How Fix-a-thon helped me crack a Support Engineer role at Microsoft!
On the 18th of December 2020, I came across a LinkedIn article announcing a one-of-a-kind national-level hackathon being hosted by Microsoft. What made me curious about it was the fact that it was exclusively for final year students. The process was simple — participate in the hackathon, and receive an internship at Microsoft as a Support Engineer, purely based on your performance in the Hackathon.
Fix-a-thon — The term itself intrigued me. It was the first time I was reading about Microsoft’s Customer Experience and Success (CE&S) team. When I read about the cultural attributes of Microsoft, what it is that they were seeking in their engineers, I knew I had to apply. This was one of the most spontaneous decisions that I ever took and perhaps the best one too.
Before we get into details about the Fix-a-thon, let’s grasp what CE&S is and what a Support Engineer does.
What is Microsoft CE&S?
Microsoft Customer Experience and Success (CE&S), formerly known as Microsoft Customer Service and Support (CSS) is the technical support arm of Microsoft. The team includes support engineers, managers, technical advisors and many other roles that obsess about customer experience and help solve various problems faced by the customer.
Who is a Support Engineer?
A support engineer’s role is focused on a particular technology, for which you’ll have in-depth knowledge and be responsible for solving queries faced by the customer. Because you’ll be the face of Microsoft, your goal will be to keep Microsoft’s brand promise of empowering every individual and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
What is the eligibility criteria for Fix-a-thon?
You can participate in Fix-a-thon if you satisfy all of the following criteria:
- Pursuing BE/B. Tech in CSE/IT/other quantitative branches.
- Year of degree completion: the current year (for me it was 2021).
- CGPA above 8 in the current degree.
- The student should not have participated in any Microsoft hiring event in the last year.
Good-to-have skills
The following are the skills that we were assessed on and which we majorly used:
- Technical — Fundamental knowledge of core Computer Science Subjects of Operating Systems, Computer Networks, Database Management Systems, Data Structures and Algorithms.
- Professional — Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Managerial Skills, Customer Experience, Leadership and Teamwork, Desire and ability to learn, Time Management.
Phases of Microsoft Fix-a-thon 2021
- Pre-Launch
- Filling the application form — Incorporates basic information about you and your uniqueness (skills, achievements, etc.). Since this is the first stage in shortlisting your application, make sure you write it in the best possible way. Don’t be shy of showing off your achievements. You have to stand out among the 11k+ applicants. Based on the application forms, students are shortlisted to move to the next round.
- CSS (Customer Service and Support) Test — Here, we were tested based on our knowledge in Operating Systems, Computer Networks, Database Management Systems, DSA and other core competencies. Only a minimal number of students shortlisted here moved to the next round.
- Submission of Video — The students who were shortlisted in the test were asked to submit a video speaking about who they are, why are they interested to intern with Microsoft, and why would you fit the bill at Microsoft CE&S. The main objective was to test students based on their communication skills and love for Microsoft.
2. Launch Event — Out of the 11k+ participants from all over India, 72 of us were shortlisted for the Fix-a-thon. Held on December 30, the launch session was our introduction to Microsoft- its culture, vision, mission and people. We were briefed about the Microsoft CE&S, the role of a support engineer by experts from the domain. The event also included some fun games that gave us an essence of the fun-and-energetic work ambience at Microsoft.
3. Phase 1 — This was the first phase of the hackathon, post the launch. This was one of the most challenging yet exciting phases as it was not just the beginning of our journey with Microsoft but had also a lot of learning activities involved with it. As a part of the 5-day period between Jan 4 to 8, we had 3 Learning Capsules (learning sessions on Windows, Azure and Networking) and 2 coach touchpoints (office-hours with mentors) alternately aligned. It was here that we were introduced to Microsoft Technologies from an insider’s perspective. We were learning concepts of Operating Systems (Microsoft Windows), Networking and Cloud Computing but in a more detailed and hands-on way.
After the weekend of revision, we had our next elimination round — the BREAK-FIX Challenge. While many of us were totally new to the technologies taught, the principles and methods of troubleshooting, we all shared the dream of making it to the Hackathon Phase. The break-fix challenge was held over a two-day period (11–12 January) in four sessions (morning and evening) to accommodate all of our time demands. During the 1.5 hours individual session, we were paired with a Microsoft employee who tested our learning capabilities, knowledge and our curiosity and desire to solve problems.
A virtual café with global HR leads was set up after the break-fix. We listened to the workers’ experiences throughout the pandemic and learned about Microsoft’s culture. On the day before the Hackathon, we attended an interactive Design Thinking Workshop that really set things up for the Hackathon.
