Before visiting Microsoft, my limited understanding of how the company operated led me to believe only extremely tech-minded people with computer science backgrounds worked there. Within a few minutes of being inside the offices, this belief quickly dissipated. The Dublin offices are primarily business-focused instead of the actual software or hardware, and we heard from account executives and salespeople with extreme people skills and an eye for business. Only a passion for technology was required to work there, and the employees clearly displayed this. They were able to showcase some up and coming technology in development and demonstrated all of the cool things it could do, but they had a very limited understanding of the actual software. This gave me a greater understanding of the connection between those responsible for developing a product, and those tasked with making the sale to a customer. The Microsoft employees we interacted with, funnily enough, were primarily Dutch. Though the offices are obviously Dublin-based, Microsoft’s sheer size and reputation allow it to select the best candidates from across the world. The offices are farther into the rural parts of Dublin, and so a bit of the charm of the older buildings and city center is lost. This has followed what we have learned so far about the rapid development of the country and the incorporation of multiple tech giants, the businesses and subsequent immigration of workers aren’t assimilating into the Irish culture, they are becoming the modern Irish culture. After the entire experience, I can confidently say I would love to work for Microsoft. Focusing on individual development, allowing failure in favor of trying new things, and emphasizing a healthy culture of collaboration are all characteristics the company had which align extremely well with my values. Getting an inside look at the machinations of a tech company prompts me to want to ask Dr. Kelley how much of Microsoft culture is something stemming from Irish culture, or completely independent.