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      Microsoft

      Engaged Employer

      Microsoft Principal Software Development Engineer reviews

      3.8

      72% would recommend to a friend

      (406 total reviews)
      avatar

      Satya Nadella

      80% approve of CEO

      70% positive business outlook

      Ratings by demographic groups

      Principal Software Development Engineer employees have rated Microsoft with 3.8 out of 5 stars, based on 406 company reviews on Glassdoor. This indicates that most Principal Software Development Engineer professionals have a good working experience there. Microsoft is rated in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) by Principal Software Development Engineer professionals compared to other employers within the Informationstechnologie industry (3.9 stars).

      Reviews by job title

      406 reviews
      4.0
      Jun 30, 2013

      Microsoft offers great opportunities to software engineers and competitive compensation.

      Principal software development engineer
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      Microsoft looks out for its people. Salary and benefits are excellent. If you have a good manager, life is sweet and work hours are super flexible. Potential to have huge impact on software used by millions of people. Smart co-workers create a motivating environment.

      Cons

      Microsoft is huge and politics often get in the way of future bets and risk taking. Product groups are conservative and often look to protect what they have rather than take big novel ideas and run with them. If your manager sucks, life can be very bad. Find a place with a good manager is the most important aspect of your job at MS.

      2.0
      May 17, 2013

      Brilliant Co-Workers Until They are Pushed Out Through the Review System

      Principal software development engineer
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      You will be working with smart, engaged co-workers in an almost infinite number of tech fields. For recent college graduates Microsoft can be a wonderful extension to your education - on the job training as long as you stay no longer than five years. I would not recommend working at Microsoft to senior employees, your prior experience will not be valued. You will have access to all the tools you need to be successful in your job. The key to success at Microsoft is picking the right manager and staying with them, which unfortunately, to a great extent, is out of the employee's control.

      Cons

      As many others have stated, and numerous articles have confirmed, the stack ranking system at Microsoft is stifling innovation. At Microsoft the competition is not firms like Apple and Google, but the peer in the office next door. It is an open secret that Microsoft ages out.

      4.0
      Feb 26, 2013

      Takes good care of employees; can be stogy and bureaucratic

      Principal software development engineer
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      great benefits; excellent pay lots of different kinds of projects many smart people flexible work arrangements global worksites excellent facilities

      Cons

      almost always a follower in the market slow to move management is not incentivized to make things work well across the whole product portfolio stock is only good for the dividend maddening bureaucracies abound

      Viewing 388 - 390 of 406 Reviews
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      Glassdoor has 68,443 Microsoft reviews submitted anonymously by Microsoft employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Microsoft is right for you.