Weeks 7 and 8 at Microsoft

Hello Rossers!


It has been two weeks since my last post, mid point review already passed and it did not go bad. So, after week 7 and 8 I feel my internship is entering a valley of death, at the beginning it was very hard to catch up, know who to talk to, learn procedures and realize that CPG is different from High Tech, the next couple of weeks were good, once I got into "work mode" I felt like I was running the campaign, I had everything controlled, and everything seemed to be running smoothly (besides having to push the campaign back). Now, I feel like I am on an uphill again, I feel the campaign has stopped and that we are not moving fast enough, it might actually happen that I don't get to launch the campaign (which I would really like to do, see my campaign life before I leave).


I have discovered that working with a US Agency is harder than working with a subsidiary agency back at home, they take a longer time to get things done (since they have an "expert" for everything) and they don't react to feedback as fast or well, I guess they feel like the client is stepping on their toes. Luckily, most of my campaign is done for Phase 1 which is the one I am responsible for, we are planning Phase 2 but I definitely will not be able to see it.


This last week was calmed at work since most of my team was at MGX (Microsoft Global Xumit) in Denver, basically where they "inject" the Microsoft thinking into the new employees. I still need to start working on my final presentation where they want me to compare my CPG experience with what I have done during the summer, I am not sure how to do that yet.


One advise for your internship (if you are not from the US) you have to sell yourself, it is not enough with doing your project well and having it under control, people also have to know that and know what you are doing (and sometimes even how you are doing it), that is something I am struggling with because it is not the way I am used to do things. I like being accountable for results, I don't like having to check in just so that people know what I am doing.


Anyway, hopefully the valley of death will finish this week and I will feel better.


On better news, summer finally arrived to Seattle! When I am almost done with my internship the sun decided to come out and play (and stay for a while) I hope it stays like that.


Come back in two weeks!


Gabriel.