Would you move to Redmond just to work for Microsoft?

James R Twine

Quick question; being offered an interview at Microsoft, would you seriously consider moving out there just for the job? (This is for an internal developer position, not something like an evangelist.) Meaning, if you could get a "XYZ" position locally, for about the same take-home pay, would you up and move to Redmond just because you would be working for Microsoft? Obvious, having a family changes things a bit, so under what conditions would you move or not? Wife? Wife and 1 Kid? Wife and 2 Kids? Etc. Peace! -=- James

If you think it costs a lot to do it right, just wait until you find out how much it costs to do it wrong!
Tip for new SUV drivers: Professional Driver on Closed Course does not mean your Dumb Ass on a Public Road!
DeleteFXPFiles & CheckFavorites

Jon Sagara

I have a lot of ties to the place I live, so the pay would have to be substantially more and/or the job would have to be exponentially cooler.

Jon Sagara I bent my wookie.
My Articles

Dave Kreskowiak

Well, Heath Stewert did just that. Besides, wouldn't you like to put "Microsoft" on your resume? RageInTheMachine9532 "...a pungent, ghastly, stinky piece of cheese!" -- The Roaming Gnome

Nemanja Trifunovic

Yes, I would. I really miss working for a "real" software company.

My programming blahblahblah blog. If you ever find anything useful here, please let me know to remove it.

Marc Clifton

James R. Twine wrote: Obvious, having a family changes things a bit, so under what conditions would you move or not? Wife? Wife and 1 Kid? Wife and 2 Kids? Etc. How many permutations are permittable? 2 Wives and no kids? But to answer your question, I like being a stressed out consultant with my own time and schedule. If I can avoid it at all, I will never go back to 8-5 employment. Marc MyXaml Advanced Unit Testing YAPO

bjoernen

I would do it. If Microsoft offered me a developer position in Redmond, I would jump at it immediately, even though I live in Sweden (single with two kids 11/12 yrs). I would emigrate with the kids and try it out for a few years. Microsoft has impressed me more and more over the years, and I think I would fit in the company "style". Regards, Björn Morén Stockholm, Sweden

Joao Paulo Figueira

Marc Clifton wrote: I like being a stressed out consultant with my own time and schedule. Yeah, that ROCKS! (especially the 'my own time and schedule' part) Regards, João Paulo Figueira Embedded MVP

Navin

I certainly wouldn't do it "just to be working for Microsoft." I have a feeling that while working at Microsoft is probably pretty good, it's probably not so amazingly wonderfully great that I'd just pack up and leave everything I have to go there. An expert is somebody who learns more and more about less and less, until he knows absolutely everything about nothing.

Todd Davis

Wife, 3yr old, two in college, one very old dog. I love my job. I'm a webmaster/developer - I make my own hours. I work from home when I want to. I can come in late, take a long lunch, leave early, or not come in at all. It doesn't matter to my company as long as my job is done and our customers are happy. I have a lot of creative freedom and they value my input. My boss lets me run with whatever I like. Life is good. Having said all that - I would still jump at the chance to work for MS. I know all the flack they take, but they are still the greatest minds in programming. I have enormous respect for what they do, how they approach and solve problems, and their involvement and empowerment in the development community. I would love to be part of that team. So yeah, I'd be there, even if meant living in shoebox. As long as its shoebox with high speed internet, of course.:-D -Todd Davis (toddhd@gmail.com)

Matt Newman

Yes.... Its always been a dream to work for Microsoft. Besides I know I'll never get the same take-home pay locally. Matt Newman
Even the very best tools in the hands of an idiot will produce something of little or no value. - Chris Meech on Idiots

brianwelsch

If by take-home pay you're including all benefits(401k match, insurance, bonuses, vacation time, etc..), then it'd be tough to get me to move just because its MS. I guess if I was looking for a change of scenary for a while, then I'd give it more consideration. (distance from friends and family, etc) BW

I want pancakes! God, do you people understand every language except English?
Yo quiero pancakes. Donnez moi pancakes. Click click, bloody click pancakes!
-- Stewie Griffin

Anna Jayne Metcalfe

Marc Clifton wrote: But to answer your question, I like being a stressed out consultant with my own time and schedule. If I can avoid it at all, I will never go back to 8-5 employment. Having been freelance since last August I feel the same way now. Of course, as we're concentrating on developing our own products things are pretty tight at the moment, but it is a challenge I've wanted to persue for some time now, and I don't regret that choice. Anna :rose: Riverblade Ltd - Software Consultancy Services Anna's Place | Tears and Laughter "Be yourself - not what others think you should be" - Marcia Graesch "Anna's just a sexy-looking lesbian tart" - A friend, trying to wind me up. It didn't work.

wrykyn

No, but I'm not really a programmer..so I guess the question doesn't really apply "One of the Georges," said Psmith, "I forget which, once said that a certain number of hours' sleep a day--I cannot recall for the moment how many--made a man something, which for the time being has slipped my memory."

