Experience of a lifetime, company hit it's peak. - Group Manager Microsoft Employee Review

3.0
5 Apr 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If you are beginning your career, there are few other companies that can teach you how to build world class software. (across consumer or enterprise, retail versus online services). There's such a wealth of knowledge in this company, you will grow your career experience very quickly that will be hard for others to match. (access to MSR, industry architects, strategic thinkers) The benefits and salary are very competitive - get several good reviews at the more senior/principle bands and you'll love the stock program. The campus culture in Redmond is still very cool (although there once were random arcade machines between buildings) - beats any major city corporate culture on any day.

Cons

There's an issue with key talent bleeding out of the company, and potentially strategic direction. This raises questions if you think your career is best parked at this company in the long run. RE: key talent, this covers execs that have left (publicly), but also applies to key contributors at the most senior levels (i.e. the company has trouble hiring and retaining externals to fill strategic roles, only seems to be able to promote from within). Re: strategic direction, investors publicly call out that Microsoft's story around Windows/Office has only so many years left in it. Yet practically no major business unit has succeeded or shown promise to take the Windows/Office mantel. (think if investments in mobile, online music, online TV, tablets, social networking, search (w/o Yahoo), and yes even Xbox have materially changed the game for the company?) Said differently: You get to build products with the best, they just may not be the best products.

Explore other reviews about Microsoft

5.0
7 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Interesting and varied work. Seasonality to the job allows for rest period

Cons

Less stability than there used to be makes people afraid to take risks

4.0
28 Jan 2013
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

1. If you love tech, this is a great place. No doubt you'll talk tech (mostly the MSFT stack) from enterprise to consumer - from PCs to phones to Xboxes - from datacenter to desktop. 2. What were GREAT benefits are now VERY GOOD (took a small step down) but still probably better than you'll find at 99% of large corporations. If you've got family - the value of the benefits is even higher. 401k match is nice. 3. Even with it's struggles MSFT is still a cash printing machine. This means if you can keep your nose clean and do reasonable work, you can have a stable job, pay your bills, feed your family, and not worry (too much) about layoffs. The stock you own likely won't tank, but probably won't go up much either. You'll get a bonus each year and some stock. It's a decent life if you aren't looking to light the world on fire.

Cons

Brand on Your Resume: After many years of losing market share and struggling to be at the front end of innovation and the fact that there's 90,000 employees, don't think MSFT is necessarily going to be attractive on your resume to more agile and smaller companies. Managing Your Career: Make you say this out loud so it registers - 90,000 employees work there. Double that for vendors. It is VERY hard to "stand out" and move up in the company. Don't expect your manager to be much of an advocate or enabler to help you meet your career goals - they are basically trying to survive the stack rank every year too. Not familiar with the stack rank? Check out the 2012 Vanity Fair article called "Microsoft's Lost Decade".

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