Company: Microsoft
Date: 2011-08-31
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: former

The land of technology is lost in process
Pros: Ultimately, good smart people come through the selection process so you will learn from some of the best and the brightest. Microsoft is a social environment, has a fantastic campus, and I enjoyed working and playing at the Commons facility and getting to meet lots of diverse people there. Also found Microsoft much more supportive of flex schedules and working remote than most companies, even their tech-petitors like Amazon who prefer you come to work, with a dog.
Cons: Process and tools. Most common complaint of anyone whose work is not strictly coding.. "this is the best software company in the world so why do we use the worst software systems and tools ever!" Anyone who has touched the HR or Recruiting tools in MS can tell you in a sigle word.. downtime! Then stack on heavy compliance process, an overload of decision makers and approval process, and then always hire a team contractor anlaysts to come in and replace the tools and systems people use with worse tools, so they get less done.