Microsoft’s Kevin Scott & Kathleen Hogan discuss Bay Area presence & careers

Employees gather at Growth Conference 2019 to hear career advice from Kevin Scott and Kathleen Hogan

Employees gather at Growth Conference 2019.

Yesterday, Microsoft Silicon Valley hosted Chief Technology Officer, Kevin Scott, and Chief People Officer, Kathleen Hogan at the annual employee Growth Conference.

The all-day event was focused on career growth and development. Employees from the Bay Area learned about the resources and tools available at Microsoft that empower them to shape their own leadership styles. Last year, the Growth Conference featured local leaders Chuck Dietrich, CVP, Mobile Data Applications, and Chief Technology Evangelist Doug Winnie, Community Manager at LinkedIn Learning, along with bestselling author and career strategist Jenny Blake.

Kevin and Kathleen opened the conference by sharing what makes working in the Bay Area unique.

Microsoft’s presence in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, and Berkeley is rooted in innovation. As a resident of the region, Kevin noted, “Globally, you must have a presence in all of the communities where innovation is happening. The Bay Area is one of the most interesting and creative places in the world. Our presence means we can participate in innovation happening here through conversations with startups, local engineers, and the creative individuals working on the next big thing.”

Kevin Scott and Kathleen Hogan discussing what makes working in the Bay Area unique

Kevin Scott and Kathleen Hogan discussing what makes working in the Bay Area unique.

What differentiates Microsoft in the region to Kevin is the ability to take new technologies and scale them quickly to help others. “Our super power at Microsoft is our culture of empowering others,” he said. “It is permeating through our organization and we all have a shared sense of purpose. This, combined with our scale and talent at solving some of the most challenging problems, allows us to bring technology to people faster in a way that will improve their lives exponentially.”

Deep roots in innovation and technology means that our workforce is accustomed to constant change. Kathleen Hogan sees this familiarity and openness to new technology as a major advantage to a modern career. She said, “Microsoft has a long history of leveraging our technology to empower employees across the globe. We see a strong trend in flexible and fluid work styles, and companies that embrace productivity tools, like Teams, will benefit from greater collaboration. This requires some changes in the way we work, including more transparency, inclusivity and empathy to those not in the room.”

Bay Area employees at 2019 Growth Conference learning about career development at Microsoft

Bay Area employees at 2019 Growth Conference learning about career development at Microsoft.

Interested in shaping your own career at Microsoft? Learn more about open opportunities in the Bay Area here: https://aka.ms/MicrosoftBayAreaCareers.