Neville Franks

I haven't worked for anyone for around 20 years now and figure I became unemployable about 15 years ago.:-D It takes me 30 seconds to get to work, I have no office politics, no staff, work very long hours, am in total control over what I do and when I do it, and make a reasonable living. I wouldn't want it any other way. Neville Franks, Author of ED for Windows www.getsoft.com and Surfulater www.surfulater.com "Save what you Surf"

Jerry Hammond

Ok, I need to qualify my answers by reminding everyone that I'm a hobbiest--the lowliest of the low. James R. Twine wrote: Meaning, if you could get a "XYZ" position locally, for about the same take-home pay, would you up and move to Redmond just because you would be working for Microsoft? Hell YES! Of any state I would want to live in besides my home state it would be Washington. Working for Microsoft would just be icing on that cake. Yup, I will say it...I LIKE MICROSOFT. Yup. And I like Microsoft for a gazillion reasons. (Any explanation would be wasted time on those who demand an explanation for my pro-Microsoft stance. They just wouldn't get it) James R. Twine wrote: Obvious, having a family changes things a bit, so under what conditions would you move or not? Wife? Wife and 1 Kid? Wife and 2 Kids? Etc. You mean I couldn't take them with me? Jerry He said this was like painstakingly assembling the first layer of a house of cards, then boasting that the next 15,000 layers were a mere formality.--The Code Book, pp. 331 Toasty0.com DotNetGroup.org

Rocky Moore

I guess it would depend on many factors: 1) Will you end up divorced if you move :) 2) Do you have family where you live that you wish to leave :) 3) Do you desire to live in the Pacific Northwest with snow-capped mountains, clean air and water (in most places) and enjoy the outdoors. 4) Do you have a fantasy about living next door to volcanoes. 5) Do you enjoy being around other geeks 6) Do you want to play with some of the latest technology that the rest of the world does not even know about 7) Do you want to work for a company that you know will be around to pay your check longer than a year 8) Do you wish to be in a place where there is usually always room for advancement 9) Do you want to include the "Microsoft" label on your resume. I always wonder about this one, if you have it on your resume, what could possibly be the reason for leaving ;) While these are not all that serious, it really depends on who you are, what you like, where you want to go and how serious you are as a developer. I would have loved to work at MS in my younger years simply to be around all that geekness and stay ahead of technology. The problem is that you and I are only have of what matters as the family we have is the other half. In the end, it really matters what is best for the family. I would imagine though that the financial aspects are not that important, as I would imagine your pay and promotions at MS will directly relate to how much you put into it. In a short time, you could possibly be earning even more. Rocky <>< VS.NET 200? beta 2 coming soon with Go-Live [^]

Rick York

Make sure you consider housing costs in the take-home pay. That area has had its cost of housing skyrocket since MS moved in and became successful.

Chris Maunder

Redmond is a beautiful place. A little boring but Seattle is only 45 mins away. The weather is mild (though Summers can be nice and hot), winters wet but plenty of skiing within an hours drive. Lots of greenery and scenery, awesome cycling paths, tons of rock climbing and heaps of clean air. The traffic sucks though. cheers, Chris Maunder

Brian Delahunty

Chris Maunder wrote: The weather is mild (though Summers can be nice and hot), winters wet Ok... sounding a lot like Ireland.... Chris Maunder wrote: plenty of skiing within an hours drive. ... ROTFLMAO... nothing like Ireland so. I love skiing since Ulla thought 2 Christmases ago. There is simply nothing better than hurtling down the side of a mountain knowing that you are only a split second away from squishing that little kid who decided it would be funny to stop just over the crest of that compressed pack of snow.... knowing that at any minute you could end up with your face stuck in the snow... knowing that at lunch tie you can go for a few beers on the side of a mountain and txt the guys back home where it is raining.... Arrrrraaagghhhhh... I want to go skiing....!!!! Will try to get some in Austria in March. Chris Maunder wrote: Lots of greenery and scenery ... ok, getting like Ireland again... You are making this place sound like heaven Chris... Ireland, but with skiing! Wohoo! Regards, Brian Dela :-) Now Bloging![^]

BrockVnm

For me I think it would depend on the position. For a few reasons.... 1.) I have family and friends here and I really love my current job and company. It just dont know if I would want to move away from it all. 2.) I think Microsoft makes amazing products and I would love to work for them, however it is such a hugh company that I think I would feel weird getting lost in such a hugh company. That being said, I have a co-worker thats brother works on the team that is developing Longhorn and he says that he loves working for Microsoft. The work and job is amazing. His biggest complaint is that it feels weird because the company is so big he feels like he is just a spoke in the wheel. He said it is a very odd feeling because the company is so big. I had a conversation like this with a friend of mine and he was saying he would start off working for Microsoft if he had to start by cleaning the bathrooms. The best part is all he does is bash Microsoft because he loves Mac's and Microsoft is evil...yet he would still do anything to work there...funny how you can bad mouth the company every waking moment of the day yet still want to work for them. It was kind of funny to hear it from someone that constantly tells me I should get a Mac becuase windows sucks....:laugh:

There are 10 kinds of people in this world. Those who understand binary and those who don't. We shouldn't assume something's debugged just because everyone in the whole world has access to the source code.