"Principal" is a standard career level at Microsoft. There are dozens of principal-level engineers on the Bing team.

Consider that, with Nokia, Microsoft has shown mastery in the art of offensive outplacement.

I was just propositioned by a staffing agency for Microsoft and it was done poorly. I was treated like many of the Indian staffing agencies. A non fluent English speaker low-balling the rate and ratcheting down that rates before we even get a chance to discuss the position.

I'm getting the feeling that the hiring division for MS is losing its mojo.

Ouchies. Microsoft needs a win in their web services division ASAP.