{"id":38154,"date":"2020-01-07T06:00:22","date_gmt":"2020-01-07T13:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/premier-developer\/?p=38154"},"modified":"2020-01-10T13:32:09","modified_gmt":"2020-01-10T20:32:09","slug":"the-key-differences-between-university-and-working-in-the-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/premier-developer\/the-key-differences-between-university-and-working-in-the-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Making the Transition: The key differences between university and working in the industry"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Premier Developer Consultants, Ashley Shorter &amp; Tamar Zamba, describe the experiences, challenges, and lessons of going from undergrad to Microsoft Consultant.<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Getting an offer from <span data-contrast=\"auto\">Microsoft<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> straight out of <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">university<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">was such a thrilling <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">experience<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It seemed like the grand prize for <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">all<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">hard work, stress, and long nights <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">needed to g<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">raduate. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Making the transition from university life to Microsoft<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, however, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">had its own set of challenges<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> It was quickly realized that there are some aspects of working in industry<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> cannot be taught in a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">classroom<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> l<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ecture or lab.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> As computer science graduates,<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">h<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ere are some of the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">key similarities and differences in <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">university<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and working at Microsoft:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What\u2019s similar:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<ol>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Having a routine.<\/span>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle;\">\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Just like in university, you need a routine to get you through your workday. This routine, of course, varies for each person but is necessary for getting all your tasks done in a timely manner.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> The Agile workflow.<\/span>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle;\">\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> As computer science students, we were taught about the Agile workflow process in many of our programming courses. We have come to notice that not only is the process used in delivering solutions to customers, but many aspects of the Agile workflow are found in how we collaborate with each other as a team. For instance, we often set up time to meet with our managers and other team members to see how we have progressed over a period.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Listening to you customers as if they were your <\/span>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle;\">\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> In university, we often listened to our lecturers attentively and took notes. Most people would not consider this much of a skill when coming out of college, but when working with customers regularly, it is a great skill to have! Active listening is not a skill that is taught in school but, is certainly learned and very much useful in the workforce.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h5><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What&#8217;s different:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<ol>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> There is no syllabus.<\/span>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle;\">\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> The hardest part of the transition to working industry is that there are no pre-structured guidelines or timelines to shape your career. Instead, you are given some operational goals and a multitude of resources to help you. Being rather new to the industry, it was difficult trying to figure out what to do on our own. However, we have a great team of industry professionals that are glad to help point us in the right direction.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> There is more than just the internet for help.<\/span>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle;\">\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Those industry professionals mentioned before are the topic of this bullet point. As computer science student, when the lecture notes or the textbooks couldn\u2019t help us figure out a problem on one of our projects, we often turned to the internet for help. The internet is a vast resource and can be helpful at times, but not very useful when you need help with a unique issue. That&#8217;s where the industry professionals save the day!\u00a0 As rookies, we are truly grateful for these members of our team because there isn&#8217;t a problem that they cannot help us with.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> There is a stronger sense of community.<\/span>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle;\">\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Finally, working in industry provides a greater sense of community compared to university. This may be because of the absence of a \u201ccut-throat\u201d competitive environment and the abundance of professionals who are just a ping on Teams away. This experience is vastly different from university, where students are often focused on their own work, not collaborating, and often most students only have as much knowledge as you do.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233279&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We have examined some of the differences you will notice on making the transition from university to working in industry. Let\u2019s look at the steps needed to learn new technologies as a Consultant.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Developing a Roadmap: Ramping up on a technology<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One of the first steps to becoming a Consultant is to select a technology and develop a roadmap for learning or &#8220;ramping-up&#8221;. At Microsoft, there are a lot of resources to learn for free like Pluralsight, LinkedIn Learning, and MSLibrary (an internal tool). This can be overwhelming because there are thousands of articles, videos, and demos to view on any given technology. The challenge is knowing where to start in creating the right learning path for you. Here are the steps to ramping-up on your technology:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Identify your learning style.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Most people are Kinesthetic learners, but if you&#8217;re not sure there are lots of <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.educationplanner.org\/students\/self-assessments\/learning-styles-quiz.shtml\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">online quizzes<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> available to find out! Based on your learning style, a certain resource may be better for you. For example, Kinesthetic learners learn best through experiencing or doing things so a video or demo may be a better learning tool.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Review your resources.<\/span>\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha;\">\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Now that you&#8217;ve narrowed down your learning style, you need to familiarize yourself with the learning resources available. From there, you can get a good idea of the things you need to learn to go from beginner to expert. Keep in mind that shadowing a colleague is a valuable way to learn your core technology.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Here are a few links to start:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.microsoft.com\/learn\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Learning<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/learning\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">LinkedIn Learning<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pluralsight.com\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Pluralsight<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Talk to your colleagues and\/or manager.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> You&#8217;re off to a great start! Talk to others who are already proficient in the given technology and see what they think. They may be able to offer suggestions to complete your roadmap or offer shadowing opportunities. If you&#8217;re not sure who to talk to, ask your manager and they can point you in the right direction. <strong><em>Don&#8217;t be afraid to ask for help.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Develop a plan.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Set time aside in your schedule to study. This should be an uninterrupted time period where you can build your knowledge. This is also a great opportunity to become familiar with organizational tools like Outlook and Teams.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Study and Learn<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Practice, practice, practice!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Coming straight from college, you already know how to study. The only difference is that, this time, there is no syllabus and no study guide. Having that type of freedom can be exciting, but it can also create a lot of confusion on where to start. With these steps transitioning from the classroom to the office can be easier.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">There are a lot of fun and exciting things about working in the corporate environment, but this doesn&#8217;t mean it also cannot also be overwhelming and leave you feeling lost. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">We hope this post serves as an inspiration and a roadmap on how to bring your best self to work, create impact and succeed in your career.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Premier Developer Consultants, Ashley Shorter &#038; Tamar Zamba, describe the experiences, challenges, and lessons of going from undergrad to Microsoft Consultant. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":582,"featured_media":37840,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4612,1],"tags":[308,3],"class_list":["post-38154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-permierdev","tag-premier","tag-team"],"acf":[],"blog_post_summary":"<p>Premier Developer Consultants, Ashley Shorter &#038; Tamar Zamba, describe the experiences, challenges, and lessons of going from undergrad to Microsoft Consultant. <\/p>\n","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/premier-developer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/premier-developer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/premier-developer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/premier-developer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/582"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/premier-developer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/premier-developer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38154\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/premier-developer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/premier-developer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/premier-developer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/premier-developer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}