Sean Louhisdon’s Post

How can you get shortlisted for a PM internship at Microsoft? Let's get straight to the point Many large multinational companies, including Microsoft, Google, and Adobe, often have strict criteria and SOPs for shortlisting candidates One of the key requirements is often a tier one B-School MBA degree or a background from an esteemed institution like IIT While this might seem discouraging if you don't meet these specific criteria, don't worry! There are alternative pathways for you to explore. It's essential to understand that gaining entry into these prestigious companies right from the start might be challenging if you don't have a tier one college background. However, with experience and a strategic approach, you can pave your way to making a transition to these bigger companies later in your career. Building your experience and skills with smaller companies can be an excellent stepping stone towards your ultimate goal. 📕 Free Course -  https://lnkd.in/d8u63Mk9 💬 1on1 Mentorship - https://lnkd.in/dzX4k74p 🎥 Free PM Videos - https://lnkd.in/dw52XQpR

"Be consistent, persevere, and patiently wait for your chance; once it arrives, pour every ounce of effort into it. More often than not, you'll find yourself on the winning side." - This is what I have followed earnestly throughout my life. It's been quite a journey - moving to the US, staying away from family for the first time, switching from Software Engineering to Product Management. It hasn't been easy, but it's been a quest of personal and professional evolution. I am immensely grateful to Duke University for providing me the platform and the right knowledge to switch smoothly into my PM journey. Today, I'm elated to share that this journey has taken a significant stride forward - I've joined Microsoft as a Product Manager Intern for Azure Edge + Platform team this summer in the Redmond, WA office. I'd like to thank Eleanor Cohen, Adam Sarsony, Daniel Jonggyu Lee, Hong Gao, and Sally Nelson for the smooth onboarding. I truly appreciate the effort you all have taken to make me feel at ease and provide me with a firsthand experience of what makes Microsoft so special. Lastly, I extend my deepest thanks to Apoorva, Abhay, Lavanya, Karthik, Shubham, and above all, Janhvi and my parents for keeping me sane on this insane journey. This wouldn't have been possible without you all! To everyone on this journey, I know times have been tough, but trust your instincts, be consistent - all you need is one 'YES'. #Microsoft #ProductManagement #Internship #Innovation

Reflecting on an Incredible Journey at Microsoft! 🚀 A couple of weeks ago, I wrapped up an amazing internship at Microsoft, and what an experience it has been! Transitioning from a fast-paced startup to a global tech giant with billions of users was mind-blowing. Here are my top three learnings from this transformative journey: 🎯 Clarity of Thought and Purpose: One of the most valuable lessons I learned was the importance of having clarity in your thoughts and a strong 'WHY' behind your actions. A special shoutout to Vaibhav for showing me where I lacked and demonstrating immense clarity in his own thought process. His guidance was instrumental in pushing me to think more critically and purposefully. 🎯 Embracing a Growth Mindset: At Microsoft, the term 'growth mindset' isn't just a buzzword; it's a way of life. Hearing it multiple times a day in meetings and conversations, I realized it’s about believing in yourself and growing through perseverance. It's the idea that with the right effort, you can accomplish anything. This mindset was incredibly inspiring and has profoundly influenced my approach to challenges. 🎯 Teamwork and Collaboration: I quickly realized that moving the needle isn’t a solo endeavor. It's about building and growing together as a team. I had the opportunity to connect with incredible folks across various teams – from engineering to PMs, CSAMs, CXEs, and researchers. Everyone was ready to listen and contribute, which taught me the true power of collaboration. It's essential to return the favor and support your teammates whenever possible. A big thank you to the amazing people who guided and supported me throughout this journey: Swetha, Arun, Aakash, Pulkit, Shashwat, Mayank, Sai, Arun and Bhargav. Your help and mentorship made all the difference. Looking forward to applying these learnings in my future endeavors and continuing to grow. If you're navigating similar paths or have insights to share, let's connect and learn together! #Microsoft #Internship #GrowthMindset P.S The photo is from the hidden mandir at Microsoft and it is said that it brings you good luck in the future.

Feeling incredibly grateful for reaching the first quarter milestone as a Product Manager Intern @ Microsoft! Here are a few key lessons I’ve learned so far: The combination of curiosity and collaboration are powerful: Learning accelerates when you’re connecting with individuals who value collaboration. The culture here has taught me that in order to grow you have to ask key questions to maintain a growth mindset.  Support systems are crucial for success:  Microsoft’s internship program connects us with numerous mentors, buddies, and ERGs. Building a community amongst my peers and learning from inspiring individuals has been transformative. Customer obsession curates improved experiences: Understanding the customer’s perspective is crucial. When designing solutions, it's important to put the customer first. As WSD would say, “Ship it, ship it real good!” I’m excited to see what the next quarter holds! Curious about my MBA journey? Follow me and stay tuned for updates! #Gratitude #LikeAHusky #MicrosoftIntern #MicrosoftLife #DAmoreMckim #GoHuskies #Networking #Community

𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗣𝗠𝗠 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 It feels like just yesterday I embarked on my journey with Microsoft, and yet, four weeks have swiftly passed. Despite the whirlwind of days, I am immensely thankful for the individuals I've met and the insights I've gained. I'd like to share a few lessons that might resonate with those embarking on a similar path. 𝙀𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙚: It's natural to experience imposter syndrome, feeling as though you're not fully grasping everything. There are days filled with meetings where the content seems foreign, yet I remain attentive. Remember, internships are designed for you to immerse yourself in the company's culture, mission, and community, assessing mutual compatibility. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜: Asking incisive questions steers you towards the right trajectory. As an intern, you'll find that every full-time employee (FTE) is eager to see you succeed, offering guidance drawn from their own experiences. Embrace these unique opportunities to seek clarity from your managers, mentors, team members, or any FTE. 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙑𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥𝙨: A dynamic team thrives on contributions from each member. Proactively seek opportunities to showcase your unique skills, share your story, and forge connections. After all, it's your personal narrative and engagement that leave a lasting impression. 𝗣.𝗦.: Here's a snapshot from our recent team bonding activity. I'm grateful for the incredible experience and the wonderful people I've had the pleasure of working with. xoxo. Follow me Tammy Ibeama, I am an MBA student at Northeastern University, I am documenting the real-life hurdles of an international student figuring out life in the US.

