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“And here’s campus!” said Jeff, the Microsoft recruiter who was narrating our bus ride. “On the right you can see Studio A...”

I could barely believe it. I was sitting on a coach bus with 39 other students from universities across the US and Canada, about to take part in a very special event – Experience Microsoft 2013.

Experience Microsoft is an annual event designed to inspire students and introduce them to the inner workings of Microsoft. Held at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington, this recruiter-led event focused on interview skills for the tech industry and what to expect from a job at Microsoft, as well as a sneak peek into Microsoft’s vision of the future.

Day One started off with a buffet breakfast and a presentation by Steve Clayton, Microsoft’s Chief Storyteller. He showed us the latest video from the Productivity Future Vision series, which can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/office/vision/.

“When I first saw this video,” he said in his British-American accent, “I didn’t believe any of this could be possible. But I will tell you: ninety percent of the technology you see in this video exists.”

I didn’t believe him either until I saw it in the future home tour later that day. In one of Microsoft’s 150 buildings you can step into the future. An office, kitchen, living room and collaborative work area are built with seamlessly integrated technology that augments our daily tasks. In the future, your kitchen counter recognizes your ingredients and takes you through recipes step-by-step, telling you which pans to use and tracking the heat across the stove when you move them. Your living room converts into a virtual reality experience by using digital picture frames, lighting and projectors to bring a story to life, even when the storyteller is thousands of miles away. Your windows are digital screens where information can be viewed and reminders can appear at a simple voice command, and your phone can interact with your house – draw a sticky note and swipe upwards, it’ll appear on the wall in front of you.

It sounds like a futuristic movie, but the technology exists. That’s what’s so exciting about this industry – as computer scientists we are the architects of tomorrow. Whatever we dream up can become reality. And that’s exactly what they’re doing at Microsoft.

Anywhere you go on campus, there’s something interesting happening. The most active place is The Commons, a central area with restaurants, banks, shops, a post office and even a doctor. Chefs perform demonstrations at the stage, teams display their projects or conduct studies, and musicians perform in the nooks along the windows. It is a festive hub of Microsoft, and the atmosphere is one of intelligence and passion; it’s clear that the employees love their jobs.  

After having lunch at The Commons, our Experience Microsoft group went through a series of events. First came the coding challenge, in which teams competed to code the most efficient algorithm to problems given by Microsoft employees (my team placed second!). Then we had the Tech Showcase, where representatives from projects such as Windows 8, Surface, Excel and Dynamics pitched their products to us. We capped the day off with a networking mocktail reception where we mingled with current Microsoft employees from various departments of the company.

The next day we had our mock interviews with employees in our desired positions. Before coming to Microsoft we were asked to rank positions in order of interest: Project Manager, Software Developer, or Tester. These preferences were used to match us to interviewers, who asked us each a question they would ask someone during a real interview. When not with interviewers, we hung out in the guest lounge playing Xbox, enjoying refreshments, and painting on Microsoft Surface tablets. That evening we wrapped up our event with a closing dinner at Seattle’s famous Space Needle.

Experience Microsoft was an incredible event and I feel so lucky to have been able to be part of it. The students I met there are so smart and I expect great things to come of them all. The recruiters and employees are all so friendly and passionate, and it is so inspiring to see such positivity and happiness at one of the most impressive companies in the today’s world.

I left Seattle feeling rejuvenated, remembering the excitement I felt when I first discovered the joys of programming. Being in the technology industry at this time feels like we’re standing on the precipice of something huge. We can mold and shape the future in whatever ways we want – anything we imagine can be created. And the technologies we create could change the world forever.