Microsoft is hiring staff to act as Windows Vista 'gurus' in retail stores as part of its $300m campaign to promote the operating system.

The 155 new staff will be found in Best Buy, Circuit City and other retail outlets and will run demonstrations and answer questions about Vista, which is suffering from poor sales.

"Microsoft technologies inspire millions of people every day, and we're just getting started. If you're interested in harnessing your knowledge and passion in order to make buying a PC an even better experience at retail, we'd love to hear from you," the job adverts read.

The gurus will be paid more than $20 per hour, which is a very good rate for such jobs.

This is not the first time that Microsoft has tried such tactics, and it is not alone in doing so.

Apple has its Genius Bars located in many Apple stores which perform much the same function, and other manufacturers regularly train and incentivise staff in stores to push their products.

"We must deliver a world-class shopping experience that aligns with the brand promise and our online presence," said Bill Veghte, senior vice president of Online Services and the Windows Business Group at Microsoft.

"That is why we are working with our key retail partners to make the process of evaluating, selecting and purchasing PCs with Windows as simple and informative as possible."