Pros
As far as big corporations go, Microsoft is one of the best ones to work. The company culture is overall great. They emphasize a growth mindset and try to care about people. They have strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion which helps everyone think about how to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment. The pay and benefits are competitive. Because of all the products they work on, you can work on different products and move teams without leaving the company. They’re also making a lot of great strategic decisions which gives me faith in the leadership and direction they’re headed.
Cons
While the company culture overall is good and they try to emphasize good values, it’s a huge company so you can have a vast difference in experience depending on where you work. If you’re interviewing, make sure you meet with your hiring manager, evaluate them and ask questions about the culture of the team. A lot of work is still Seattle centric which makes it difficult to be visible if you’re new and remote, impacting promotions, influence, etc. If you’re getting hired for a PM position, make sure you understand what is expected from the role. It looks vastly different depending on the product and its needs. I would recommend staying away from products that aren’t growing, especially as a PM.
