Company: Microsoft
Date: 2013-02-02
Overall rating: 2/5
Employment status: current
Experience level: Senior

Once a great company, but on the decline
Pros: Smart and creative people
Lots of assets - if used together can build amazing products
At moments you can still find brilliance and passion (although getting more rare every day)
Competitive pay and vacation.  
Would have said great benefits too but they have been significantly reduced and complicated in 2013.
Cons: Lack of strategy and strong leadership across the company.  Leaders are more interested in being individual heroes rather than defining, setting context and guiding execution of strategic initiatives.  

Competitive, internally focused review model causes bad politics, back-stabbing and general lack of collaboration and teamwork

Reluctance to take risks and innovate due to short-term politically focused review model.

Functional organization model causes endless meetings and lack of customer and product focus.  Way too many people have to be in every discussion and there is no empowerment or ownership of decisions.

Would have given the company 5 stars years ago and have hoped it could return to its more passionate, innovative and empowering days, but it is on a decline in most ways - talent, products and leadership.