Pros: Some teams have solid engineers and engineering practices, but the quality can vary greatly from what I experienced. Microsoft does many different things, so there is likely something for everyone at this company. Really good compensation package and excellent benefits. Amazing work-life balance.

Cons: Working with other teams can be very challenging, especially when they are in a different division. I may need to go up several managers, in my experience one time 6 levels, and back down to work with the other team. Too much focus on yearly review; sometimes I would be working on things just to have some tangible piece to show at the end of the year, instead of working towards a common goal. The weather in the Seattle / Redmond / Bellevue area can be cloudy many months of the year.

Pros: I love working with passionate and smart people, who are driven to deliver really good products that customers will love. I love the benefits and perks, which are stock, cash bonuses, prime discounts all over the place, a gorgeous campus, etc. Flexi-time is one of my favorites; no one cares when you are in the office as long as you can deliver.

Cons: The company is very large and changing rapidly now. One of the tough things is that they are bad at choosing managers. A lot of my friends have moronic/incapable managers who are ruining talented devs. Also, there are a lot of silos of knowledge; however, this is decreasing a lot more now.

Pros: Energy and morale have been improving a lot since Nadella took the helm. The company is re-inventing itself and moving in a promising direction. It's not a boring enterprise company anymore. "Not invented here" syndrome is being cured. Great work-life balance. I've worked under several different managers, and they were all great in this aspect. You have the freedom to set your own pace (to a certain extent). Excellent benefits and perks: * Top-notch 401(k) plan with a very generous match * Health insurance * Employee discounts * On-site health center * And a lot more.

Cons: Old culture is fading, but it is still there. A lot of people still focus on personal achievement only. Compensation is less than what competitors offer, unless you're at a high level (principal and above).