Microsoft

Great benefits, compensation, and work-life balance (one of the best in big tech), with a range of opportunities. Good leadership, career progression, and clear HR processes.

Microsoft's a fantastic place to work if you're raising a family or have been in the industry for a while, and it definitely shows. When HQ is in the suburbs and the workforce is older compared to the rest of big tech, the culture is less "Silicon Valley" and more "comfy employer to work for the rest of your life."

As much as Microsoft tries to position itself as working on "sexy" technology, the core business is B2B business systems. Unless you happen to be working on select teams like Xbox, Hololens, or Azure, you'll most likely be working on technology that's been around for a long time and processes that are resistant to change.

These systems are profitable and successful, without a doubt, but they're hard to get excited about on a daily basis.