Company: Microsoft
Date: 2012-01-07
Overall rating: 4/5
Employment status: current

You get what you give
Pros: Excellent opportunity to build major software products, and make a big impact. Lots of smart people keep you challenged if you want to improve your technical, product development, and leadership skills. Compensation is quite favorable if you're in the top 40%.
Cons: You need to be a self-starter and not assume that you would be given a project that would grow your career. However, if you prove yourself, then you will be rewarded handsomely. You also need to be aware of some office politics, which is natural in big firms - this becomes more important as you move up the chain. The length in level at mid-management (principal) levels  is 3-5 years at each ladder level for 80+% of the population. Health benefits are not co-pay free any more.