Company: Microsoft
Date: 2012-02-23
Overall rating: 2/5
Employment status: former

Look out for yourself - it's what everyone else is doing
Pros: Good benefits
You get insider knowledge of new products
TAM role is low-stress
Great discounts on software (but NOT hardware i.e. Xbox!)
Non-management is great to work with
Cons: You have virtually no impact on how things are done. You are avery small piece of a huge machine. The company is so big that there is a form to fill out for everything, and not following prescribed procedures is not allowed. It no longer has any kind of startup atmosphere. While the company is more forward thinking and interested in doing the right thing than its reputation, there are so many layers of management and so many ways things are supposed to be done that it is very difficult to have any of your ideas see the light of day. It is a great place to be for maybe 2-3 years, but get out after that. A company this size needs a LOT of managers, and so a lot of people get into the role who have no business managing people.