Microsoft

Microsoft provides very compelling salary and benefits. It can be very enjoyable if you find the right team. I have seen very talented people who are very enjoyable to work with. But at the same time, it is very common that you find yourself in a team that is not very professional. The most valuable aspect of working at Microsoft for me is access to many smart people in all different fields. You can get an expert opinion by just sending an email or IM to the right person.

Getting promoted can be challenging and at times slow. I often see people leave the company and return after a couple of years. They get hired at a much higher level with better compensation, very different from the people who kept working in the company continuously during that period. Besides, since Microsoft is super huge, great ideas sometimes die in the management ladder.

I think they better focus on keeping and growing internal talents as opposed to trying to get employees from other firms and ending up paying more.