I interview approximately 15 candidates a month with various levels of experience and education for finance roles at Microsoft.  I very much enjoy interviewing and nothing is better than talking with a great candidate.  However, I have had my fair share of painful interviews.  I have included below what I usually focus on in the interview.  It is clear that with a bit of homework, many candidates can greatly increase their chances of receiving an offer from Microsoft.  I focus on three pillars when I interview including People, Business and Finance.  I have included some details about each of the pillars below.

• People – So you may find it interesting that the first pillar I include is People.  However, today, finance is not just about having great analytical skills.  One needs to possess the ability to influence business decisions based on business analysis.  This requires solid people skills.  Hence, it is important how the candidate communicates during the interview.  That is, keeps eye contact, listens to the question, gives short and concise responses to questions, shows passion around the topic being discussed (especially when the topic is the candidate) and even how the person sits in the chair.

• Business – The second pillar that is critical is a passion for understanding the business.  You may find it interesting that Business is the second pillar and Finance is the third.  However, without a passion for the business, how will you be able to impact business decision making.  From an interview standpoint, this is an area where everyone should do well and is the one that makes me probably the most frustrated.  Nothing is worse than talking with a great candidate and when asked why Microsoft, they do not have a clue.  I highly recommend before your interview that you research Microsoft, read the annual report, understand how Microsoft is organized, etc.  Almost every candidate when interviewing for any job at Microsoft will be asked ‘Why Microsoft?’.  Be ready!  One of the stronger ways to answer this question, if interviewing for a MSFT Finance role, is to talk a bit about your interest in technology, your passion for finance and then reference a few people that you have spoken with before the interview that work at Microsoft.  If you follow this up with a personal story, i.e. your interest in the outdoors if the role is in Seattle or talk about a specific Microsoft product that has had a significant impact in your life, then you have likely answered this question better than most.

• Finance – When interviewing for a finance role, the candidate should be able to show some excitement around Corporate Finance.  When interviewing, I often ask some basic quantitative questions to see how the candidate answers them.  I am not trying to trick the candidate, but more see how strong they are from a quantitative and intellectual horsepower standpoint.  The more finance experience you have, the less I will ask in this space.  However, if you are, for example, a candidate attending business school and are trying to change industries and or functions, be prepared for a lot of questions on why corporate finance.

I have listed above the three pillars that are important and help me assess whether someone is a good candidate for a finance role at MSFT.  You may have noticed that one thing that I do not spend a lot of time on is prior work experience.  I will always hire someone that has potential and seems like a great fit with Microsoft with limited experience vs. someone that has great experience but is not strong in either the people, business or finance pillars.  Approx 2 years ago I hired a medical researcher for a finance role at Microsoft who is now a top performer in her peer group.  She had no previous finance experience but has very strong people skills, a passion for understanding and learning the business plus a strong interest in finance.  A winning combination for sure!

I hope this helps if you are thinking about a role in Microsoft and or in Finance.  If you are involved with recruiting finance talent at a different company, are there other skills that you look for when recruiting?  Do you think that prior finance experience is more important?  I am interested in your thoughts in this area. 

Thanks,
Byron Rader
Senior Finance Director, Microsoft