Pros
- Microsoft pays well and their benefits are also well above average. Note: They do not necessarily pay well in sales as MSFT has a 75% threshold, i.e. you get no commission for the first 75% of quota. If you don't hit 75% of quota, you get $0 (and possibly encouraged to leave) for the year. Very unusual, unique to MSFT.
Cons
- Microsoft is trying to improve their culture as, even Satya admits, it went way off the rails. Some spots are better than others, but in general the middle management ensures that it is the same backstabbing environment which earned MSFT its reputation. Most managers say the right thing (e.g. "growth mindset") while operating the same as usual. - In conjunction with the above, MSFT is a pretty poor environment if you are looking for job security in many spots. A manager can come in and fire a handful of people on the team because they want to "shake it up" or bring in their own people. Not pleasant, even if you are not directly effected. There is no one Microsoft though (totally different company from org to org and manager to manager), so there are people who make a lot of money to basically hang out while others are put through the ringer and tossed. - MSFT's products are legacy. - MSFT has very high turnover, especially for a company that pays well with great benefits. People either get forced to leave or they can't deal with the politics and managers so they leave of their own accord. If I had to describe working for MSFT in one word, it would be: political.