Episode 14: Career Coaching Spotlight - Work in Northern Virginia with Michael Batt

Leaving The Nest - Episode 14: Career Coaching Spotlight - Work in Northern Virginia with Michael Batt

Have you ever wanted to work for a big-name company like Microsoft?  If so, you won’t want to miss the insights and tips from one of our own local business leaders!

Hey there, listeners! Welcome back to another episode of Leaving the Nest. I’m your host, Kathleen Pellegrino from ROCS Grad Staffing. Our mission is to help you find a job out of college and thrive in the real world.

Today, I’m sitting down with Michael Batt and he’s a lifelong resident of the Northern Virginia area. 

Michael graduated from Marymount University with a Business degree and then spent most of his career working for Microsoft. I’m sure you’ll enjoy hearing how he got in with Microsoft and how he worked his way up.

Michael and I will also chat about what he’s been up to since retiring. Today, he is the Director of the Talent Initiative Program for the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, or FCEDA. This is a really great program and I’m really excited for you to hear about all of the tools that they provide.

Their website, www.WorkInNorthernVirginia.com, posts thousands and thousands of job opportunities and internships that you can apply for as well as different tools for anyone looking to work in the Northern Virginia area. 

I’m really grateful that Michael reached out to be a part of this podcast and share all of these tools and insights with all of our aspiring job seekers.

Enjoy!

In This Episode:

[01:54] - An introduction to our guest, Michael Batt. 

[02:51] - Mike reveals what it was like when he first left the nest.

[04:44] - How can someone get an opportunity to work for a big company like Microsoft?  Mike shares his experience.

[06:46] - What did Mike believe were the pros and cons of working for Microsoft for over two decades?

[09:42] - The value of staying the course at one company in terms of retirement plans and benefits.

[11:21] - Mike elaborates on the pros and cons of working for big companies.

[13:39] - Mike’s journey to management in Microsoft.

[15:25] - We hear about Mike’s transition out of Microsoft shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic.

[18:31] - What is the Talent Initiative Program for Northern Virginia and DC?

[21:12] - Mike and his team are working with a premium marketing company to educate job seekers about what Northern Virginia has to offer.   

[23:57] - Kathleen recaps the great tools offered through FCEDA.

[26:42] -This is the greatest piece of advice Mike would share with recent college grads. 

[29:22] - Mike didn’t get the job the first time he applied at Microsoft, but he reminds us not to give up.

[30:50] - An example of how networking has helped further Mike’s career.

[33:04] - Mike’s plan is to have his kids go through ROCS to find their careers right after graduating.

[35:36] - How to connect with Mike.

Resources:

ROCS Grad Staffing

www.WorkInNorthernVirginia.com

Connect With Mike:

LinkedIn

‍Connect with the ROCS Grad Staffing Team:

Visit our Website:

ROCS Grad Staffing

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