Microsoft reviews

There is no real downside to this company. A few issues that I have heard are that some groups are very big and promotions and bonuses are not as per expectations. A few groups like Windows and Office have a lot of money while the latest upcoming groups might not have as much capital before the release of their products. Another issue that has cropped up lately is the quality of people being hired at Microsoft. It used to be that the very best get in, but I have seen a few people who have someone got a job when they are not suited to work for Microsoft, the main reason might be the hiring spree that Microsoft had a few months back.

Microsoft culture is not as pragmatic as it used to be, and is becoming less so every day. MS people used to want to "change the world" (which they did), but now it's much more about "playing the game". The creeping bureaucracy is not, as some say, the inevitable result of growth - but rather the result of a loss of cultural momentum. As the old-timers leave, and new people join, the culture is shifting - slowly, but inexorably (like global warming). In years passed, it used to be okay to openly challenge virtually anyone's rationale, as long as your argument was strong. Now, that could be politically unwise, and could hurt your career. Bad news used to "travel fast", but now it is more often suppressed. The true impact of modest reportable achievements tend to be exaggerated, often to a great extent. A project with minimal value but great visibility can do a lot to help your career, but the reverse will generally not. Regardless of recent HR attempts to improve team collaboration, the element of intra-team competition remains as strong as ever, even within the formal reward structure. Helping others on your team will usually not impact your review, but "game playing" to improve your visibility at the expense of your peers is usually rewarded. This is true at every level of the company. Microsoft is not unique in this regard - but you should be clearly aware.