Pros: Company really invests in you! The quantity and quality of courses available really allow anyone to grow and improve their understanding. Lots of people who help you succeed! I was lucky to have an amazing mentor and a fantastic manager. If you get bored with one problem, you can always move on to something else that is equally interesting. Microsoft really offers a wide variety of problems to work on (from games to enterprise software to search to mobile phones to operating systems to...).

Cons: People are really competitive here. If you are in a team of more senior people, then you don't have to worry much. However, if you are in a team with more junior people (i.e., ones who are closer to your level), then it can get messy really quick, as everyone is trying to prove how their contributions matter the most. Frequent reorgs and changes in strategy. If you are one of those people who can switch directions fast, then you can thrive over here. However, if you are one of those people who get really attached to your work, then the reorgs will take a toll on you.

Pros: You get a chance to work with smart and enthusiastic people. Good compensation, benefits, and good work-life balance.

Cons: The performance review process is not that straightforward.

Pros: There are some really cool technologies to work on, and generally a very casual atmosphere. Also, for now, the pop is still free.

Cons: Product leadership can often lose sight of the fact that they own a cool technology and that we're trying to ship it, leading to directionless and mired-down product cycles. Sometimes it seems like there are processes created for the sake of creating processes, not to any useful end.