Lessons Learned From My First “Real Job”

Microsoft hired me for my first “real job” in 2005 to be a part of their new College Hire program for sales, marketing, and services positions. I was brought on to be an Inside Sales rep – selling into State and Local Government. Fresh out of college, they took a chance on me as an eager 22-year-old with no sales experience – other than selling newspaper advertisements for my college newspaper.

Many of us look back from time to time to reflect on the path that has led us to where we are today, and I often think about my career journey and how this first job experience at Microsoft helped shape that. Looking back, here are some of the lessons I learned at my first job:

You Don’t Have To Have All The Answers.

The first day on the job, I immediately felt in over my head as I sat next to a seasoned sales rep and listened in on their customer calls in awe. I was very honest in my interview about my lack of technical knowledge but convinced them I would be a quick study and would devote all my energy into learning what I needed to know to get the job done.

Easier said than done.

I was terrified doing my first solo customer call. I knew I would be asked questions I did not know the answer to, but my manager guided me to just say I will get back to them, allowing me time to figure out the answer and follow-up as quick as possible. On that first call, I surprised myself by not only knowing more than I thought, but also successfully navigating the conversation. I would set a follow-up time with the customers, to come back to them with answers. Often, I would not have the answer by the date I committed to, but I always circled back to let them know I was still working on it. Communication and follow-up is key.

Understand People’s Priorities and Identify Shared Goals.

Many of us have been in work situations where there is a group of shared resources that need to stretch across a team. In my first job, all the sales reps had a shared team of Sales Specialists that aligned to and carried sales quotas for specific Microsoft products. As an inside sales rep, many of my customers were smaller in size and spent less money than some of the other customers managed by other sales reps. Since this team was a shared resource, their time and knowledge base were a limited commodity. I quickly learned if I wasn’t clear about why it was in their interest to help me, I would get less of their time. Rather than asking if they would join a customer call, I would say “I have a “x” dollar amount value opportunity and I need your help moving the deal forward.” This showed I understood their priorities and our shared goals.

Respect People’s Time and Set Realistic Expectations.

The “true” meaning of a fire drill was a term I quickly became acquainted with in my first professional job and have since learned to try to avoid. Absolutely nobody likes to have to drop everything to pull together a report or update a sales forecast with zero notice. We are all dependent on each other from time to time and you cannot control other people’s schedules. Their priorities may not be your priorities. Show respect by not creating a fire drill for someone else based on your lack of planning or communication. Do not over commit yourself or someone else.

Have Fun and Be True To Yourself!

When I started at Microsoft, I decided I was going to be the same person at work as I was outside of work. I was not going to try and project a certain persona at work that was different from my true authentic self. I am a natural extrovert – the kind of person that talks to strangers in the grocery store and have always been a “people” person. Being myself made me more relatable to others. I was able to build relationships with my internal stakeholders, resources and customers. Being my natural self ultimately helped me be successful in my sales role where talking to absolute strangers and finding common ground is part of the job.

I am so grateful that Microsoft took a chance on me all those years ago. It led me to my role at JeffreyM today and I could not be happier with where my path took me. I am still in touch with many of the friends I made in those beginning days, who I learned so much from, and for that I am grateful.

What are some of the lessons you learned in your first “real job”?