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Yeah I've been at Google a decade and I strongly don't agree with the notion that it's hyper evangelized as the best place to work. In official communications,

Yeah I've been at Google a decade and I strongly don't agree with the notion that it's hyper evangelized as the best place to work. In official communications, yes, but I think most people here are aware of the drawbacks and problems. Maybe even a little too aware. Internal lists are rife with the discussions of even the slightest deviation from perfect execution on the part of management, product teams, the culture, etc. That's not to say there's no one here with rose tinted goggles, but I think most people have their eyes open.

rleigh 9y ago
When I interviewed with Google, the over-the-top "Google is the best place to work evaaar" attitudes I got from the majority of people I interacted with gave me the distinct impression that it was like some bizarre cult. Most of them were so green they likely hadn't had any other job, so were unlikely to be able to know how silly they appeared to me (having worked for several companies in very different fields).
- puzzle 9y ago
  When I was at Google, some of us actually noticed that employees for which it was their first job sometimes complained more than the others ("zeroth world problems": they switched to smaller plates and trays) and had no idea how much worse it was elsewhere. You'll probably find a mix of everything.
- davidcbc 9y ago
  What recruiter has ever said "This is just an ok place to work?" Every job I've had the people I've interacted with in recruiting/interviews have all been very positive about the company.
  - rleigh 9y ago
    There are degrees of enthusiasm and positivity. Everywhere else I've interviewed, people have been relatively positive since they want to sell the company to you and give you a good impression. At Google, it was way beyond that. I think cult-like is a good take on it; it was frankly a bit creepy and weird. And as for the "recruiters", they didn't really try to sell Google at all. I think they assumed that the Google name was sufficient reason to want to work for them. (It isn't, or at least was not for me.)
y3sh 9y ago
Of course not, you're still there :D Jokes aside, its a big company with many offices and tens of thousands of employees. YMMV.
- b4lancesh33t 9y ago
  Hah. I'm not sure it would matter that much to me if I were the only person who saw the flaws. Comp, work-life balance, interesting problems, and a minimum of local bullshit are what matter to me. My coworkers' attitude toward the company, be it positive or negative, or dysfunctions in another organization ten thousand people away from me, are much less influential on my well-being. That's just my take, obviously everyone else is entitled to their own priorities and I wouldn't look down on anyone for caring about the stance of the company as a whole. It's just not me.
rifung 9y ago
> Yeah I've been at Google a decade and I strongly don't agree with the notion that it's hyper evangelized as the best place to work This is my experience too. I've only been here for a year but what surprised me was how negative non-official internal communications about the company seem to be.. Note I don't necessarily disagree with their points but the lack of civility.
komali2 9y ago
If there's that much internal criticism of mistakes, how are the mistakes made? I.e. multiple chat apps, terrible hardware design decisions (wtf Pixel buds?), etc?

rleigh 9y ago

When I interviewed with Google, the over-the-top "Google is the best place to work evaaar" attitudes I got from the majority of people I interacted with gave me the distinct impression that it was like some bizarre cult. Most of them were so green they likely hadn't had any other job, so were unlikely to be able to know how silly they appeared to me (having worked for several companies in very different fields).

puzzle 9y ago
When I was at Google, some of us actually noticed that employees for which it was their first job sometimes complained more than the others ("zeroth world problems": they switched to smaller plates and trays) and had no idea how much worse it was elsewhere. You'll probably find a mix of everything.
davidcbc 9y ago
What recruiter has ever said "This is just an ok place to work?" Every job I've had the people I've interacted with in recruiting/interviews have all been very positive about the company.
- rleigh 9y ago
  There are degrees of enthusiasm and positivity. Everywhere else I've interviewed, people have been relatively positive since they want to sell the company to you and give you a good impression. At Google, it was way beyond that. I think cult-like is a good take on it; it was frankly a bit creepy and weird. And as for the "recruiters", they didn't really try to sell Google at all. I think they assumed that the Google name was sufficient reason to want to work for them. (It isn't, or at least was not for me.)

y3sh 9y ago

Of course not, you're still there :D Jokes aside, its a big company with many offices and tens of thousands of employees. YMMV.

b4lancesh33t 9y ago
Hah. I'm not sure it would matter that much to me if I were the only person who saw the flaws. Comp, work-life balance, interesting problems, and a minimum of local bullshit are what matter to me. My coworkers' attitude toward the company, be it positive or negative, or dysfunctions in another organization ten thousand people away from me, are much less influential on my well-being. That's just my take, obviously everyone else is entitled to their own priorities and I wouldn't look down on anyone for caring about the stance of the company as a whole. It's just not me.

rifung 9y ago

> Yeah I've been at Google a decade and I strongly don't agree with the notion that it's hyper evangelized as the best place to work This is my experience too. I've only been here for a year but what surprised me was how negative non-official internal communications about the company seem to be.. Note I don't necessarily disagree with their points but the lack of civility.

komali2 9y ago

If there's that much internal criticism of mistakes, how are the mistakes made? I.e. multiple chat apps, terrible hardware design decisions (wtf Pixel buds?), etc?