Pros: Microsoft has a lot of opportunities, and a very high ceiling for an individual contributor. The management track is not required to obtain high levels of compensation and benefits.

Cons: The culture of visibility, staying until the boss leaves, and working longer hours whenever there's more work to be done still exists. If you're not visible, you'll get ranked in the bottom 10% in your group and get a poor performance review, which impacts your chances of getting another job within the company. The current salary structure punishes people for not changing jobs within the company every 2 years. This is compounded by the previous point.

Pros: I have worked for Microsoft for considerably less time than average. It was the best start for my career. The company really cares for its employees, as evident from its employee-centric policies. Open door policy of managers, single occupancy cubicles, and many more are policies that drive more confidence and affinity in employees towards working for Microsoft.

Cons: Nothing, which is big, but of course, everybody has some. I would mention the performance review changes made recently as not good. It all depends on your reporting manager only.

Pros: I found Microsoft to be a safe, supportive place to work. Everyone knows their job and sticks to it. People shouldn't take this for granted because in other places, sometimes even your job description and/or expectations are ambiguous. The benefits are great, especially free health care. I always felt like my managers and peers had my best interest and my career advancement in mind, right up alongside the team's success. I believe that MS is a company of integrity, one that supports great causes and supports the employee as far as possible. There is always someone to learn from or some piece of technology to learn about right there in-house. So, learning and mentorship opportunities are both plentiful.

Cons: You can gain quite a bit of weight from the free drinks, affordable lunches, and frequent summer morale get-togethers. So, while all of the above is good, you need to take advantage of your ProClub pass. The only other downside I can think of, and I am really struggling, is that you can easily get so comfortable at Microsoft that you never ever leave. I have felt like this and spoken with others who have to force themselves to see other career options/moves. It's hard to give up Microsoft's benefits and stable work environment, but having a diverse resume is also very important.