team and I got involved in basketball. There are clubs for almost everything here.