Pros: Work-life balance is a keystone for management to base decisions on (family comes first). Able to work from home when needed. Company-paid bus service is available to full-time employees to get you into work. When I was hired, the relocation package was gold star: a full pack and move without having to pay a dime. Engineering process is truly an all-hands exercise, driven by everybody on the team who has feedback.

Cons: Health care is now on par with other companies rather than being a gold-plated standard (you better be single and healthy, or starting in 2013 you will pay out of pocket). Midyear review process is meh... Twice now I've gotten conflicting feedback, and end-of-year reviews in my product team are decided prior to any employee feedback. Constant battle of having to "herd cats" with upper management and controlling their expectations versus what your product actually does. Unfortunately, the Puget Sound area has a higher cost of living when compared elsewhere, and housing is hideously expensive.

Pros: It's a lovely campus in a lovely part of the country. The company is financially healthy.

Cons: Microsoft attracts and promotes managers who are narcissistic, hyper-competitive, and often unethical. If you happen to get one of these managers, you will suffer greatly. Like many large companies, Microsoft has a peer-review system that drives a gang-like type of social behavior amongst its employees. Often, the most successful employees are experts at manipulating their coworkers (and measuring loyalty). Such a system is the bane of employees who are inventive, productive, and intellectually honest. Good people simply cannot survive in such an atmosphere. New employees are instructed to watch a series of training videos where a major theme is: "No employee can be penalized for behaving ethically." This is completely false. There are no systems in place to protect employees who behave ethically. If your manager is evil, you will likely be penalized for behaving ethically. Also, what the hell is an SDET anyway? Are you kidding me?

Pros: Excellent compensation, luxurious insurance coverage.

Cons: Red tape is evident for a company this big and old.