Microsoft

I had a chance to work with the best engineers I've ever seen in my career, which helped me to learn and shape my views on software engineering.

Decent benefits and work-life balance.

If you end up working in one of the meritocratic/excellent teams, it can be challenging to get your hands on interesting projects and grow. Even the most skilled people are struggling to get promoted or meet their career goals because of cost cuts.

The leadership wants people to align with their "Current Thing." They expect you to internalize their current vision, reflect it in your core priorities, and integrate it into your everyday cognitive process. At some level, it makes sense, but it is too intrusive and sometimes counterproductive.

I'm no economist, but maybe not every drop of mid-term profit opportunity matters. In the long run, it might be worth to value your people and the open-source ecosystems that enable your success more.