Microsoft

"Do not always be a team player - sometimes you need to look out for yourself."

"Don't underestimate yourself. Negotiate your salary. Men tend to do this better."

"Grab every opportunity for training--it's at your fingertips."

"I'd tell myself to ask as many questions as possible whenever I didn't know what to do. It not only helps you learn, but sometimes it informs higher ups that a project is bigger than they imagined and not something for a newbie to get. Also, expect to be challenged constantly- managers can be a little forceful in questioning your decisions, which is not the greatest situation for an introvert. To other women, you may get put into a team off the bat that you don't mesh with. It's generally considered poor manners to switch teams mid-release, but once the product is off for production, you can shop around. Use the time before you can switch to network and get to know about how other teams work. Try to build a relationship with the person that'd be your manager. That way, when it's time for a reorg, you'll have an idea of how other teams work, or if the team you thought you'd join is discontinued, you'll know to ask the old manager where he or she is going. If you like your management, try to stick with them through team changes. While having an interest in the team's goals is important, enjoying being around your coworkers can really make or break your experience."

"I worked here for 10 years in Finance as well as Marketing. I never saw women treated differently than men. I had my first kid 3 years after joining and enjoyed a flexible work culture, excellent maternity leave (12 weeks paid and 8 weeks unpaid and you can take it all together) that accomodates the needs of parents. I had 2 kids while at Microsoft. There is politics in the company but not a bias against women. So you need to know how to build relationships with senior managers men or women (had plenty of women in my many of my teams always)."