Gretchen Ledgard
Marketing Manager/Corporate Communications at Microsoft
- Location
- Greater Seattle Area
- Industry
- Marketing and Advertising
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Gretchen Ledgard's Overview
- Current
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- Marketing Manager, Employment Branding at Microsoft Corporation
- Past
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- Partner and Co-founder at JobSyntax, Inc
- Developer Community Program Manager, U.S. Recruiting at Microsoft Corporation
- Sr. Technical Recruiter at Microsoft
- Journalism Intern at Billboard
- Communications Intern at The Recording Academy
- Managing Editor & Student Life Editor at Vanderbilt Commodore
- Education
-
- Vanderbilt University
- Recommendations
-
1 person has recommended Gretchen
- Connections
-
206 connections
Gretchen Ledgard's Summary
8 years of integrated marketing experience with 12 years of total business experience, primarily focused on corporate communications and the developer and student audiences
I've been lucky enough to blend my love for corporate communications, lifestyle writing, brand experience and the software developer audience into the ultimate job as a Marketing Manager for Microsoft's recruiting organization. I get to show people what it's really like to interview and work at Microsoft.
Specialties
social media, customer experience programs, community development, corporate communications, public relations, messaging, editorial programming, copy writing, branding, web content management
Gretchen Ledgard's Experience
Marketing Manager, Employment Branding
Microsoft Corporation
Public Company; 10,001+ employees; MSFT; Computer Software industry
August 2007 – Present (4 years 7 months) Greater Seattle Area
- Managed team and budget toward team’s corporate marketing initiatives (including social media, public relations, storytelling, web content, and branding) with the goal of increasing engagement and external awareness and perception of Microsoft as an amazing place to work
- Created Microsoft Recruiting’s corporate social media channels and managed the editorial team who plans, curates, authors, promotes, and measures featured and amplified “life at Microsoft” content on outlets such as Microsoft JobsBlog, Microsoft Careers on Facebook, @MicrosoftJobs on Twitter, and Microsoft’s company profile on LinkedIn
- Led PR related to recruiting and working at Microsoft, including placements in top and targeted media such as Businessweek, Fortune, US News & World Report, Mashable, and Geekwire. Managed day-to-day relationship with Waggener Edstrom and co-led major announcements and crisis communications in conjunction with internal and external Corporate Communications teams. Planned and personally led on-campus media visits. Planned and directed the creative elements of several team-driven employee photo shoots.
- Managed content for the global core, U.S. experienced, and U.S. university careers websites and oversaw brand guidance for the 102 other custom country sites. Included deep experience with HR systems and recruiting process integration, subsidiary and business recruiting needs, user behavior and desires, Microsoft.com platform (CSP), web and throughput metrics, and competitor websites
- Launched viewmyworld.com, a software engineering-focused microsite and testing playground for the current Microsoft careers website site, which won ERE’s 2009 award for Best Use of Technology
Partner and Co-founder
JobSyntax, Inc
April 2006 – December 2007 (1 year 9 months) Greater Seattle Area
- Launched and managed the daily operations of an employment marketing firm which drove engagement marketing strategies and services with software companies and personal branding projects with software engineers
- Evaluated clients’ current needs and capabilities and then developed marketing strategies and related materials (including careers website copy, job descriptions, blog posts, and candidate email templates), employee referral and influencer programs, and recruiter and employee training
- Managed clients’ social media efforts by developing company-specific blogging strategies, training new bloggers, creating and managing an editorial calendar, and reporting on success metrics, trends, and community health
- Marketed JobSyntax’s own services through various mediums, including social media, screencasts, videos, web chats, articles, interviews, presentations, hosted forums, and advertising placement
Developer Community Program Manager, U.S. Recruiting
Microsoft Corporation
Public Company; 10,001+ employees; MSFT; Computer Software industry
November 2003 – April 2006 (2 years 6 months) Greater Seattle Area
- Built long-term community development and cultivation strategies for the company’s software engineering positions, including program management, development, and test disciplines
- Co-developed the world’s first corporate recruiting blog, including producing original content, editing other contributors’ submissions, diplomatically addressing readers’ comments and email, fulfilling media and speaker requests, and managing technical logistics leading to the generation of over 9000 unique applicants and 200 full-time hires (over a 2 year period)
- Produced software engineering-focused content and led audience direction for various marketing channels including the monthly careers newsletter, the careers website, candidate value proposition, and diversity and developer events
Sr. Technical Recruiter
Microsoft
Public Company; 10,001+ employees; MSFT; Computer Software industry
July 2000 – November 2003 (3 years 5 months) Greater Seattle Area
Sourced, interviewed, offered, and closed international, university and experienced software engineering talent for all divisions of the company, resulting in more than 350 full-time and intern hires
Journalism Intern
Billboard
Public Company; 10,001+ employees; Music industry
May 1999 – August 1999 (4 months) Greater Nashville Area
Compiled entries for new additions to the weekly Hot Country Songs and Top Country Albums charts, authored an article for publication in the print magazine, and filed and distributed all incoming promotional materials
Communications Intern
The Recording Academy
Nonprofit; 51-200 employees; Music industry
May 1998 – August 1998 (4 months) Greater Nashville Area
Created and distributed the quarterly membership newsletter, assisted with the onsite logistics of several GRAMMY industry events, and generated and processed new membership applications
Managing Editor & Student Life Editor
Vanderbilt Commodore
August 1996 – May 1998 (1 year 10 months) Greater Nashville Area
Managed a staff of 3 assistant editors and several staffwriters and photographers in the designing, writing, and editing of a 100+ page section of the book focused on noteworthy campus events, news, and people. Personally wrote several stories, including profiles of notable seniors, interviews with visiting speakers/celebrities, and coverage of on-campus concerts.
Gretchen Ledgard's Education
Vanderbilt University
BA, English Literature
1996 – 2000
Internship experience included Billboard Magazine, the Recording Academy (the Grammys), and the Vanderbilt Commodore
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