4. Phase 2 (Hackathon) — The Break-Fix challenge narrowed the field down to 50. Thereafter, the top 50 students were split into ten groups of five students each, with each group having five participants. A problem statement based on current situations was given to each one of us, and we had to solve it. Each team was assigned a mentor to help lead the team through their concept and answer any questions they had. Five of us (located in different areas of the world) worked together for a week to come up with a solution. Throughout the whole process, our mentor was a great source of support and guidance.
5. Semi-Final — This was where all the teams had to present their solution to the problems given. After the semi-finals, a D&I (Diversity and Inclusion) session was hosted to help us understand its importance in tech and Microsoft.
6. Finals — Only five of the ten Microsoft Fix-a-thon teams made it to the final round. My team was one of them. In the time given, we were asked to improve our solution and present it such that it stands out from the rest.
7. Interview — Depending on whether or not you reached the finals, the interview process was different. A language screening phase was held to evaluate your communication abilities for the top 16 finalists (selected based on performance from the beginning of the Fix-a-thon). Among the remaining 25 (who hadn’t made it to the finals), 15 were chosen. It took them two rounds — a management round, followed by an English language screening phase before they were finally selected.
8. Result Declaration — After a long wait, it was finally time for the results. The ceremony started with a video of us all performing and participating in various activities. Seeing that video sent me on a trip down memory lane. It was indeed heartwarming. They revealed the winners after a long wait. Although our team couldn’t make it to the top 3, reaching the finals was an honour. And, best of all, we learned a lot. Some people were individually rewarded for their achievements. My presenting abilities earned me the Best Presenter Award. This literally made my day!
9. Internship Declaration — Our internship selection emails arrived within 2 hours of the results being announced.
What did I gain from Microsoft Fix-a-thon 2021?
Major Learnings
- The beauty of Microsoft’s culture, vision and mission.
- How to handle customers
- Intro into Azure, Microsoft Windows and Windows Networking
Major Takeaways
- A 3-month internship at Microsoft
- My interest in Azure and other Microsoft Technologies lured me into answering Certification Exams for them which was an add-on.
- Lifelong connections with numerous people
How to Prepare for Microsoft Fix-a-thon?
Frankly speaking, I had never imagined participating in a Microsoft Hackathon and then bagging a role at the company. It was my luck that I saw that message that day and the efforts that I took thereafter. Microsoft has a lot of opportunities out there; all you need to do is find the right one and have the desire to bag it. I never prepared for the Fix-a-thon. Ours was the first instalment. I had participated in numerous hackathons and Fix-a-thon was like none other. Fix-a-thon literally fixed the problems with our existing knowledge — helping us get the troubleshooting eye while upskilling us.
There’s no way to prepare for a recruiting procedure as unusual as this one since there isn’t any. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t apply. Here are a few things that I’ve learned from my Fix-a-thon experience that may assist you in your journey:
- Be honest — Whether it’s the application phase or any part of your journey, have the guts to be honest. Let others know what you are good at. In the event that you’re not, don’t tell a white lie about it! If you are unsure of something, you should ask.
- Focus on core subjects in college — Although we usually think that college coursework won’t help us much, you should focus on building a solid foundation for your core Computer Science subjects. Being able to answer practical questions based on basic concepts such as the OSI model or disc scheduling techniques will benefit you.
- Stay connected with Recruiters on LinkedIn and Twitter — I wouldn’t have ever come to know about this opportunity if I hadn’t networked the right way. The more you stay in touch with recruiters on LinkedIn and Twitter, the more possibilities will come your way.
- Do not participate for a certificate or to brag — Do what you do because you want to do it. True passion for technology and a customer-centric approach will always be admired by the public.
- Learn — Neither Azure nor Microsoft Windows were familiar to me before to the Fix-a-thon. The lack of awareness didn’t really matter, because the training offered at Fix-a-thon was quite useful. If you are still curious to learn and have some basic ideas beforehand, try out different learning paths on Microsoft Learn. If you wanna test your knowledge, you can also answer the official Microsoft certifications. To get a free certification and understand how to answer these, try out my articles on Cracking the AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals Certification) and AI-900 (Azure AI Fundamentals Certification).
- You don’t have to just show your scholarly skills — It’s good to be smart. After all, marks are a part of the eligibility criteria. However, Microsoft looks beyond the marks. Talents and extra-curricular activities are highly valued here.
Conclusion
Microsoft is an amazing company to be a part of. One instantly falls in love with the people and culture here. It’s just too beautiful.
Keep a check on the Microsoft Careers and LinkedIn page of University Recruiting for such opportunities. If you are interested in learning more, you can always contact me on LinkedIn or Twitter. I am happy to help!
