Microsoft Software Development Engineer In Test (SDET) II reviews

3.8

98% would recommend to a friend

(721 total reviews)
avatar

Satya Nadella

90% approve of CEO

86% positive business outlook

Software Development Engineer In Test SDET II employees have rated Microsoft with 3.8 out of 5 stars, based on 721 company reviews on Glassdoor. This indicates that most Software Development Engineer In Test SDET II professionals have a good working experience there. Microsoft is rated in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) by Software Development Engineer In Test SDET II professionals compared to other employers within the Tecnologías de la información industry (3.9 stars).

Reviews by job title

721 reviews
2.0
Nov 30, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good health benefits are available for everyone at Microsoft. In the Seattle/Redmond area you get a health club membership, or can opt for $800/year in reimbursed expenses. Need a new bicycle to workout? Use it for that. Microsoft has been good on resumes for getting interviews at my new company, however most experience Microsoft engineers fail their interview because the work at Microsoft doesn't prepare them well to get hired outside. You have to do that yourself.

Cons

Your work at Microsoft prepares you to do your job at Microsoft, not a lot on the outside. Every year someone would get the bad annual review, which meant everybody is on edge for the rest of the year. What does that mean? Their is incentive for your coworkers to stab you in the back. Managers don't know much about your daily work, so presentation skills are vital to get the visibility you need to survive. No matter how much Microsoft wants you to have work-life balance, everyone ends up sacrificing it due to the threat of a bad review. That doesn't mean your boss wants to skewer you (he/she might; different story), it means everything is tinged with internal competition. Internal competition is more important than external, because the customers won't fire you, but your boss will.

2.0
Nov 26, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you are a junior, out of collage, Microsoft is a great place to start your career. Lots of smart people and mentors to learn from, lots of trainings and resources. Good pay and benefits. No major disturbances.

Cons

After senior (63) and above, you spend most (literally easily 60%) dealing with politics, making sure you look good, watching out for yourself, covering your back, building alliances. If you choose to stay blind, you may survive if you have good management and they do these for you. Otherwise, no matter how good you are, how much great work you do, you may find yourself thrown under bus very fast, very unexpected and even your manager may not be able to save you. Politics are everywhere, don't get me wrong. However, since only people highly political can survive, senior and above is dominated and ruled by people who have their political empires and what matters most (and sometimes what only matters) is where you are in this political map. A minefield for technical people. It also kills your technical savvy by time and makes you irrelevant for the rest of the industry. If you choose to stay at MS at senior levels for extended periods, make sure you are still marketable or you become the slave of this system.

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