How to record your own history

Your journey at Microsoft helped shape the future of technology, and your story deserves to be heard. We invite you to share a story that captures your experience—whether it’s a pivotal moment, a lesson learned, or the impact you made.

Submit your video

Follow these simple steps to submit your video for Microsoft Alumni Voices.

Select a prompt

When you started at the company, how many people worked there?
Where was your office?
What were you hired to work on?
Did you work with BillG? Do you have a good BillG story you can share?
Did you work with Paul Allen? Do you have a good Paul story you can share?
What was it about working for Microsoft at the beginning of the PC revolution?

Tell me about your personal value around philanthropy, and how Microsoft’s philanthropic work resonates with it.
What was your experience with the giving campaign?
Tell me about a memorable moment and what you gained from it.
What did you value most about being able to participate in the giving campaigns?
Did Microsoft's philanthropic efforts (Giving Campaign and other social impact initiatives) have any influence on your personal philanthropic efforts post-Microsoft?

Talk about computing before the "cloud" and what drove the need for Cloud Computing?
What were Microsoft's earliest innovations in the cloud space?
This was one of the big "bets" for Microsoft in the evolution of computing, what were some of the problems that were trying to be solved.
What specific role did you play?
What were the biggest adoption hurdles?
Talk a little about the evolution of Azure from it's start to what it is today?
Why is the cloud vital for enterprise and for consumers today?
What's next?

What campus were you on? What building were you in?
About how many people were working at the company (subsidiary) while you were there?
What do you remember most about the culture?
When you think about something that is quintessentially Microsoft, what is that?
What was your favorite part about working at Microsoft?
How did it feel to be part of the company as it grew while you were here?
Microsoft is known, especially in the early days, for working hard and playing hard and celebrating in a big way. Tell us about a celebration that you particularly remember. What were you celebrating and what was the atmosphere like?

Early in the company, the company’s mission was articulated. A computer on every deck and in every home. And eventually empowering people to do more. What did that mission(s) mean to you?
Did the mission inspire you? How so?
Did it empower you as an employee? How so?
What made you think that was possible?
Several people have said that one of the things they’ve taken away from Microsoft is the “permission to think big.” Is that something you can relate to and if so, how did that manifest itself with you after you left the company?

Was there a moment when you were working at Microsoft that you realized the impact and scope that the company — and the work you were doing — was having on the world?
What do you think is Microsoft’s legacy?
Alternatively, what is Microsoft’s greatest contribution to the world?
What are you most excited about for the future of the company?
Beyond technology, what do you believe has been Microsoft’s most important contribution to the world?

Prepare for your video

Reflecting on your time at Microsoft. Think of a story, memory, or experience that ties back to the prompt. Aim for 2-3 minutes of video, but feel free to take your time to tell your story in your own way. Explain details and put things into context, but avoid tangents. And, if you’re mentioning names, please use the full names of the people you mention.

Record your video

Use your smartphone, webcam, or camera to record your video. Position yourself so your head and shoulders are in the frame with room to spare. Make sure you're in a quiet place with lots of natural lighting, and speak clearly so your story comes through.

Make a great intro

As you start your recording, use these questions to introduce yourself.

Step one: State your full name and the years you worked at Microsoft. (Hi, I’m Pat. I worked at Microsoft from 1980 to 2010.)
Step two: Give a 30-second overview of your professional experience at Microsoft (When I joined Microsoft I was hired as a project manager for Windows 95. Over the years I worked on several of the company’s biggest product launches, including xxxx, xxxx and xxxx. When I left the company, I was the director of xxxx.)
Step three: Tell us where you live, and what you’re doing today (Today, I live in Paris and am a senior engineer for XYZ software company.)
Step four: Answer the questions from the prompt you selected.

Submit your video

Once you’ve recorded your story, click the "Submit Your Video" button below. You’ll be guided to upload your file easily.

Submit your video