Company: Microsoft
Date: 2012-08-03
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: current
Experience level: Senior

Great company, bad perf review model
Pros: - One of the finest compaines in the world.
- Finest medical insurance in the country
- Individual offices/fully stocked kitchen/prime card
- Does a wide range of things in software. You cannot get bored here. You can always jump to a team that interests you.
Cons: - Performance review system. 15% people in your team will be shafted, no matter what. The whole review process is shrouded in secrecy so there is no way of knowing where you stand. This secrecy allows bosses to get rid of directs they don't get along with, with impunity. 
- No team bonding/spirit. Again, its because of the annual review system that makes people scared of their peers. This leads to rampant jealousy and back stabbing. This is literally a dog-eat-dog world.
- Wastage of resources: This again is partly due to the perf review system. If a person figures that he is not doing well as compared to his peers, he is more likely to drum up something even when it is not needed. His boss may aid him in shoving his useless ideas onto other's throats.
- Empire building: I guess every mature company suffers through this problem. 
- Pathetic online division: This division is touted as Microsoft's future, but is filled with idiots who have got themselves promoted as they happended to be there from the start.The result is utter chaos and a miserable work life balance.