A Day In The LifE... As a small
team we try to regroup as much as possible.
Lucy Saunders University Staffing Lead at Microsoft UK
with one another to ensure we’re all in touch and aware of what’s going on, providing updates and discussing action points. These meetings tend to be followed by more internal meetings, whether with the business, graduates, interns, other teams or my manager. These could be over a coffee, via Skype or in a meeting room – it varies enormously depending on who is where and what’s on the agenda. There is lots of
opportunity at Microsoft
to get involved in projects outside of your day
to day job role too, so sometimes meetings
will take place relating to
work before the day officially starts. I tend to reward myself with a large coffee from one of our coffee shops and will take myself off to one of the many comfy seating areas around our offices to focus on the day ahead and clear some emails whilst it’s still relatively peaceful. Life is busy and there is always a lot going on, so it’s important that I feel focused before the day truly starts!
I 34 Graduate Recruiter |
www.agr.org.uk
’m not naturally a morning person, however, I’m usually up early to escape the rush hour traffic and get into
Depending on where I’m working from – whether it be our campus in Reading, our offices in Victoria or out and about at suppliers, events or even just working from home – no two days are ever the same, which I love. It keeps me energised and engaged and, it sounds clichéd, but the days just fly.
Mornings are usually filled with meetings. As a small team we try to regroup as much as possible. The first hour of the day could be a team meeting, checking in
other projects outside of the immediate university space, for example speaking at our Get On Programme which is part of our National Plan to get disadvantaged 16 to 24 year olds back into work.
Lunch will be a delicious salad from our deli bar… usually eaten on the go. However, that said, it’s very much encouraged to stop for lunch at Microsoft and to sit in our canteen and enjoy the meal and surroundings that our offices have to offer. I still haven’t quite found time to nip to the wellbeing centre for a massage yet, or play table tennis or Xbox, but I’m determined to do so one day!
I tend to clear more emails or follow up from the mornings activities in the afternoon. I have regular global calls with counterparts across the world, and these tend to take place early afternoon to allow for different geographical time differences. Depending on the number of people on these calls they can take up a large chunk of time – there’s usually lots to discuss, share and talk about cross geographies. I will also arrange to see external visitors or suppliers in the afternoons. There’s no set time when I leave the office. Sometimes my departure time is determined by traffic, other times by my social life, and sometimes it’s just by how engrossed I am in what I’m doing before I actually realise what the time is! Clock watching is just something that doesn’t happen here. If I have no plans in the evening I’ll sometimes choose to log in back home with a large glass of wine in my hand… Other times I’ll wait and enjoy a long run along the river back home instead.
There is always so much going on internally at Microsoft – whether attending briefings on our latest products, signing up for events put on by societies or resource groups (both educational and social), or getting involved in fundraising or community projects. It’s important to be able to balance a bit of everything which is what I try to do… and it helps having such a positive and enjoyable environment to do it all in. n
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