Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood has urged university graduates to stay flexible in their careers, saying success rarely follows a perfect plan. According to a report by Fortune, Hood shared details of her unconventional career journey while speaking at the 2026 commencement ceremony at Duke University.
Hood, who graduated from Duke in 1994, said her career had been "more like a roller coaster than a ladder". She encouraged graduates not to become overly worried about making perfect career decisions early in life.
The Microsoft executive revealed that after leaving a banking career at Goldman Sachs and completing an MBA at Harvard University, she struggled to decide her next step. She briefly joined the US National Park Service but quit after just one day when she was assigned to work at Alcatraz Island instead of a national park she had hoped for.
Months later, she accepted a job offer from Microsoft in 2002 without even asking about the salary. Hood also admitted she missed her first day at the company after misjudging the drive from California to Seattle, as reported by Fortune.
Despite the rocky start, Hood rose through the ranks and became Microsoft's CFO in 2013. Last year, her total compensation reportedly exceeded $29 million.
Speaking to the Class of 2026, Hood told graduates that uncertainty and setbacks are part of professional growth. She advised students to remain curious, adaptable and open to opportunities that may not appear perfect at first.
Her comments come at a time when many young people are facing a difficult job market, especially in the technology sector where companies have slowed hiring amid growing investment in artificial intelligence.
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