Company: Microsoft
Date: 2015-07-16
Overall rating: 4/5
Employment status: former
Experience level: Confirmed

Smart people, great benefits, still terrible review system
Pros: MS still attracts plenty of smart people and offers great benefits (even if the platinum health insurance has been downgraded). As the company matures, there's more work/life balance - in some groups. MS is also far more charitable than Amazon - matches employee donations and hours, allows for payroll deductions, and has a day when the entire company volunteers.
Cons: The Darwinian review system favored by Gates has changed clothing several times but is still a stack-ranking system that puts everyone on a bell curve. Only a few can be rewarded, and someone must always be the sacrificial lamb. As a result, trust is low, cross-team work very challenging, and politics are rampant. It's not about what helps the customer, it's about what lets management tell the best story at review time.