What a Finance Manager at Microsoft Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Finance Industry
Entering the finance industry as a Finance Manager at Microsoft, one will quickly realize that it's "completely okay to not know stuff," as constant learning and questioning are paramount; therefore, proactively asking questions, even seemingly simple ones, is key to fully understanding projects and fostering collaboration, since no one expects you to know everything immediately. The career professional emphasizes that it is better to ask for help upfront rather than struggling in silence, as Microsoft has a collaborative environment where people are generally willing to assist, and this approach is essential for quickly acclimating and handling any task that comes one's way.
Continuous Learning, Questioning, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Adaptability
Advizer Information
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Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
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Traits
Andrew Sullivan
Finance Manager
Microsoft
Wake Forest University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Finance
Technology
Finance
Honors Student, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. It's completely okay to not know stuff; even experienced professionals sometimes face unfamiliar challenges.
2. Asking questions, even seemingly simple ones, is crucial for understanding the problem, the issue, what you're trying to do, the timeline, and the deadline.
3. Microsoft has a collaborative environment where people are generally happy to help, and asking questions is encouraged for acclimation and understanding tasks.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
You're not going to know everything coming into a new role, and there's nothing you can do to prepare for it entirely. Everything you do has to come from asking questions and learning on the job. It's completely okay to not know things.
You might go into your first meetings or calls with no idea how to financially model something someone is asking for. That's okay because the person next to you, even someone who's worked at Microsoft for 10 years, might be in the same position. It can feel like you don't know anything, but that's common.
There are certain things that, regardless of your experience, you'll need to ask about. The most important thing is to always be asking questions and not be afraid to ask simple, clarifying questions.
This will help you fully understand the problem, the issue, your objective, and the timeline. Double-checking and triple-checking these details is key.
Waiting until the last minute to ask for help or trying to complete everything on your own because you feel bad asking for assistance is not how people work, especially at Microsoft. It's a collaborative environment, and most people are happy to help, whether they're on your team or not.
People might say they don't have time, but they aren't mad at you for asking questions. This is key to getting acclimated and fully understanding anything that comes your way.
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