4 ms·

Is facebook a good bar now? I was thinking facebook isn't so popular, you really want SpaceX or something "better" now. All you validation seekers have to move!

by rb808 8y ago

ThrowawayR2 8y ago
Despite their recent unpopularity, Facebook still has a high hiring bar and a talented software engineering workforce that will provide valuable career experience.
- reaperducer 8y ago
  You have to wonder at what point an organization becomes so unpopular that it impacts someone's hiring prospects, even if they did a good job there. "June 2015 - May 2017: Migrated database to new platform, and re-engineered web presence for diversified global social network, resulting in 450% increase in engagement, and 23% ROI. Site: racistbastards.com"
  - rdl 8y ago
    Complicated question. Also depends on the role, how close you were to the “bad” part, how specialized and in demand the skill is, etc. Generally the USG was in the business of hanging nazis or at least imprisoning them at the time, but operation paperclip brought a bunch of great scientists, and much more secretively the same thing happened to the arguably-worse Japanese war criminals. I’d probably be fine with the guy handling ddos mitigation and keeping the site up for some random offensive racist or kitten-murdering website if it is just a technical challenge. Although there is also the negative PR impact from having hired such a person, since some people, including potential customers, would be less tolerant. Hard problem. Anonymity or pseudonymous markets is probably the solution here.
    - bendoernberg 8y ago
      Uhhh why would you be ok with someone who chooses to use their labor to work for a racist/kitten murdering website because it’s a “technical challenge”? I’m sure keeping the Daily Stormer up and running is difficult, but anyone who helps them do it is a nazi who deserves whatever they get.
      - spydum 8y ago
        Because the problem is society seems to redraw it’s ethical boundaries every twenty years or so..
        dsr_ 8y ago
        Yeah, twenty years ago it wasn't cool to work for nazis. And it still isn't. Do you have a different example in mind?
        unixhero 8y ago
        Say that to all the cosmetics companies, ThyssenKrupp, IBM and so on
  - strken 8y ago
    The pay for gambling apps (in Australia, where it's legal) tends to be higher for precisely that reason. They'll often hide behind an unrelated name and refer to their industry as "gaming", too.
  - natosaichek 8y ago
    I had a friend who worked at Theranos who has trouble finding work because he was there for 3 years.
    - pmiller2 8y ago
      A software engineer?
      - natosaichek 8y ago
        a lawyer. (facepalm)
  - sbilstein 8y ago
    The best engineer I knew at my last gig (a unicorn company we all use daily) worked at the major adult entertainment company for many years haha. Dude was a total family man by the time I met him and the nicest sharpest tech lead.
driverdan 8y ago
From everything I've read SpaceX is a terrible place to work. Insane pressure, far too many hours, Elon Musk.
akhilcacharya 8y ago
SpaceX isn’t prestigious compared to Facebook.
sjg007 8y ago
Work somewhere on something you would enjoy. Also build out your network.
w0mbat 8y ago
Facebook is known for over-paying, which alone accounts for its continuing popularity with engineers. I worked my ass off trying to get through the multi screen hiring process there and despite being ex-Google still fucked it up at the end. It didn’t help that I got concussion the day before the on-site and wasn’t 100%.

Is facebook a good bar now? I was thinking facebook isn't so popular, you really want SpaceX or something "better" now. All you validation seekers have to move!

by rb808 8y ago

Is facebook a good bar now? I was thinking facebook isn't so popular, you really want SpaceX or something "better" now. All you validation seekers have to move!

ThrowawayR2 8y ago

Despite their recent unpopularity, Facebook still has a high hiring bar and a talented software engineering workforce that will provide valuable career experience.

reaperducer 8y ago
You have to wonder at what point an organization becomes so unpopular that it impacts someone's hiring prospects, even if they did a good job there. "June 2015 - May 2017: Migrated database to new platform, and re-engineered web presence for diversified global social network, resulting in 450% increase in engagement, and 23% ROI. Site: racistbastards.com"
- rdl 8y ago
  Complicated question. Also depends on the role, how close you were to the “bad” part, how specialized and in demand the skill is, etc. Generally the USG was in the business of hanging nazis or at least imprisoning them at the time, but operation paperclip brought a bunch of great scientists, and much more secretively the same thing happened to the arguably-worse Japanese war criminals. I’d probably be fine with the guy handling ddos mitigation and keeping the site up for some random offensive racist or kitten-murdering website if it is just a technical challenge. Although there is also the negative PR impact from having hired such a person, since some people, including potential customers, would be less tolerant. Hard problem. Anonymity or pseudonymous markets is probably the solution here.
  - bendoernberg 8y ago
    Uhhh why would you be ok with someone who chooses to use their labor to work for a racist/kitten murdering website because it’s a “technical challenge”? I’m sure keeping the Daily Stormer up and running is difficult, but anyone who helps them do it is a nazi who deserves whatever they get.
    - spydum 8y ago
      Because the problem is society seems to redraw it’s ethical boundaries every twenty years or so..
      - dsr_ 8y ago
        Yeah, twenty years ago it wasn't cool to work for nazis. And it still isn't. Do you have a different example in mind?
        unixhero 8y ago
        Say that to all the cosmetics companies, ThyssenKrupp, IBM and so on
- strken 8y ago
  The pay for gambling apps (in Australia, where it's legal) tends to be higher for precisely that reason. They'll often hide behind an unrelated name and refer to their industry as "gaming", too.
- natosaichek 8y ago
  I had a friend who worked at Theranos who has trouble finding work because he was there for 3 years.
  - pmiller2 8y ago
    A software engineer?
    - natosaichek 8y ago
      a lawyer. (facepalm)
- sbilstein 8y ago
  The best engineer I knew at my last gig (a unicorn company we all use daily) worked at the major adult entertainment company for many years haha. Dude was a total family man by the time I met him and the nicest sharpest tech lead.

driverdan 8y ago

From everything I've read SpaceX is a terrible place to work. Insane pressure, far too many hours, Elon Musk.

akhilcacharya 8y ago

SpaceX isn’t prestigious compared to Facebook.

sjg007 8y ago

Work somewhere on something you would enjoy. Also build out your network.

w0mbat 8y ago

Facebook is known for over-paying, which alone accounts for its continuing popularity with engineers. I worked my ass off trying to get through the multi screen hiring process there and despite being ex-Google still fucked it up at the end. It didn’t help that I got concussion the day before the on-site and wasn’t 100%.