Company: Microsoft
Date: 2008-12-08
Overall rating: 5/5
Employment status: current

Microsoft is a great place to work!
Pros: Microsoft offers some of the best benefits imaginable.  From totally free health insurance for the entire family, to generous time off.  After eight years at Microsoft, I received four weeks of vacation this year.  This year, my wife and I also had a baby.  I haven't paid a single penny in health care costs related to either the pregnancy or the labor/delivery and subsequent pediatric care.  No copay, no deductible, nothing.  Microsoft also offers infant care leave for mothers AND fathers.  As a new dad, I received an automatic four weeks paid leave.  Combined with my four weeks of vacation, I took two paid months off of work when my daughter was born.  You simply cannot beat these benefits.  Add to these benefits the 401k matching, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Stock Awards and an incredible pay package and Microsoft simply cannot be beat!
Cons: Work, Work, Work!  I work extremely hard and work long hours to exceed my goals.  Oftentimes, there isn't much recognition.  Additionally, because MSFT is a huge company, there are way too many corporate rules and regulations to abide by and the bureaucratic nonsense oftentimes gets in the way of good performance.

Distance to corporate is also a downside.  I work in the field and only make it to Seattle at most twice a year.  Everyone in Redmond lives in an ivory tower and the disconnect between the field and corporate is shocking - from a culture and a realistic perspective.