As a Staffing Manager in the Windows/Windows Live Division, I have the opportunity to see broadly across what’s going on with the Windows Division. Additionally, I sometimes get a glimpse into how our efforts connect to other Microsoft business units around the world, which is great, especially if you’re the kind of person who took apart a Rubic’s Cube just to see how it works. So, I jump at any chance to get an even bigger or different perspective of Microsoft as a whole.

Yesterday, I walked over to the 2010 Microsoft Product Fair which was held at the Soccer Field on the Redmond Campus. Yep, there’s a soccer field right in the middle of campus. The Seattle Sounders have come out a few times and practiced here; last year Nate Jaqua signed a poster for my son and mentioned that he really liked the field – I guess That’ll Do. Anyway, back to the Fair:

It’s a bunch of tents, big tents, with folks from different businesses and teams showing off the newest developments in their products or services, many I recognized and a few that I only knew on a superficial level.

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Check out this footage from Microsoft Product Fair 2010: employees learn to make music using Windows 7 (64-bit) with DJ Darek Mazzone. Afterwards, they take home their new music on a jump drive.

Darek discusses how Windows 7 "is a revolutionary operating system in the creative space." This was one of dozens of amazing products that employees were able to sample at the Product Fair this week.

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Resume review & advice. Part II of II. (read Part I)

Resume review actually consists of several different “layers” of consideration.

There are multiple factors that I consider simultaneously and all need to be accounted for before I make the decision to contact a candidate for a phone interview. What I’m looking for is a resume that “pops out" at me on multiple layers. 

The first thing that I look for when reviewing a resume, are the basics: does this candidate meet the minimum requirements for the position? Keep in mind, for many positions there are two sets of requirements – the bare minimum required – and the bonus qualifications that I’m ideally hoping to find. In this layer, I’m only looking for the former – but I’m militant in my resolve. If I need a year of experience, and you have six months – sorry, I just clicked “NEXT”.

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