Pros
A decent paycheck & good benefits to run your family better. Considering windows share more than 80% of world OS, you can see interesting tech products every two years. You can change organisations if you are not screwed with stack ranking When joining negotiate and get a job with higher level because once you join growth is very slow
Cons
I had great respect for Microsoft when I joined. I turned down Google for Microsoft. This is what I get from Microsoft for that. i) No value to real work. ii) Talk, talk and talk BS. Add politics to it and you will grow. iii) Company is full of managers who are C+ or B+. The only task of these people are play politics, stab on other people and grow. A completely disgusting culture. iv) People with passion for Microsoft are home grown. Typically they are freshers join the company and fed with Microsoft biased videos. These noob's eventually create the creepy culture inside Microsoft. v) Company management dont care for people. They fire people easily for no reason. vi) Don't expect to get a amazing job elsewhere because of MS brand. This is no more respected anymore. Companies like Google or Apple rock in this matter. Work life balance sucks if you are in lower level. ( LAST one ) Microsoft has a stack ranking system. Its screws up 50% of people even if you are the best. 50% of company is walking dead who hate their job. Now imagine the company with this culture. If you are the best look elsewhere because Microsoft is not for the BEST