What I learned interviewing at Microsoft

Reader,

When I was in college, I got an interview at Microsoft. They flew me to Seattle, put me up at a swanky hotel, and effectively gave me an unlimited spending account while I was in town.

That’s not an exaggeration — Microsoft does this for all candidates. They encourage you to rent a car, go to any restaurant, the Space Needle, museums, etc...and just send them the receipts. They’ll reimburse you because they want you to fall in love with the area. A few hundred bucks means nothing to them if they get the candidate they want.

I had no idea what to do with my unlimited budget, but OH BOY, I was excited. That night was the first time I’d ever ordered room service. 

It felt like being in a movie. I could call downstairs without a care in the world and get WHATEVER I wanted. I decided to go all out and order a burger, fries, and milkshake. Total price was over $50 plus room service fee and tip. 50 BUCKS FOR A BURGER!!

Who the hell were these people??

I couldn’t believe people did this.

All of a sudden, as the attendant wheeled the food into my room and whisked the metal tops away, I realized that there was an entire world all around me — a world of MORE — but I had no idea how it worked.

I had always thought about focusing on what I had and being happy with it. That’s just how I was raised.

But as I started looking around, I realized Banana Republic wasn’t the most luxurious place to buy clothes. (If you look at magazines, they have sweaters for $600 or even $3,000. I used to think “does anyone really buy those?”)

I realized there were places to eat that cost 50x what I had paid for dinner. (What kind of restaurant could justify that?? Why would anyone pay that?)

I even realized that Microsoft had been focused on getting the BEST people, not on pinching pennies and trying to cut costs. (One great hire would more than make up for the expenses for 10 non-hires.)

The difference between "pretty good" and "the best" is not incremental. It's massive.

This is true not just for job candidates and employers — but also for fit.

How good is your job? How well are you compensated? Does your work fit your dream lifestyle?

For most people, the answers are discouraging. A lot of people roll their eyes and even use this tired old phrase: “Must be nice!” (You can roll your eyes. Or you can make a change. Find Your Dream Job will help you find a Dream Job, get paid more, and even build a flexible schedule.)

I encourage you to give yourself 5 minutes to really look at what a Dream Job and salary would mean for you. Read the Find Your Dream Job product page. See what's possible.

Just like me when I was interviewing at Microsoft, you might discover that there’s so much more out there, just waiting for you to go after it.

P.S. Some more amazing results from Find Your Dream Job students...

"I used the free material from Dream Job's sales pages to get a job in London, and then after two years there, used the full program to obtain my current job. I've received three salary boosts since joining and have used the material to mould my role into the one I have today."

JONATHAN BALLINGER

"Finding my Dream Job allowed me to spend more time traveling in the most comfortable way without having to think about how much something is going to cost me or if I even have the time to take vacations."

JULIANA GUZMAN

“I went through 2 jobs and multiple coffee and dinner meetings to finally nail the job I always wanted. I now make $380K in a year.”

GAURAV KAPOOR

"It helped me prepare for interviews and helped me get a $4,000 pay increase."

KURT BUSCHE

“During the height of the pandemic, I accepted a new job offer with a $50k salary increase as well as a handsome equity package.”

MONICA GALVAN

Are you next?

The doors to Find Your Dream Job are open now, but I'm closing it Friday to focus on the next class of students.

I hope to see you in the program.