Dianne O’BrienDianne O’BrienGroup Product ManagerGroup Product Manager

Corp AccountingCorp Accounting

BiographyBiographyUniversity of San DiegoUniversity of San Diego

Major:Major: AccountingAccounting

Licensed CPA – 12 years finance related Licensed CPA – 12 years finance related experience before MSexperience before MS

Last job before MS:Last job before MS:Water District Asst GM/Finance Water District Asst GM/Finance Manager – Manager –

4+ years4+ years

Microsoft – Microsoft – IT Controller – 3 yearsIT Controller – 3 yearsGroup Product Manager – 3 monthsGroup Product Manager – 3 months

““Finance”Finance”Used at MS & many corporations as catch-Used at MS & many corporations as catch-all term to include the following functions:all term to include the following functions:• AccountingAccounting• Financial ReportingFinancial Reporting• Financial Systems / ITFinancial Systems / IT• Financial AnalysisFinancial Analysis• TreasuryTreasury• TaxTax• AuditAudit• Mergers & AcquisitionsMergers & Acquisitions• Investor RelationsInvestor Relations

Microsoft Finance CareersMicrosoft Finance CareersEntry-level job title:Entry-level job title:

Associate Financial AnalystAssociate Financial Analyst

Qualifications required:Qualifications required:

Undergrad degree Fin, Acctg, Econ, etc.Undergrad degree Fin, Acctg, Econ, etc.

Completion of 6-mo Finance InternshipCompletion of 6-mo Finance Internship

Examples of daily duties:Examples of daily duties:

Financial Reporting & AnalysisFinancial Reporting & Analysis

Business PartneringBusiness Partnering

Controllership / FiduciaryControllership / Fiduciary

Process Re-engineering, Tool buildingProcess Re-engineering, Tool building

Microsoft Finance CareersMicrosoft Finance Careers

Frequency of performance reviewsFrequency of performance reviews

1 time / year (Aug)1 time / year (Aug)

Formal career development discussion 1 time/ year (Feb)Formal career development discussion 1 time/ year (Feb)

Compensation: Compensation:

Salary at 65Salary at 65thth percentile of comparable large Tech companies percentile of comparable large Tech companies

Salary increases for merit & promotionSalary increases for merit & promotion

Bonus $$, Bonus Stock OptionsBonus $$, Bonus Stock Options

Employee Stock Purchase PlanEmployee Stock Purchase Plan

Full Benefits, 401-k, Health ClubFull Benefits, 401-k, Health Club

Total comp for our top performers is at or near the top of our Total comp for our top performers is at or near the top of our

industryindustry

Advancement PotentialAdvancement Potential

True MeritocracyTrue Meritocracy

Finance Career DecisionsFinance Career Decisions Industry – Find a product or service you are passionate aboutIndustry – Find a product or service you are passionate about

Co Size – Large >1000, Medium100-1000, Small <100Co Size – Large >1000, Medium100-1000, Small <100

Pros / Cons of each, just like large vs small schoolsPros / Cons of each, just like large vs small schools

Org Structure – Centralized vs DecentralizedOrg Structure – Centralized vs Decentralized

Finance as “the product” vs Finance as support / partner roleFinance as “the product” vs Finance as support / partner role

Culture – Formal vs Casual, Structured vs ChaoticCulture – Formal vs Casual, Structured vs Chaotic

Life Balance issuesLife Balance issues

Geographic Location, Travel requiredGeographic Location, Travel required

Question Time!