Avantages
The best part of working here, in a product role in my division, is the immense amount of experience and new skills you stand to gain should you want to embrace the role. Speaking with other engineers from other companies helps illuminate what a wealth of knowledge I've obtained during my time here. Microchip is often criticized for its frugality when it comes to equipment and technology, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. In several cases I can argue for this type of financial management. Additionally, the RSUS (At least those given during hiring) and employee stock program are quite nice. The nicity of having an on site clinic (with staff who care) should be mentioned as well. To finish, I can say I legitimately enjoy my actual work. I'm consistently presented with opportunities to learn new techniques and technologies while improving my management skills and I'm thoroughly fascinated with that aspect of my job.
Inconvénients
I can't say for certain how far it extends, but I can say that in my division at minimum quantity is most definitely valued over quality. We have the unfortunate methodology of hiring new college graduates at a rate that is not justified by available product lines, and almost never rewarding excellent performers. Microchip is heralded for its practice of not laying off its people, but it seems this attracts several candidates that work here just for the comfort that they do not have to put forth the effort to keep a job. This is not to say that microchip does not have some excellent people, but rather those who show excellence or diligence are rewarded with additional work which is usually shouldered by those who choose to coast on little to no performance. Finally, we have the less than satisfactory nature of our new system for compensation. I cannot express how much unrest this has generated not only for myself, but those around me as well. I can note several occasions where employees have admitted to not working as hard as they used to due to the ambiguous and odd nature or our new compensatory system. To sum up the new system - raises are now issued quarterly, but never twice within more a year. In fact, I've experienced and heard several cases where employees have been foregone for a raise for two years (to good performers as well), and when it comes it only accounts for inflation. There is also no finite time frame within the quarter you can expect to see if you were chosen for a raise, so you fall into a state consistent aloofness. On top of this, performance reviews are no longer tied to raises or additional compensation. If you ever do get an additional bonus, it's usually once a year and only 10 hours of pay. Whenever you get a raise or bonus you find yourself even questioning why you got it because performance has nothing to do with it. This system creates an intense disconnect between performance and compensation that is currently resulting in good employees becoming mediocre or leaving to competitors. Even more infuriating is the fact that all of middle management seems to agree on several points, but seems to have next to no power to motivate their employees aside from kind words and work assignments. It is clear that there are good managers here, but they have their hands consistently tied. My recommendation to any NCGS or interns evaluating this company is to either opt for another company, or work here for a few years for the experience and then leave to leverage a better position elsewhere.