Company: Microsoft
Date: 2008-12-30
Overall rating: 5/5
Employment status: current

Great opportunities, some major flaws.
Pros: Unmatchable opportunity for worldwide impact, generous benefits and pay, mostly performance-based evaluation.  If you are very good at what you do, Microsoft is a great place to be - you will be rewarded handsomely for great progress.  After a year at the company I've received around 75k in bonus compensation due to my success.  However, this is very atypical.
Cons: Management is at times totally distant - there is no communication with line employees on important matters due to a lack of trust.  Strong bureaucracy limits freedom and establishes an "us vs. them" mentality at times.