- Melinda French Gates started at Microsoft in 1987 after finishing business school.
- She had an offer from IBM but chose Microsoft instead.
- An IBM hiring manager encouraged her to consider the smaller company.
A simple chat in the ’80s changed Melinda French Gates’ path. If not for that, her life might look very different today.
In a recent discussion with LinkedIn News, French Gates shared her journey after receiving a job offer from IBM following two summer internships.
During her interview, she talked to a hiring manager who influenced her decision to join Microsoft. She said, “I was asked if I was ready to take the job, but I mentioned I had one more interview.”
That interview was with a small company called Microsoft. The hiring manager responded, “If they make you an offer, you should take it.” This unexpected advice stuck with her.
After graduating from Duke University, French Gates joined Microsoft as a product manager. She admitted feeling excited and a bit nervous. “I didn’t know anyone in Seattle, but I was thrilled about what Microsoft was doing,” she recalled.
During her nearly ten years at Microsoft, she climbed the ranks to become a general manager, managing information products.
It was also at Microsoft that she met her ex-husband, Bill Gates. They married in 1994 and divorced in 2021 after 27 years.
This May, she announced her exit from the Gates Foundation, a charity she co-founded with Gates in 2000. Now, her giving focuses through Pivotal Ventures, a company she started in 2015.
In an op-ed for The New York Times, she reflected on advice that shaped her: “Set your own agenda, or someone else will.” These words still guide her today.
Representatives for French Gates did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
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