Microsoft

• Good reputation in general in the industry.
• Opens up other job opportunities in the industry.
• If you are lucky enough to be in a group which is making money and have a really good manager who you can follow around, stay.

Your fate is decided by your manager. If they don't like you, you can stay at the same level for several years and never get promoted because they need people who can do the less glorious work too.

Bing Ads in the Bay Area has some of the worst people managers. They cannot stomach critical constructive feedback. I have witnessed several of my outspoken colleagues forced out of the team.

There is occasional evidence of racial bias in hiring and promotions. Take a look at the names of people in some of the teams; you'll clearly see this. I've been on interview panels where, despite having strong candidates of a different ethnic background, they were not hired. The hiring decisions are not transparent to the interview panel. They are entirely in the hands of the hiring manager.

Don't go by looking at statistically biased data coming from internal HR polls. A lot more people than you realize are unhappy.

Managers literally control the fate of your career and tenure at Microsoft, and they aren't audited. Embrace democracy and reduce the powers and autonomy of managers. There are many managers who abuse power. Upper management won't have a clue of any of this.

Stop copying Google and doing everything to bring 'parity' with Google. Innovate. Take bold new steps.