Today we visited the Microsoft European Headquarters in Dublin. Originally, I expected a modern, tech heavy office space. While the building did appear as clean and contemporary as I had imagined, I was surprised to discover that not all Microsoft employees work in software development and other related fields. The speakers we had during our visit were actually focused in sales and talent recruitment which was interesting. Additionally, we heard a lot about Microsoft’s commitment to a sustainable future and I was very impressed with the steps they have already taken to accomplish this. For example, their notebooks were made entirely of reusable materials. The Dublin office specifically has positioned itself as the center of Microsoft for Europe. We spoke with employees from France, Germany, and the Netherlands. This office has easily incorporated itself into the community by being “customer obsessed”, working to provide consumers with the products and services they are looking for. Their sustainability efforts have also helped them to connect with the Irish people and demonstrate their commitment to serving the community. A quote from the company’s CEO describes their customer and community focus: “I always say this to any student who is joining Microsoft or looking to join Microsoft. I say to them, look, if you want to be cool go look for someplace else. But if you want to join a company that is committed to making others cool, join Microsoft.”

I also took note of how much the speakers emphasized the importance of company culture. They discussed how culture plays a role in the success and innovative abilities of the organization. After hearing from their first-hand experiences, I could see myself wanting to work here. I really admired how driven and creative they all were while also acknowledging the importance of giving back to the community and helping others. That said, I would like to ask Dr Kelley tomorrow about how business professionals can get involved in these tech companies without having any sort of technological background or education.

Lastly, we toured Croke Park which was an amazing experience! The stadium was massive, holding up to 83,500 people. My favorite fun fact was that most Irish people claim that the first game played there was between Ireland and England. Truthfully, it was between Ireland and France, but Ireland lost that game so they seem to forget about that one.