How I Secured an Internship at Microsoft (And What Might Help You Too)

Note: Please read this article before you DM me to coffee chat, as I likely already answered your questions below.

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

The Outlook notification springs onto on my iPhone lock screen. I sigh.

Microsoft Recruiting: Update on your application for Sales Operations: Summer Co-op Internship Opportunities (Job number 1755600)

"Another rejection letter," I think to myself.

I still click the notification instantly.

Because...

I should just get the rejection done, and over with. Right?

...Or not?

My eyes widen.

Disclaimer: This article doesn't guarantee you an internship at Microsoft, or anywhere else. Some advice is general, while other insights are specific to my recruitment experience with Microsoft, interning at the Canada Headquarters. Overall, you read this article with the idea to reflect with me on my personal journey and job search experiences, which may not apply to all roles, internships, or regions. Readers should fact-check any information and interpret the content using their own judgment.

Summary of My Role: I'm part of the Sales Enablement & Operations (SE&O) operating unit within Microsoft Americas (Canada, the United States and Latin America). Under SE&O, I serve as an intern for their Business & Sales Operations (BSO) organization, supporting the Resource Design (RD) team. Our work focuses on aligning employees, tools, and structures to enhance sales and business operations across. My role centres on business enablement, where I lead internal communications, develop operational assets, and maintain team resources to drive alignment and ensure readiness throughout the fiscal year. As a stretch project, I support the SE&O AI & Business Solutions (AIBS) organization, leading a Microsoft Copilot implementation project for the Education (EDU) segment in higher education.

1. When to Apply [General Advice]

As every recruiter tells you, apply early.

"But Nabeeha, what is early?"

I suggest within the first 24 hours of any internship posting going live.

My hot take: if it's been more than 3 days since an internship was posted, I likely don't apply.

Why?

Chances are, I won't hear back.

Though it depends on the organization, most internships fill candidates on a rolling basis. Even if a posting is open from January 1 to May 1, that doesn't mean the company waits 5 months to fill the position.

Remember: the early bird gets the worm.

So apply early.

Out of every company that I have ever applied to, the only ones that got back to me for an interview are the ones where I applied within 24 hours, or a maximum of 3 days of the posting going live. Anything longer than that, and my chances of hearing back dropped significantly.

The Microsoft internship posting that I applied for went live on November 21, 2024, and I applied within 2 hours.

1A. How to Apply Early [General Advice]

"Nabeeha, I'm not psychic. I don't know when all of these organizations will post their internships. How do I make it within the first 24 hours?"

Remember, the jobs don't find you. You find them.

Early bird alert.

But to become the early bird, you must understand how internship recruitment cycles work.

A general rule of thumb is to apply one semester in advance.

Below is a general guide, based on common patterns across internship recruitment cycles. While timelines may vary by organization, these are typical seasonal trends:

• Summer internships (May to August): post usually between November and February, with most going up in December and January.
• Fall internships (September to December): post typically between May and July, with the bulk in June.
• Winter internships (January to April): post often between August and October, mostly in September.

In my case, the Microsoft internship posting I applied to opened at the end of November 2024.

That said, while I started in late April 2025, some interns didn’t begin until mid-May or even June 2025, so not all of Microsoft Canada’s internship postings follow the same timeline.

Become a LinkedIn Warrior [General Advice]

I solely use LinkedIn to job search, so everything I mention below applies to LinkedIn specifically. Feel free to interpret my advice for your preferred job search methods.

Remember all those lessons in school about Boolean search and how to use keywords to navigate those academic research databases?

Good!

Now is the time to use those skills.

Start with the basics. Do this exercise with me:

• What position are you looking for? Internship? New grad? Part-time?
• When are you looking to fill the position? Summer? Fall? Winter?
• What field are you looking for? Marketing, sales, product, strategy, UX?

Let's say I'm looking for an internship in Fall 2025, in the marketing field. Here are some potential LinkedIn search variations that I might try:

• Fall 2025 Marketing Internship
• Marketing Intern Fall 2025
• 2025 Fall Marketing Co-op
• Marketing Intern Fall 2025

Now, here's the ultimate hack: once you figure out a few solid keyword search strings, set up LinkedIn job alerts and check back regularly.

In fact, check LinkedIn every day.

Yes.

Make LinkedIn part of your routine.

