Pros: I worked in a very flexible team and had the chance to work on anything I found interesting. In particular, I had the chance to collaborate with Microsoft Research, even though mine is an SDE role.

Cons: The company is too big. There's lots of politics and internal friction.

Pros: The best thing about working at Microsoft is being surrounded by bright people. I love the experience of not being the smartest person in the room and being able to learn from my peers. The compensation is reasonable, the benefits are excellent, and there are great opportunities for professional development. An advantage of working for a big company (and something that is entrenched in the Microsoft culture) is the ability to easily switch teams. It's nice to know that if I ever get tired of my current problem space, I have the option of branching out and trying something completely different.

Cons: While I believe Microsoft has been going to great pains to improve its compensation and bonus model, it's still far from perfect. Individual managers wield a huge amount of power when it comes to deciding an employee's review numbers. You are literally relying on your manager to fight for you. If you've been unfortunate enough to get on your manager's bad side, watch out. Adding to this problem is the fact that there's little oversight in the review model. It's frustrating knowing that you risk getting screwed if you're not willing to suck up.

Pros: The company is large and diverse, meaning that you have a lot of opportunity to work on what you really like, all the while maintaining the same benefits and compensation.

Cons: One downside to Microsoft could be that it is a large company. If someone prefers a small feel, Microsoft does not offer this.