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Fast-paced but slow to react to competitors

Software Development Engineer II
Current Employee
Has worked at Microsoft for 9 years
June 20, 2016
Redmond, Washington
3.0
RecommendsNeutral OutlookNo CEO Opinion
Pros

Great benefits: a connector bus that picks you up in neighborhoods scattered throughout the Seattle area and drops you off at work, connecting you with Wi-Fi.

Locker rooms and great incentives to bicycle to work.

Great resources: Microsoft Library, access to online training, internal tools, and access to Microsoft products for developers.

Cons

The company is slow to react to external competition because it is such a huge ship. It is trying to turn course, but has so much mass and excess baggage that it's not as nimble as smaller companies.

Some acquisitions are complete failures. It appears Microsoft is on its mission to acquire technology versus develop it in-house. Microsoft, you have the talent and resources in-house; there is no reason to spend billions on acquisitions.

Elimination of its SDETs and Infra teams, placing the onus on developers (and even worse, customers) to maintain quality and infrastructure. This is having an impact on quality, and not directly impacting the company. It is riding on what was in place before the SDET role was eliminated. This quality 'lag' will catch up.

Advice to Management

I would bring back the SDET role, sooner than later. It's not working with one role.

Stop chasing the competition.

Release "V1" internally, then "V2" externally. Get first versions right.

Make it easier for internal employees to channel and file bugs on Microsoft products and not have to navigate these ridiculous channels.

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