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Introduction
Wondering how to become a Product Designer and land a job at a big company like Microsoft. Well then you are at the right place because this blog will surely help you to clear your doubts regarding how to become a Product Designer at Microsoft.
This blog has all the information whether it is about the roles of a product designer or the qualifications or resources you require.
But before this let’s have a brief about Microsoft.
About Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is a multinational technology company with headquarters in Redmond, Washington, in the United States. It creates computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services.
Microsoft is well known as the largest software maker in the world and is one of the best places to work. Building tech solutions that have an impact on billions of people worldwide gives you the chance to learn in a highly competitive environment and to improve your skill sets.
Microsoft offers equitable employment opportunities. Without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical leave, gender identity or expression, national origin, physical or mental disability, race, religion, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances, all qualified applicants will be given consideration for employment.
Product Designer at Microsoft
The process of developing a physical or digital product is called product design. In general, the approach is based on research and involves considering the user's experience.
Product Designers are in charge of creating innovative product designs that fit the demands and desires of consumers. They will be responsible for a variety of tasks, including developing design concepts, sketching ideas to evaluate which ones are most suited for the product, and successfully explaining their plans so that engineers can put them into action.
A Product Designer considers both design and business aspects while creating a pleasurable, straightforward user experience. They are in charge of everything that customers see when using their gadget, or they may work behind the scenes to ensure that information architecture flows smoothly.
Roles and Responsibilities
Below are the mentioned Roles and Responsibilities of a Product Designer at Microsost:
Although a product designer may wear multiple hats, their primary responsibility is still design.
To build a product, a product designer will apply their understanding of colour, typography, detail, and other design components.
A product designer will typically include UX principles into their design by keeping the user in mind. This goes beyond simply enhancing a product's usability.
Product designers should be capable of creating wireframes, prototypes, and journey maps, as well as doing A/B testing, email surveys, and other sorts of UX research.
Collaboration amongst teams: As someone who approaches product design holistically, a product designer frequently works alongside designers, researchers, and business teams. This ensures that the final product fits all of the company's objectives.
Skills and Experience
Below are the mentioned skills and experience needed to become a Product Designer at Microsoft:
Very strong critical thinking and communication abilities.
A bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, human computer interaction (HCI), interaction design, industrial design, communication design, architecture, or an equivalent level of experience.
Experience in cross-functional teams and designing cross-platform products for at least two years is preferred.
Complete comprehension of design theory (typography, color, grid, etc.).
Outstanding portfolio demonstrating mastery of both UI and UX craft and in-depth product understanding.
Excellent cross-disciplinary collaboration skills in engineering, data science, program management, and AI research.
Capable of working independently in a hectic setting.
Has extensive experience designing in Figma.
Strong technical and design framework knowledge across platforms.
Salary and Perks
The Base Pay Average of a Product Designers at Microsoft is ₹16,42,262/yr. Product Designer salaries at Microsoft can range from ₹10,00,000 - ₹23,33,755 per year.
Additional Pay Average
₹90,283
Cash Bonus
₹90,283 Avg
Stock Bonus
₹2,67,609 Avg
This is not it, you can also get some additional perks working at Microsoft.
Additional perks
Perks are the additional benefits provided by an employer to their employees as an expression of care. The most valuable perks provided to Microsoft employees are listed below.
Some of the benefits of being in Microsoft are-
🧑⚕️ Industry-leading healthcare
💸🤑Savings and investments
🎗️Giving programs
📚Educational resources
👪Maternity and paternity leave
🧑🏼🤝🧑🏽Opportunities to network and connect
💲Discounts on products and services
⌚Generous time away
The benefits/perks listed above may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.
Now if you are new and curious about how to be a Product Designer. Well, we got you covered.
The salary figures mentioned above are subject to change.
How to become a Product Designer?
Below are the skills that will help you become an excellent product designer and land a job at Microsoft.
Obtain the necessary expertise
UX/UI: A key element of design is understanding what a user wants to achieve, their pain spots, and how a product makes them feel. Wireframing, prototyping, performing research, and testing product features are examples of technical skills that may be learned. Tools for prototyping include Framer, Principle, and Figma.
Tools for visual design: An attractive product can excite customers and provide a positive user experience. Job descriptions frequently state that you should have an eye for beauty and some familiarity with the tools used in visual design. Figma, Sketch, or Adobe Creative Suite are a few examples.
Experience in leadership or project management: As a product designer, it can be useful to have some experience seeing the wider picture of a process, being able to strategize, and knowing how to carry out a vision. Even while it's not a requirement, having some prior experience planning, supervising, or carrying out a project can be helpful.
Construct a portfolio.
Employers can learn about your past work and approach to design by looking at your portfolio. As a product designer, you might include an "About me" section in your portfolio to highlight your experience and skills.
Begin in roles that are related.
Being a product designer is not always an easy path to take. Working in positions that introduce you to different facets of product design will help you develop relevant experience.
You can consider starting out in UX design, graphic design, copywriting, or information architect professions depending on your skill set.
Career as a Product Designer
The industry is severely lacking in skilled product designers, despite the fact that demand for product designers is rising daily. Product designers can earn a good living if they put in the necessary effort and have the necessary skill set.
Now if you are having doubts about whether am I too late to code or if is it good for me to learn how to code. Well, the below video will help you and will clear all your doubts regarding this.
There are some relevant skills that you need to become a Product Designer but if you want to land a job in a company like Microsoft you will surely need more than this. You have to prepare in every aspect possible relevant to this job.
Well, check out the resources below that will help you.
All these above articles that have been mentioned will surely help you if your aim is to land a job at a dream company like Microsoft and these articles have quality content that will absolutely come in handy.
Check out the below blogs to get a more clear picture regarding the mock interview, job switching, and online Bootcamp.
Now if you are confident enough in your skill and want to test out your skills check out the problems and test series that will help you to measure your knowledge.
Test-series: These series contain various questions about various important questions that will surely help to conquer any difficulty you might encounter during the interview.
Problems: For dsa problems, you can check out this series.
Interview bundle: This link contains the various questions that got asked during the interview in various companies. You should check out those who know these might help you.
Contests: If you want to practice in a coding contest hosted by the coding ninjas for more practice.
The road to becoming a product designer is not predetermined. But the majority of businesses seek out candidates with formal training in industrial design, computer science, engineering, or a technical discipline like human-computer interaction.
Is the job of product designer secure?
So, unquestionably, this is a steady long-term employment alternative.
Does product design require a degree?
A bachelor's degree is typically the bare minimum education needed for product designers. Engineering, architecture, and industrial design are popular majors. Many schools mandate that freshmen take a year of fundamental art and design courses, like principles of design and sketching.
Are designers of products engineers?
A product design engineer is a specialist who develops, tests, and improves product designs for a variety of consumer items and production procedures using computer-aided design (CAD) software. From an idea's blueprint to production, these engineers are involved in every stage of its creation.
Can I apply for more than one job at Microsoft?
Yes, you can apply for multiple openings.
Conclusion
In this article, we learned about who is a product designer and what responsibilities it has and also the qualifications you need to become a designer. We have also mentioned the resources and blogs that are necessary in order to land a job,
To learn more about Microsoft as a company please refer to the following articles: