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Five times Fola Adeleke-Adedoyin interviewed for an internship. He lastly obtained it,Microsoft Office 2010 Pro, and in the long run, his blue badge.
By Brian Donohue
Growing up in Nigeria, Fola Adeleke-Adedoyin didn’t even see the Internet or a Microsoft product until he was 15. Once he did, he knew he wanted to pursue a technology career. He had no idea, though, how much pursuit it would entail.
A middle-class background,Windows 7 X86, solid academic skills, and competitive swimming talent gave him the opportunity to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C. Fola worked on a four-year degree in systems and computer science. Each year, Microsoft visited the historically black campus to interview for internships and full-time positions. Each year Fola showed up, hopeful, but left empty-handed.
Others might have given up, but Fola didn’t. Now he sits in a Sammamish, Washington, office, wearing a blue Microsoft badge and a well-earned smile about his application developer job.
Heart in the long run received him his job, said Jenn Watt, staffing consultant for Microsoft Diversity. “Fola is one example of a student who had his eyes set on the prize and wouldn’t give up. ... His self-critical behavior [and] constant drive to improve … proved to be the golden ticket.”
The Urge to Break Through
Each year at Howard, Fola tried to improve his approach. First he brushed up on coding skills, then he focused on displaying his passion more. He tried different styles of dress, from jeans to a suit. He sought advice from Microsoft’s Human Resources department.
“It was hard for me to look into myself every year and say, ‘What can I do better. What could have gone better.’ … So I kept polishing what I thought would add more value. ... The ultimate thing that pushed me through was that I was committed. … It was Microsoft or nothing,” Fola said.
One year there was a mix-up: He had an interview confirmation in hand but wasn’t on the interviewer’s list. For eight hours he sat outside the interview site, waiting for someone to miss their slot. No one did, so he offered to ride with the recruiter to the airport and interview inside the car. The recruiter, no longer at Microsoft, declined.
His desire to work at Microsoft became known among fellow students. One who came to him for interview guidance ended up getting a spot at Microsoft in a year that Fola did not.
“I had the opinion that Microsoft didn’t quite recognize [my] talent, but I was also excited that [every year] the recruiters said, ‘Hey, what do you have this time?’ They still came back year after year, application after application, and said, ‘This guy’s still applying; we’re not going to throw him under the rug.’ Every time,Office Pro, it was like interviewing without bias. That’s what stood Microsoft out. Other companies wrote me off [after one interview],” Fola said.
‘You Acquired the Job’
In the spring of 2005, Fola had his last interview.
He was told to expect to hear within two weeks whether or not he acquired the internship. On day 14, he called the hiring manager, who responded, “I thought we already told you that you got the job.”
“I said, ‘No you didn’t,’ and then jumped up and started screaming,” Fola recalled. “I called my friends and … everybody could really see me at Microsoft.”
Pete Michel was Fola’s internship manager. It was an “easy decision” to recommend him for a full-time position, Michel said.
“[Fola] showed great attention to detail, initiative,Office Standard 2007, and a genuine passion for the technology,Buy Windows 7,” Michel said. “Additionally, his educational background and experience with computers gave him a solid foundation to build upon.”
A Reflection on Recruiting?
While Fola’s situation is atypical among potential recruits, lessons can be taken from his experience, Watt said. “We could learn … to more accurately and efficiently recruit talent from underrepresented institutions.”
Aiming for the best and brightest minority recruits while not discouraging candidates who aren’t quite ready is a task that needs some fine-tuning, Watt acknowledged. “We still have work to do on better preparation of candidates from an earlier stage in their college careers.” Making interview loops more diverse and getting product teams to commit to mentor internships are two ways to improve the process, she said.
That process benefits from Fola’s direct input, now: He’s working with the HR Diversity team to go back to schools and encourage and guide students. “I think I fit … as a role model and an ambassador, now. I told Jenn [Watt], ‘You want feedback, you want ideas … people can relate to me, can see my struggle as a light at the finish of the tunnel. I am a showcase for Microsoft.’”
And a showcase for Nigeria, as well. Fola is also training to be on the nation’s swim team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. “I know every day that I’m in a position other people want to be in. I like it and appreciate it, and it’s a great place to be.”