As summer comes to an end, I’m thrilled to announce the completion of my 12-week Explore Internship with Microsoft! This experience has been one of immense growth, problem-solving, and collaboration, and I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with Microsoft. I want to give a big thank you to all the members of the AMPX team, my manager Jeremiah Kemper, and my mentor Mohit Singla for welcoming me with open arms and supporting my ideas. Their encouragement was key to meeting and exceeding not only my internship priorities but my stretch goals as well! The highlight of my journey was presenting my project to the entire Microsoft MXP team, including Ali Akgun, CVP of MXP. It was a moment of great pride and accomplishment, and it would not have been possible without the teamwork and coordination of my intern pod: Journei Ferguson and Abigiya Mesfin. As I reflect on my internship, I’d like to share a few key lessons I’ve learned: 1. Problems are opportunities. Each challenge I encountered turned into one of the most innovative aspects of my project, thanks to guidance and fresh perspectives from my team. 🚀 2. Know when to let go. It’s easy to get attached to ideas, but not every idea is a necessary solution to a problem. Letting go of some ideas freed me to focus on the most impactful ones, driving real productivity. ⏳ 3. Sometimes you have to run before you walk. Overthinking can be paralyzing with so many new opportunities. Jumping in headfirst allowed me to stay productive and kept ideas from slipping through the cracks. 🏃♀️ 4. You get out what you put in. Setting high-level goals for growth, both professionally and personally, helped me stay focused and aligned my efforts with what I’m truly passionate about. 📈 I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to explore both PM and SWE roles through this internship. For anyone interested in technology but unsure whether to pursue software engineering or product management, I highly recommend the Microsoft Explore program!

Here are 3 lessons I learned from 15 coffee chats with Apple engineers 👇 1) You cannot build trust in an internship. The reality is 10-12 weeks is too short of a time to build rapport. You likely won't have a massive impact, and your reliability cannot be proven. This means one thing... you can only lose it. Make sure to deliver on time, stay true to your word, and be reliable. Without this, your chances of being valued will drop. But... 2) Don't focus solely on your task. There's more to learn as an intern, and putting on the blinders to get your work done is bad news. Take time to chat with people, inquire about the way the company is ran, meet other interns, and explore the tools and resources around your company. Especially at a big company, there are plenty of brilliant minds to pick about anything and everything. Don't waste your opportunity to grow. Speaking of which... 3) For career progression, it is best to be where your leadership is. Having an impact is a given, but it's a baseline requirement to getting promoted. The value of an employee is shown in side conversations, through the way you work, and with relationships. Most of the time the important skills to be promoted come from behavior seen in the office. You need to be where your leaders are so you can get noticed.

Ever scrolled through old photos and wondered, "What if I had started pursuing that passion, where could I have been?" Well, consider this your wake-up call! After landing 3x internships at #microsoft, I started allowing myself to dream big! I've always aspired to be a spokesperson, sharing ideas and inspiring others. Yet, I kept delaying it, day after day, year after year. Trust me, reflecting back and realizing you've postponed your dreams is not a pleasant feeling. Time waits for no one, and neither should you. Chances are, you're still young or not too far along the timeline. Recognize this pattern and break free from it now, at this very moment. The two biggest dream crushers? Fear of failure and fear of judgment. But how can you anticipate failure without giving it a shot? And even if you stumble, remember, every setback is an opportunity to start anew. As for judgment? Those who thrive are likely too busy chasing their own goals to dwell on yours. Don't let the fear of others' opinions hold you back. Life's too short for mere dreaming. It's time to manifest your own reality! ✨ #DreamBig #TakeAction #CreateYourReality #tech #bigtech #softwareengineering #springbreakthoughts

From a Tier 3 College to Microsoft: An Intern’s Inspiring Journey . . . I have just posted a new video featuring an intern at Microsoft Ujjwal Kumar who hails from a Tier 3 college. This is a must-watch for all students and professionals alike, especially those who are aiming to break into the tech industry. Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/gfShutzk 🎯 Who should watch? This video is particularly beneficial for students from Tier 2 and Tier 3 colleges, aspiring interns, and anyone who's interested in understanding the dynamics of working in a tech giant like Microsoft. 🌟 Why should you watch? The journey from a Tier 3 college to an internship at Microsoft is nothing short of inspiring. This video provides valuable insights into overcoming challenges, enhancing skills, and making the most out of opportunities, regardless of where you come from. 🔍 What's in the video? The video features an in-depth conversation with the intern, discussing their experiences, preparation strategy, resources and learnings. It also sheds light on the work culture at Microsoft and how it fosters growth and innovation. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from someone who's walked the path. Remember, it's not about where you start, but where you're going. #MicrosoftIntern #InspiringJourney #TechCareer #OpportunityForAll