No company-wide hiring freeze (yet) at Microsoft

Is Microsoft slowing its seemingly never-ending hiring or actually putting a halt on it?

Microsoft, which these days employs more than 90,000 worldwide, denied an IDG News Service story late last week reporting the company was instituing a hiring freeze. Spokesman Lou Gellos issued the following statement:

"Microsoft will continue to grow and add thousands of new jobs this year, but given the current economic environment we are taking the prudent step of reviewing our hiring plans and will make some adjustments as appropriate. We are optimistic about our prospects for growth and will continue hiring the talent we need to ensure our ongoing success."

But IDG isn't the only one hearing that Microsoft is putting the kibosh on new hires, at least in some groups. Seattle Times reporter Brier Dudley is reporting that in spite of the company's denial of a company-wide freeze, certain unnamed groups are halting hiring and taking stock of who's already on the payroll. I'm hearing from my Microsoft moles, too, that Microsoft has told certain groups to stop hiring, at least for now.

Denials or no denials, Microsoft is tightening the new-hire reins. Microsoft's anonymous blogger Mini-Microsoft -- who has been advocating for a leaner, meaner Microsoft -- seems to have gotten his wish....