Melinda French Gates Owes Her Start at Microsoft to an IBM Hiring Manager’s Surprising Advice—‘It Dumbfounded Me’ – The Daily Galaxy –Great Discoveries Channel
Melinda French Gates’ career took an unexpected turn thanks to a surprising piece of advice early on. A bold move led her from IBM to a tiny startup with massive potential. The risk paid off in ways she never imagined.Melinda French Gates, one of America’s richest women, owes much of her success to a pivotal piece of advice she received early on. At the start of her career, she was offered a job at IBM, only to be urged by her hiring manager to turn it down in favor of a tiny startup in Seattle—Microsoft.In a candid interview, French Gates recalled how a female hiring manager at IBM suggested she reject their offer and pursue an opportunity at a small company, Microsoft. At the time, Microsoft was just starting to gain traction, and the idea of leaving a stable job offer for an unknown company seemed like a huge risk. Yet, French Gates followed the advice, and the rest is history.The decision was not an easy one. At the time, IBM was one of the most powerful companies in the world, and leaving such an established organization was a difficult prospect. But the IBM hiring manager, who was clearly looking out for French Gates’ long-term success, encouraged her to take a leap of faith, even though it was against IBM’s own interests. “If they give you an offer, you should take it,” the hiring manager said. French Gates was taken aback by this advice, but she took it to heart and followed through.French Gates joined Microsoft, where she quickly rose through the ranks over a nine-year period. She played a key role in the company’s development, becoming the general manager of information products at the tech giant. During her time at Microsoft, she helped the company transition from a small business into one of the most influential companies in the world. Her contributions were integral to Microsoft’s growth, and she became a significant player in the company’s success. In reflecting on her career at Microsoft, French Gates recognizes that taking a chance on the company, despite its small size and uncertainty at the time, was a major turning point in her life.Now worth $15.2 billion, French Gates is not only one of the richest women in America but also a powerful figure in both the tech world and philanthropy.For French Gates, the decision to leave IBM and take a chance on a growing company was not easy. It meant uprooting her life and moving to the West Coast, where she didn’t know anyone and had no guarantees of success. But what made it worth the risk was the excitement of joining a company that was pioneering in a way that few others were.“I didn’t know anybody in Seattle. It was moving to the West Coast, but I was so excited about what they were doing,” she said, recalling the moment she made the decision. “I was like, ‘I want to be part of that.’”This decision, though risky, ultimately paid off in ways she could never have imagined. From a promising start at a small company to becoming a critical part of a global tech leader, French Gates’ story illustrates the value of taking bold steps in your career, even when the future seems uncertain.Today, French Gates encourages others, particularly women, to embrace career pivots and take risks. She frequently reminds women that the path to success is not always straightforward. “You can pivot careers. You can change. You can go over here,” she says. “It’s not like one or two paths that carry you forward, even though you had plans before this.”French Gates’ advice is particularly powerful for women, who often face different challenges and barriers in male-dominated industries. By taking that first step into the unknown, women can achieve remarkable success, just as French Gates did.Comment Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
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