start from scratch
In the days before Windows 3.0, Microsoft was actually an Apple Macintosh shop. But when a new version of his Windows came out, the staff quickly moved on, including Jeff, who moved from accounts to customer service roles.
“Suddenly I had to learn to use a PC,” he says. “It was a small company, so no one was around to teach you. You had to figure it out on your own.
Staff were encouraged to acquire bits and bits of new products, play with them, break them, and then learn how to fix them. I rolled up my sleeves and headed to the warehouse.
With his growing confidence and tech savvy, Jeff soon moved into technical support for the Word product. This was before screen sharing, and I could spend up to 90 minutes on the phone trying to fix a customer’s software problem.
“The customer had to explain it to you, and you had to go on the phone and say, ‘Okay, here’s the menu.’ Customer When he was in service, he was getting 150 calls a day, but for tech support, it’s about 25 because of the detail of what we’re doing. decreased to “
embrace new experiences
One of Jeff’s career highlights was working as a technical support for Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates as he toured Australia in the 1990s.
“It’s really intimidating when you’re a young person and someone comes from the mothership in Seattle.”
The first question Gates asked him was how to get an outside line at the hotel so he could download his mail.
Jeff then moved on to server administration, a pioneer of Azure cloud products, and later served as a technical evangelist, presenting at conferences and user groups for Microsoft products.
“I couldn’t believe I was getting paid to travel around the country and talk to people about technology and our products,” says Jeff. “I had a lot of fun.”
In my current job, I work directly with the engineering team at Redmond to provide product feedback. Despite his extensive work experience, Jeff says that one of the best soft skills anyone can have is being able to give presentations and connect with people. “That’s what everyone should be taught,” he says.
stay curious
Microsoft has a very solid set of paths for those wanting to advance in their careers, but Alexander helped make the shift from someone who knew nothing about computers to a complex technical role. said to be his passion for reading everything he could get his hands on.
Having been with the company for nearly 40 years, Jeff credits his many years of service with the company for the flexibility, balance, and incredible breadth of opportunities that Microsoft offers.
“It’s been a great journey for me. The company has grown rapidly and I’ve basically grown with it,” says Jeff. “Met his wife at Microsoft in 1997 and raised a young family in the 2000s.”
His biggest piece of advice for young people just starting out in their careers is to be patient.
“Building a career takes time. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or fail quickly,” he says.
