Inexorably fading into irrelevance
Inexorably fading into irrelevance
- Health and medical benefits are superior.
- Smart folks and a few good managers.
- One of the best campuses in the industry.
- Discounted Microsoft software for employees.
- Many employees have private offices (not cubicles).
- Annual review system forces the bottom 20% each year to be eventually managed out of the company, making for an extremely stressful workplace.
- Microsoft appears to be in the process of laying off or otherwise turning over 20% of the workforce over the next 3-5 years.
- Technical skills acquired are Microsoft-centric and not transferable to other companies.
- Performance ratings are too dependent on the immediate manager, leaving you at the mercy of manipulative managers.
- The work environment is extremely political, requiring a lot of maneuvering to get ahead, and there is no teamwork.
- All product strategy is ultimately based on defending the Windows business, so there is no innovation; just being a fast follower.
- All products are perennially focused on catching up with competitors to prevent market share erosion (e.g., Windows 8 to combat iPad, Office "Online" to combat Google Apps, Windows Server to combat VMWare, etc.).
- Management is focused more on building empires for themselves and not on doing the right things for Microsoft.
- Medical benefits will be severely cut back starting in 2013 (moving to Health Savings Account, etc.).
- Base salary is not competitive with the rest of the tech industry.
- Stock has gone nowhere in 10+ years :-)
- Implement a review system that is fair to employees and doesn't require political maneuvering throughout the year.
- If you want to turnover 20% of the company over 3-5 years, do it all at once so that those who remain can focus on work.
- Pick managers who have integrity and base it on their management talent, not individual ability.
- Stop chasing the competition forever (from Linux, Oracle a while back to Google, Apple now) and innovate from within instead.
Was this helpful?
Microsoft Interview Questions
Microsoft Interview Experiences
Senior Software Development Engineer
A recruiter contacted me via LinkedIn and set up phone interviews with three different groups. Two groups wanted to bring me on-site for a final interview. **On-Site Interview with Group #1:** The hiring manager openly expressed his desire to hire
Senior Software Development Engineer
I was originally interviewed for a team where, after the full loop of six interviews, the hiring manager ran into a headcount problem. She talked to another team in the same organization, and they contacted me. The hiring manager gave me a general o
Senior Software Development Engineer
A short phone conversation with a recruiter/HR led to a Skype-based technical screening/interview. After passing the technical screen, I was flown out to Seattle for on-site interviews. The morning included two one-on-one interviews, followed by a "
Senior Software Development Engineer
Redmond, Washington, United StatesJune 1, 2017A recruiter contacted me via LinkedIn and set up phone interviews with three different groups. Two groups wanted to bring me on-site for a final interview. **On-Site Interview with Group #1:** The hiring manager openly expressed his desire to hire
Senior Software Development Engineer
Redmond, Washington, United StatesJuly 1, 2010I was originally interviewed for a team where, after the full loop of six interviews, the hiring manager ran into a headcount problem. She talked to another team in the same organization, and they contacted me. The hiring manager gave me a general o
Senior Software Development Engineer
Redmond, Washington, United StatesMarch 1, 2015A short phone conversation with a recruiter/HR led to a Skype-based technical screening/interview. After passing the technical screen, I was flown out to Seattle for on-site interviews. The morning included two one-on-one interviews, followed by a "
