Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates turned into a young college dropout software engineer seeking his first job at Microsoft, role-playing and facing tough questions to crack an opportunity in a dynamic job market.
In 2020, during NBA star Stephen Curry’s YouTube series ‘State of Inspiration’, Gates answered to perfection questions such as “Why should we hire you?” and “What are your salary expectations?”
Why Should We Hire You?
Answering the question, Gates mentioned his coding passion and explained how he would go about it if hired in the company.
“You should look at the codes that I’ve written. I write software programs way beyond any classes that I’ve taken. I think I’ve gotten better over time, so take a look at how ambitious I’ve been there,” he said, India Today reported.
“I do think I can work well with people. I might criticise their code a little harshly, but overall, I like to be on a team. I like ambitious goals. I like thinking through how we can anticipate the future. Software is cool, and I want to be involved,” Gates explained.
What Are Your Weaknesses?
When asked what his weaknesses were, he said that he was not natural at sales or marketing, but stressed that he would rather put his focus on product creation and definition.
His honesty showed that being open in an interview can actually make you look more confident — as long as you clearly explain the value you can offer to the company.
What’s Your Salary Expectation?
This is where interviewees get awkward and nervous about what to ask, however, Gates took on the question with smartness and said, “I hope the option package is good. I’m able to take a risk, and I think the company has a great future, so I prefer to get stock options even more than cash compensation. I hear some other companies are paying a lot, but treat me fairly and emphasise the options.”
