Natalie Mickey’s Post

Today marks a significant milestone in my journey at Microsoft. 🚀 Five years ago, I embarked on this incredible adventure, and what a ride it has been! 🌟 I am profoundly grateful to be part of a company that doesn’t just innovate; it empowers every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. 🌎💪 Here are some highlights from my journey: 1. Learning and Growth: Microsoft has been my classroom, my playground, and my laboratory. The opportunities for learning and growth have been boundless. From diving into cutting-edge technologies to collaborating with brilliant minds, I’ve expanded my horizons in ways I never imagined. 2. Impactful Work: Every customer interaction, every project, every decision—I know it contributes to something bigger. Whether it’s transforming education, revolutionizing healthcare, or empowering businesses, our work matters. And that sense of purpose fuels my passion every day. 3. Inclusive Culture: Microsoft’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is not just a buzzword; it’s woven into our DNA. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. Together, we create magic. 4. Innovative Spirit: Innovation isn’t just about products; it’s about mindset. At Microsoft, we embrace curiosity, experimentation, and bold ideas. We dream big, and then we make those dreams a reality. It’s exhilarating! 5. Global Impact: When I see our solutions making a difference across continents, it fills me with pride. Whether it’s helping a small business thrive or enabling a nonprofit to reach more people, our impact reverberates worldwide. So, here’s to the next five years and beyond! 🥂 Thank you, Microsoft, for being my home, my canvas, and my launchpad. 🙌 Colm B. Kristin Lee Ravleen Beeston Alex Taylor Greg Chadbourne Deborah Shakespeare Alex Staton Francesca Colenso #EmpowerEveryPerson #AchieveMore #MicrosoftLife

Hurdles I faced before reaching Microsoft 💼 ⚙️ Challenge 1: Navigating the Tech Maze 🧠 The intricacies of coding often left me feeling overwhelmed. However, I embraced online courses, coding competitions, and unwavering practice to conquer this challenge head-on. 💻💪 ❌ Challenge 2: Resilience & Embracing Rejections 🚫 Facing rejections tested my resilience. With the guidance of mentors, I reevaluated my approach, learning from each "no" to turn them into stepping stones towards achieving my dream at Microsoft. 👔💪 ⚖️ Challenge 3: Balancing Act ⏳ Juggling intense interview preparation, college coursework, and other commitments was undoubtedly demanding. The key was effective time management. I prioritized tasks, honed my multitasking skills, and established a structured routine to thrive. 🗓️⚔️ 💭 Challenge 4: Overcoming Self-Doubt & Building Confidence 😬 The nagging feeling of imposter syndrome occasionally crept in. To tackle it, I consciously tracked my progress, celebrated every milestone, and gradually silenced the self-doubt, bolstering my self-confidence and mindset. 🌈🚀 🎙️ Challenge 5: Taming Interview Jitters 🎙️ The prospect of Microsoft's interviews brought about nerves. By immersing myself in mock interviews, refining my communication skills, and approaching interviews as engaging conversations, I gained the confidence to navigate this aspect smoothly. 🗣️🌟 🌈 Triumph 🏆 As I step into Microsoft, I recognize that every challenge encountered molded my journey. Each hurdle was instrumental in cultivating my resilience, determination, and self-belief. Remember, challenges are the threads weaving your unique narrative of growth. Embrace them wholeheartedly, for they forge your path forward. 🌟🚀 Feel free to like, comment, and share if you resonate with my journey or if challenges have been a part of your own growth story! Let's inspire each other on this remarkable journey. 🙌🌟 #coding #Microsoft #OvercomingChallenges

It’s a bittersweet day leaving Microsoft. I was immensely fortunate enough to be presented with the singular position and opportunity that could even make me consider leaving such an incredible role, on a team driving the cutting edge of emerging enterprise technologies, all supported by the expansive and incomparable resources of such an amazing company. My greatest hope is that I can return to my team as a customer, knowing fully that the mission isn’t just empty words: “empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more” was truly present in how we approached every challenge throughout my time there, at every level and role I was in. More than anything else; I learned a true growth mindset. That’s real. That’s a gift from my time with Microsoft that I will ensure to pass along to my children. I promise it’s not the usual corporate speak that you may hear. I am a different person because of the perpetual focus on embracing challenges and seeing everything, including your failures, exclusively as a learning opportunity and a chance to improve. A huge thank you to my peers and managers and mentors, official and unofficial. It’s due to your guidance (and endless patience) that I find myself on the road I take now, and please know that you’ve got me in your corner for whatever may come. #bluebadgeday #microsoft #growthmindset

Hello, LinkedIn community! I’m excited to share insights from my experience at the Microsoft Advertising open house. I want to thank COOP, a nonprofit working with college grads to improve job prospects using digital skills and connections, for helping organize this event with Microsoft in Chicago. I had the privilege of learning from Microsoft’s industry leaders about the profound impact of curiosity and meaningful relationships in our professional journey. They emphasized that asking questions isn’t merely about seeking answers; it’s about igniting growth and innovation. Highlighted during this session was the importance of embracing a growth mindset, where taking risks becomes a pathway to improvement. But what truly resonated was the idea that our growth isn’t solely individual; rather, it’s intertwined with empowering those around us. Throughout the event, I had the honor of connecting with enthusiastic Microsoft team members who graciously dedicated their time to provide invaluable advice and insights drawn from their own career paths. Key takeaway: Let’s strive to empower those in our networks, fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual success. By uniting our efforts, we can cultivate an environment where everyone not only succeeds but thrives. #MSFTOHCOOP #ProfessionalDevelopment

It was a pretty cool week at Microsoft Vancouver. After having Guy Kawasaki come by earlier in the week, we also had GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke come to talk about the future of building code, maintaining focus when building a product, and the unease that can come with developing a product for other developers. These were two really different talks, but both amazing and impactful. What impressed me most about Thomas's talk was his ability to provide deep, articulate answers to questions with a ton of complexity and nuance to them. It really reinforced for me that that superpower of many executive and senior leaders is communication and being able to distill information in ways that it can be easily absorbed and acted on by others. Thomas is exceptional at this. This is one of the things I've really tried to work on throughout my career. I think I'm doing better, but still have room to go. My issue was always "selling past the close" - I would make my point and it would be clear... and then I'd keep talking. I still do that sometimes, but I think I've gotten better at listening to an inside voice that says "just shut up now". I find it's often better to say less, just to give the conversation more air. Another good example for this for me was watching interviews with Steve Jobs. One of the things he often did was that when he was asked a question, we would sit and think before responding, then respond slowly at first as he crystalized his thoughts. This idea of leaving a silence before giving an answer might seem uncomfortable, but taking time to structure your thinking before you start talking leads to giving better answers. This is probably the most famous example of Steve's approach: https://lnkd.in/gM94WERS Overall, just a great week of learning for me. So thankful to have these opportunities.

What was the catastrophic mistake made by a Microsoft Exchange developer that led to a leaked internal beta version of Outlook?   #DeveloperMistakes #StartupFailures #TechDisasters Hey techies! 💻 Let's talk about catastrophic mistakes made by developers at startups or companies. 🚀 Share your stories and experiences with us! I'll start with a story my cousin told me about an intern at Microsoft who accidentally leaked an unreleased version of Outlook. 😱 Here's what happened: - Interns working on Microsoft Exchange - Offi... Source: https://lnkd.in/greH2ZQv #mymetric360

🌟 Thrilled to have attended the "How to Join Google as a Software Engineer" webinar, part of the Tech Fusion 1.0 series by the Career Connect Society! The session provided amazing insights into the tech industry and clear steps for building a career at Google. A huge shoutout to the speaker Zafar Shahid, PhD, and the organizers for this invaluable experience! #Webinar #GoogleCareers #SoftwareEngineering #TechIndustry #CareerAdvice #TechFusion #CareerConnectSociety

Hello, LinkedIn network! Today, I want to share a bit about my journey in finding my dream, especially my aspiration to become a software engineer at Google or Microsoft. It wasn't a straight path, and it wasn't always easy. But it was worth every step. When I was younger, I had a dream—to contribute to cutting-edge technology as a software engineer for a leading company like Google or Microsoft. It seemed far-fetched, almost impossible. But I held onto it, nurtured it, and let it grow. I made choices that may not have seemed logical to others, but they aligned with my dream. I faced obstacles, failures, and rejections. But with each setback, I learned something new. I learned resilience, adaptability, and the power of never giving up. Currently, I am still working towards achieving my dream of being a software engineer at Google or Microsoft. It's not perfect, and there are still challenges ahead. But every day, I wake up excited to work towards this goal, knowing that it's a journey worth taking. So, my advice to you is this: Don't be afraid to chase your dreams, even if they seem daunting. Embrace the journey, learn from the setbacks, and keep moving forward. Because, at the end of the day, finding your dream is about discovering who you truly are and what you are capable of. #DreamChasing #JourneyToDreams #NeverGiveUp #SoftwareEngineer #Google #Microsoft

In this 1min clip, Valerie Anderson asked me to share a few words of optimism with the early in career technologists at Microsoft. Hope you too will find it useful!

Exactly one year ago, on this very day, I embarked on an incredible journey with Microsoft. 🚀 What a ride it's been! 🙌 This past year has been nothing short of remarkable – a journey filled with learning, challenges, and growth. As a fresh entrant to the corporate world, stepping into the tech giant was a dream come true. 🌟 From day one, I've been on an inspiring adventure of discovery, acquiring new skills, and overcoming hurdles along the way. The pace was exhilarating, and the learning curve was steep, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 💪 In this one year, I've not only developed my professional expertise but also embraced the joys of independence and financial freedom. It's been a transformative experience that has shaped me both personally and professionally. 💼💰 One of the most important aspects that I've cherished is striking that delicate balance between work and life. It's a constant endeavor, and Microsoft has provided an incredible environment that values this equilibrium. 🌇🏠 As I stand at this one-year milestone, I'm excited about the road ahead. The journey has been incredible so far, and I look forward to more opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute in the coming phases of my career. 🌐 Thank you, Microsoft, for an amazing year, and here's to many more incredible adventures ahead! 🚀🎉 Cheers to the future! 🥂✨ #MicrosoftAnniversary #OneYearJourney #gratitude #oneyearanniversary #microsoftlife #corporatelife #challenges #opportunities #learningjourney #career #faang #dreams #learningeveryday #growth #growthmindset