Scroll through LinkedIn like you doomscroll through TikTok (or Reels).

Set an alarm if you need to.

I don't care.

Become a LinkedIn warrior.

This is exactly how I came across the Microsoft internship postings within 2 hours of it going live. Back in September 2024, I had already set up LinkedIn job alerts for summer 2025 roles. I got daily notifications and emails - so when late November came around, I saw them instantly.

You can also use AI to help generate more keyword search string combinations! Try this prompt:

• I'm searching for [internship; new graduate; part-time; full-time roles] starting [Fall 2025; Winter 2026; etc.] in [insert fields like marketing, sales operations, UX, etc.]. Generate a list of keyword search strings I can use to set up LinkedIn job alerts.

Make sure you set up a LinkedIn job alert for every keyword search string you come up with. Don't forget to filter by "Past 24 hours" so you're always seeing the latest postings and not solely sponsored content.

2. How to Keep Track of Your Applications [General Advice]

Once you find all of the internship postings that you're interested in, track every single one down as you apply. I use a table that I create on Notion. Very simple. Three columns:

1. Job title + hyperlink to the posting
2. Status with drop-down field selections (need to apply, applied, waiting, etc.)
3. Outcome with drop-down field selections (offer, rejection, ghosted)

You can make your table in Excel, Google Sheets, wherever. The tool doesn't matter. What matters is having a system.

3. What Makes a Good Application [General Advice]

First, do yourself a favour: apply to all of your internship options with the same email. Don't mix your applications with personal and school emails, because that is a recipe for chaos. You will forget which inbox to check and accidentally miss an interview. I advise my peers to use their school emails for a professional look. But no matter what email you end up applying with, triple check that it is the same email listed in your contact information on the top of your resume. Keep it consistent.

Second, I honestly never submit a cover letter unless it's specifically requested. I hear from many recruiters that they don't look at them.

Third, what makes or breaks a lot of resumes is how clearly and effectively you communicate your experience. It's not about flashy design, it's about clarity.

Please don't use Canva for your resume. Don't include your photo.

I get it.

We all wish our resume looked like a brochure.

But the resume shouldn't.

A lot of resumes go through ATS and/or AI scanners and your pretty format doesn't get picked up.

Stick to plain and simple, unless your role implies otherwise (e.g., if you're a design student. But I'm not a design student, so don't take my word for what's best in that case. Just an example of where the exception might apply).

I have reviewed resumes since I was 16 through various roles, and one consistent theme I noticed is questionable formatting choices... whether it's in the layout or the structure of resume points. And if it's your first time writing a resume and no one ever showed you how, that's okay. My first resume in Grade 10 was super... not good. You're not the target audience for the next message.

I say this with love: a lot of information is very easily accessible to you. Your schools and universities have abundant resources. And if they don't, AI is your new Google. I promise you that it's not hard to make a great resume as soon as you know where to find the tools to do so.

See. This article could've been dedicated to resume writing... but it's useless if I do that, because the real professionals in your educational institutions WANT to help you. Go to them. This is their job. And they're GOOD at it.

Here's the UTM Career Centre 's resources page if you want a place to start. But your institution surely has a career centre, too.

If you're still lost, DM me with your resume ready and I'll review it for free. I'm also human so please be patient in my responses. All efforts to get back to you as soon as I can!

Let's not gatekeep now. 🤨

4. Did I Network for my Microsoft Role? [Microsoft-specific Advice]

Sort of? I cold-messaged a couple of current interns and individuals who interned at Microsoft in the past. I just asked for their thoughts (super casually). No intense coffee chats. No referral.

When I applied to my Microsoft internship, it was a cold apply.

I don't always recommend relying on a cold application. But in this case, I applied to Microsoft not really expecting to hear back. 😳 But hey, it worked out!

After I got the interview, I stayed in touch with those interns in my network for advice and tips, which I suggest you do too!

5. My Microsoft Interview Format [Microsoft-specific Advice]

I applied on November 21, 2024. I heard back on January 14, 2025. My interview was scheduled eight days later, on January 22, 2025, so I had about one week to prepare.

The format was one final round, split into two interviews:

• 60 minutes with interviewer #1
• 30-minute break
• 60 minutes with interviewer #2

Both interviews were with Directors of Sales Operations for the Americas Business & Sales Operations (BSO), from different teams.

