Happy new year - now get to work ;)

Hopefully like me you've all had a great Christmas but I'm guessing that also like me today was the last day of your holidays :(.

I thought that to kick off the new year I'd remind you about some upcoming deadlines (Aren't I kind!).

Round One of the Imagine Cup Software Design Competition ends on this coming Wednesday (9th Jan) so all of you who are putting together an entry or were planning to now is the time to get your nose to the grindstone and get it in to us ASAP. Click here to find out more and enter.

For those of you who are in your second year with an option to go on placement next year I really would compel you to consider spending some time with us here at Microsoft. A placement with us is a great opportunity to do a role that would normally only be available to those with considerable industry experience and get some great content for your CV. Having done a placement at MSN myself I know the value of the scheme and the doors it opens so please take some time out to click here and apply but be quick about it as the deadline is the 13th Jan.

Finally the deadline for applications for the Graduate scheme is approaching as it is also the 13th Jan. Again this is a great opportunity to land a great job with a company who consider their employees their most valuable asset. There are streams for technical, marketing and sales roles so there's something for nearly everyone. Click here to find out more.

The Inspiration Tour kicks back off with Blackpool a week tomorrow so for the next week myself and Ben will be focusing on adding some new content around XNA V2, Embedded and our student programmes. Also stay tuned for an announcement in the next week or so about an amazing web hosting offer for UK students.

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