Company: Microsoft
Date: 2013-12-05
Overall rating: 3/5
Employment status: current
Experience level: Junior

Takes a while (1 yr) to understand what it takes to get things done at Microsoft
Pros: Flexible work/life balance - most people have kids, easy to come and go as you please.   Compensation is good - benefits are competitive, though the new health plan is a pain, since it is no longer a PPO, but they still cover most everything.
Cons: Bad middle and upper managers, at least in operations.   You question how they got where they did - they don't know what it takes to build an organization, culture, transparency, nor do they care.  Its everyone for themselves - very little team mentality, support, sharing of information.  Culture is bad.  Little attention is spent on mapping out a master plan for an organization, so you end up doing a lot of work that doesn't appear meaningful and end up thinking that Microsoft makes money in spite of itself.  Managers aren't rewarded for developing people underneath them - i.e. if people get promoted, that isn't rewarded.  So, who will cares about your success?  only you.  No career advisor or someone who will be a champion for you.  You have to sell yourself and figure it out on your own.  Don't look to management to map out a plan for the organization, for where it is going, or how you fit into it.