5A. How to Prepare for an Interview [General and Microsoft-specific Advice]

I lived in a Google Doc leading up to my interview. It was my home base. And this is how I recommend setting your home base up too:

And please, don't use AI for this.

Do it yourself.

I know you still have critical thinking in you.

You need to do this yourself, because:

If you can do the following exercise in your own words, that means you understand it.

And if you understand it, you can talk about it.

If you can talk about it, it's the same as talking about your favourite TV show. You won't shut up about it (in a good way).

And, I guarantee that by the end of this exercise, you won't sound robotic during your next interview.

Ready? Let's go. And feel free to tweak this exercise to prepare for any interview, as it's universally applicable.

Divide your Doc into three sections:

1. About Microsoft

First, go to microsoft.com and explore.

In a new doc, answer everything you can think of in your own words:

• Who is Microsoft?
• What's their mission?
• What makes them different?
• What are their values?
• What are their main products and solutions?
• What are they working on now?
• What's their history and timeline?
• What case studies stand out to you?
• How does this connect to the role you're applying for?

Add more questions for yourself to answer, if you need clarity on who the organization is.

Tip: Microsoft's YouTube channel has the most comprehensive study material you can find for your interview.

2. About the Role

Second, copy the job description into your doc.

Break it down line by line.

Rewrite each point in your own words.

Define anything you don't understand. Ask yourself:

• Do I meet this qualification?
• If not, how can I work toward it?
• What story or example can I use to show this?

Even if the posting is vague, take it seriously. It helps you understand what they're really looking for.

Tip: make sure your resume includes keywords from the job description in a way that genuinely applies to you so their ATS and/or AI scanners can pick it up.

3. About Myself

Third: this is the part most people skip. Don't.

Know your resume inside and out.

If they ask you to walk through it (and they probably will), don't just repeat the content - reflect on it. Talk about your learnings, challenges and proudest moments. Then, find ways to connect it back to the role you're interviewing for.

And when they ask "Tell me about yourself," go beyond your resume.

Talk about your values, personality, education, side projects and what drives you.

Make it human.

Make it matter.

And connect it back to Microsoft.

The 3 Guaranteed Interview Questions [Microsoft-specific Advice]

• Why Microsoft?
• Why Technology?
• Why This Role?

You will be asked these three questions (maybe not word for word, but they'll show up in some form) in your interview(s). By the end of the above exercise, you should be able to confidently answer all three.

Be Sure to Practice Behavioural and Situational Questions [General and Microsoft-specific Advice]

Go on Glassdoor, Indeed and Reddit. Use the same strategies we use for LinkedIn job alerts and make keyword string searches along the lines of:

"Microsoft intern interview"

"Microsoft intern interview questions"

"Microsoft internship"

"Microsoft (insert role) internship questions"

Make a list of all the potential interview questions you find. Then, use AI to help you generate more based on the patterns of your findings, as well as the role's job description.

Microsoft uses a format called S-T-A-R-R-S: Situation, Task, Action, Result, Reflection, Strengthen. Yes, there's an extra "R" and "S." And yes, you should practice with this structure.

Don't try to memorize perfect answers. Be natural. You just need to understand enough to hold a conversation.

Tip: I booked a mock interview with a Career Strategist at the UTM Career Centre 1 day before my Microsoft interview, and it helped me get the last-minute nerves out.

6. My Interview Experience, and What Came After [Microsoft-specific Advice]

Both interviews felt comfortable and welcoming, and I built genuine connections with my interviewers.

My first interview felt more situational; lots of questions, fast-paced and quick thinking.

The second interview felt focused on personality and conversation, and I was primarily asked about the "Why Microsoft?" and "Why Technology?" question.

I want to say that your interviews will fully vary on the interviewer, so don't expect the same format as mine.

I appreciated both interviews for their respective reasons, as I let various parts of my skillset shine.

I don't think one single experience helped me stand out in the interview. I think it is the sum of everything I do, and my community engagement efforts. That's a real passion of mine and it came through naturally.

After both interviews, I messaged my interviewers quick thank you's on LinkedIn. They accepted my request and one responded with their well wishes.

My interview was on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 and I heard back with an offer the following Monday, January 27, 2025.

I was beyond happy to get this email, but also confident that it would arrive. I knew my interviews went well, and it's because of the prep-work I put into my summer 2025 internship search.

And the rest is history.