Company: Microsoft
Date: 2015-03-20
Overall rating: 4/5
Employment status: current
Experience level: Junior

Working at Microsoft
Pros: Microsoft is the ideal place for people who have passion for their work and the desire to make an impact—in their careers. The company goals are challenging and that makes it great in my opinion. They offer fair pay, good benefits, (They changed the medical benefits 2 years ago due the projected  raising heath care costs associated with Obama Care).  The employees are encouraged by the direction of the company since Satya Nadella took over for Steve Ballmer. Microsoft has become obsessed with their customers and the experiences they have with their products. Additionally, they are more open with their product categories. This is demonstrated by their recent moves to offer the Office suite of products across competitor ecosystems. Overall, I would recommend Microsoft as a great place to work.
Cons: Here are the trade offs to the impactful work, fair pay, benefits, and opportunity for personal growth. Culture, one of the most challenging aspects of working at Microsoft is navigating the diverse work groups to get daily duties done. 75% of the job is focused internally verses the customer. Their are a lot of smart people who think their way is the only way to crack a nut at times. It can be difficult to deal with. 

They have changed the review process in the recent future with the goal of connecting with your manager 4 times during the fiscal year. These are called connect meetings. You are asked to request feedback from peers across your organization. This is where the challenge lies when working at Microsoft. If you have a strong manager and great team your career at Microsoft will go will.