Company: Microsoft
Date: 2011-09-27
Overall rating: 5/5
Employment status: current

Great resources, great opportunity, but not for whiners or the fainthearted
Pros: If you have a good idea, you can make it happen.  I worked multiple layers below Steve Ballmer, but I had an idea on how to improve something worldwide.  It required shifting resources within the company, so a pretty big sea-change.  My manager supported my idea and helped me build my case.  Eventually, I found myself in a room with about 20 other people, presenting my idea directly to Steve Ballmer, with my manager by my side but me doing most of the talking and convincing.  Steve asked very smart questions and pushed back to test our thinking, but eventually supported the proposal, which ended up having a pretty significant positive effect on Field teams around the world.  I have worked at Microsoft for a number of years, in a variety of roles, and I have been very impressed with the way the company works to create the right balance in corporate culture.  Yes, it's a big company, so there is some process to make sure things are well-coordinated.  But if you have a good idea and know how to communicate and share your idea, you can make incredible things happen.
Cons: Seattle traffic sucks, but at least the company is all over trying to give us solutions and options -- free bus passes, work-remote options, carpool incentives, flexible working arrangements.  The Connector bus service all around the region is pretty incredible, even though I don't ride it all that often.