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Microsoft Program Manager II Reviews
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Program Manager II
Pros
"Generally good work life balance" (in 2109 reviews)
"smart people; flexible environment; big ideas" (in 1752 reviews)
Cons
"Certain groups can have poor work-life balance" (in 1154 reviews)
"Outdated review system which is anything but fair" (in 525 reviews)
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"No problems"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Comp & Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsPositive OutlookNo opinion of CEOI worked at Microsoft as a contractor (Less than a year)
Pros
left alone to do my job, access to all microsoft software without having to go through IT so had the tools I needed.
Cons
It's microsoft, sometimes you just can't do the things you need to do without having to fill in a form which is always on sharepoint and takes ages to fill in
Advice to Management
simplify
Microsoft 2017-02-02 09:04 PSTHelpful (3)
![Microsoft Logo]()
"When it's good ,it's good... when it's not, it's really not"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Comp & Benefits
- Senior Management
Doesn't RecommendNeutral OutlookApproves of CEOI have been working at Microsoft full-time (More than 5 years)
Pros
Good salary, good bonuses, if you perform. Good benefits, such as excellent medical. Perks, like fitness compensation and bus pass. Decent parking.
Cons
Very few good managers, constant flux, low gender diversity. Culture is very different from team to team, so choose your team wisely, and hope your leadership stays the same as the culture will change if you get reorged or your management changes.
Advancement is based as much on who you know and how you play politics (maybe even more), than on your skills and contributionsAdvice to Management
You need to start doing something to retain good managers... every good manager I've had has left the company. Remember, people don't quit jobs, they quit managers... so when all the good managers are running away, how can you expect to keep good employees?
Microsoft 2017-09-15 18:01 PDT![Microsoft Logo]()
"Would benefit from flatter management structure, and most teams are bad, but there are good pockets"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Comp & Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsPositive OutlookApproves of CEOI have been working at Microsoft full-time (More than 3 years)
Pros
Great work-life balance
Moving team to team internally is super easy, so if you have a bad team you can keep spelunking about until you find a good fitCons
Managers are typically mediocre
Many product teams are weak
Pay is so-so compared to other companies in tech
Many benefits and events are stilted toward employees with kids and families, so if you're young, get the new hire bonus and stock, Microsoft on the resume, and go elsewhere.Advice to Management
A flat product team reporting structure is a happy reporting structure. People who have been at the company for 10-15+ years and are still in the Senior band of leveling need to be put on performance-improvement-plans by default.
Microsoft 2017-08-30 19:19 PDT![Microsoft Logo]()
"Business Development Manager"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Comp & Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsPositive OutlookApproves of CEOI have been working at Microsoft full-time (More than 3 years)
Pros
Best time since the start and rapid growth of Microsoft to be working here. Great product line-up, excellent company leadership, and customer focused approach.
Cons
Still extremely bloated, way too much middle management. Organizing functions by centers of excellence as opposed to business units has caused some challenges (IE: All hardware reporting up through one chain, as opposed to operating as Xbox, Surface, etc...)
Advice to Management
Continue to remove redundant layers of management.
Microsoft 2017-08-14 12:37 PDT![Microsoft Logo]()
"Like working at MS"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Comp & Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsPositive OutlookNo opinion of CEOI have been working at Microsoft full-time (More than 3 years)
Pros
1) Flexible hours
2) Friendly culture
3) Good benefits
4) Overall the atmosphere in the company is welcoming, and friendly.
5) The projects are challenging and help you grow as a professionalCons
1) Little access to sunlight and windows
2) Many projects don't get pursued until they are well established by another company. Makes it hard to do groundbreaking work.
3) Salaries don't measure up to the quickly increasing housing prices in Seattle.Advice to Management
Much of the information needed to do your job (outside of the technical knowledge) is tribal knowledge as opposed to well documented and organized
Microsoft 2017-06-29 23:50 PDTHelpful (2)
![Microsoft Logo]()
"Program Manager 2"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Comp & Benefits
- Senior Management
Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookApproves of CEOI have been working at Microsoft full-time (More than 8 years)
Pros
Microsoft offers an average salary and benefits package that includes a very good "Stay Fit" package but nothing that raises an eyebrow. The compensation bar is slowly becoming diluted. I am sure that I could get a comparable package at Amazon or Google.
Cons
Be aware that there is no preference for internal hires before external hires. You are always competing against someone else! Often times it is who you know, not what you know. You are always on guard for the "next layoff".
Advice to Management
Take a hard look at nepotism. So many times I applied for a job that was internally filled before the REQ is posted. Satya wants to lead yet middle management doesn't want to follow. Your ICs are your greatest asset!!
Microsoft 2017-07-12 18:42 PDT![Microsoft Logo]()
"Great Company, horrible middle mgmt"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Comp & Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsPositive OutlookApproves of CEOI have been working at Microsoft (More than 5 years)
Pros
- Mostly smart folks in the tech side, mostly hired newly graduate MBAs in the business side who don't contribute much other than create PPT and presentation all around.
Cons
- Stop hiring MBS fresh out of college or business team to make them create PPT 40hrs/week.
Advice to Management
- Reward people who are in the company rather than hire someone outside and directly offer them higher level and compensation, care for our loyal employees first!
Microsoft 2017-05-01 12:02 PDT![Microsoft Logo]()
"Great benefits, changing culture"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Comp & Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsNeutral OutlookApproves of CEOI worked at Microsoft full-time (More than a year)
Pros
Benefits and prestige are great. Work in not difficult and the culture
Is shifting to a growth mindset culture. They are bringing new blood.Cons
Culture is not there yet, it is still very political and people Who have been around for a while are
ImmovableAdvice to Management
Keep those open to change and let go
Of those who are notMicrosoft 2017-04-04 16:16 PDT![Microsoft Logo]()
"Great place to work"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Comp & Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsPositive OutlookApproves of CEOI have been working at Microsoft full-time (More than 3 years)
Pros
Lots of opportunities, smart people, great customers, stock growing nicely
Cons
Inconsistent top down management leads to some randomization, weak soft perks (no free food, few parties, few awards), on call for service teams
Advice to Management
All good mostly - just focus on achieving alignment with the teams and folks reporting to you, don't just suddenly snap to new directions. Bottom up, that's fine. Top down, it leads to non-customer focused allocation of resources.
Microsoft 2017-01-27 21:02 PST![Microsoft Logo]()
"Microsoft is a great place to work"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Comp & Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsPositive OutlookApproves of CEOPros
Great benefits, most people are awesome
Cons
Internal politics can really slow you down
Microsoft 2017-01-13 19:21 PST
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