Company: Microsoft
Date: 2008-09-03
Overall rating: 5/5
Employment status: current

A great place to work, opportunities to shine, but don't get discouraged by formal processes
Pros: Benefits, for sure. Completely free medical and prescriptions (which is really handy if you have kids). Lots of passionate people and the ability to work outside the normal parameters of your job description. Lots of job mobility (and it's encouraged so the gene pool doesn't get stagnant). Microsoft is also not afraid to reward those who rise above the masses with cash and stock. By far the best company I've worded for and living in the Pacific Northwest, while more expensive, is awesome.
Cons: Sometimes process and being safe or predictable gets in the way of agility and innovation. It's a huge company and sometimes multiple groups work on overlapping things.