When I received my offer from Microsoft Xbox in November 2024 — specifically on November seventh, as I was flying to Kigali, Rwanda — I knew my journey was about to change dramatically.
What I didn’t expect was just how much that change would begin even before my first official day.
A Different Kind of Onboarding
Typically, when you accept an internship offer, onboarding follows a predictable rhythm — forms to fill out, start dates to confirm, and maybe an orientation closer to your first day.
My Xbox onboarding experience has been completely different.
From the moment I was introduced to Miguel, who has since been instrumental in my journey, the process was about more than logistics — it was about discovery.
Miguel and the team created a structure where, nearly every week, I would meet with different managers and leaders across the Xbox business development organization.
Through these conversations, I wasn’t just preparing to start a job — I was building an understanding of the business, its people, and how I could contribute meaningfully.
Learning the Microsoft Way
Thanks to this early onboarding, I’ve gotten to network with the wider team, learn the structure of the Xbox staffing model (including roles like Strategic Partner Managers and Business Development Managers), and explore the bigger picture of how Microsoft operates globally.
I’ve had the time to watch The Story of Xbox, dive into strategic materials like the Matthew Ball reports, and engage in genuine back-and-forth conversations with managers about ideas, gaps in the business, and future opportunities.
This kind of early access and respect — treating me as a contributor even before day one — has been invaluable.
If this work had waited until after my official start, I wouldn’t have had time to build this depth of knowledge while managing the day-to-day demands of the internship.
Co-Creating the Role
One of the most beautiful parts of this journey has been the realization that my role wasn’t fully pre-defined.
Instead of being assigned a preset project, onboarding has been a co-creation process — identifying real business needs, mapping those against my skill set, and shaping work that aligns with both Xbox’s goals and my professional growth.
This process has helped me reflect more deeply on what I’m bringing to the table.
As someone pivoting from the public sector into private industry — with a career that spans working with governments, international organizations, and entrepreneurial ventures — I’m bringing a unique lens:
- A global perspective.
- A deep understanding of stakeholder management.
- A proven passion for using technology and innovation to bridge gaps and create opportunity.
Choosing the Right Path: Marketing Over Supply Chain
This onboarding process didn’t just prepare me for Xbox.
It helped me clarify my larger career direction.
At Michigan State University, one of the top-ranked MBA programs in Supply Chain and Marketing, many of my peers naturally gravitated toward supply chain roles — including prestigious pathways at companies like Amazon.
During recruitment, I was invited to interview with both Amazon and Microsoft.
Amazon’s opportunity was a supply chain-focused MBA Pathways role; Microsoft’s was business development in a marketing and strategic partnership context.
After deep reflection — and honest conversations with mentors, peers, and myself — I realized that supply chain wasn’t where my strengths or passions lay.
I am a big-picture thinker, a strategist, a creative problem-solver.
Marketing, brand strategy, and business development are where I come alive.
This clarity led me to formally pivot my MBA concentration toward marketing — a decision that has been incredibly affirming as I engage in coursework on pricing, profitability, and strategic market analysis.
Gratitude and Looking Ahead
As I prepare to step into my role at Xbox this summer, I do so with deep gratitude.
Gratitude for an onboarding experience that respected me as a professional from the beginning.
Gratitude for a team that believes in co-creation, exploration, and growth.
Gratitude for the clarity and confidence this process has given me — not just for my internship, but for my broader career journey.
🎮 And if the preparation has been this powerful, I can only imagine how transformative the summer itself will be.
With Anticipation for What is Ahead,
Ntha
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