Changing my perceptions of working for a large corporation

Prior to Microsoft, I always worked for small companies. I was greatly impressed by the impact a single individual could have in a small organization and felt that one would get lost in a big company. I still dream of the days when I worked for Black & White Software, a small startup with a real business model that was acquired by Segue Software, when there was only 12 of us. The folks I worked with there were a second family.

At Microsoft, I have realized that the teams are in fact small and the job function I did establishing business partnerships is a very similar to the engagement model of working with different organizations within Microsoft. Life in the end, is very similar to the non-MS world. Individuals make all of the difference in the world and partnerships and collaboration are critical to provide customers with the products and services that they need to succeed.

Recently, I have begun to change my tune about some of the misconceptions I had about working for a large company. I have recently begun to reflect on some of the awesome benefits a large company can have. As a child I remember the numerous IBM family days my
brothers and sisters enjoyed as a result of my father's employment. Today, I am now benefiting from being a MS employee by enjoining into some of the programs like the Microsoft Political Action Committee (MSPAC). MSPAC is one of the largest political committees in the nation.

It is very exciting to be able to jump on my skateboard, ride over to building 33, arrive a bit late, and somehow manage to get a front row seat in front of one of America's most powerful women, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Other benefits of working for a large company is the technology infrastructure that exists including an online library where I can order books that come to me in inter-office mail, an hrweb that lets me track just about everything related to my employment, and an expense reporting system integrated with American Express that saves me an incredible amount of time and money.

And I must say, I am finally ok with using outlook and am hugely impressed with the new Web based Outlook interface.  I have finally stopped dreaming of elm.