5 ms·

That confirms that we shouldn't bother if we value our time and energy.

burntoutfire 5y ago
Many people apply to all the FANGS, since the interviewing skillset needed is similar. Moreover, you can reapply every six months. In result, this gives you perhaps 5-10 lottery tickets every year, which means it's very feasible to get in within a year or two (or three).
- janoc 5y ago
  In other words - don't bother to apply if you actually need a job. And if you have a job already, why would you bother to apply there? It used to be attractive but is it still? With all the scandals and upheaval in the recent years?
  - killtimeatwork 5y ago
    The reason is that it doubles or triples regular SWE salary.
    - xyzzy_plugh 5y ago
      Eh, I've had two offers from Google that were far below the "market rate" I was receiving at some of the largest pre-IPO unicorns of the last decade, and their interview processes were substantially better.
      - gowld 5y ago
        "pre-IPO unicorn" is the same rarified air. We're comparing to average paying jobs most people have.
  - dudeman13 5y ago
    >And if you have a job already, why would you bother to apply there? It used to be attractive but is it still? With all the scandals and upheaval in the recent years? $$$
- maccard 5y ago
  Going through 5 companies hoops for 2-3 years sounds like a full time job. There's no way I would have time to do that on top of work right now.
  - dagw 5y ago
    What if doing so could double or triple your salary? Would that change the calculus?
    - maccard 5y ago
      It doesn't change the number of hours in my day, so unlikely.
      - dagw 5y ago
        But it could cut down on the number of days you have to work before retiring. For what it's worth I probably wouldn't want to move to SF and take a FAANG job either, but I can see why many people would
- bryanrasmussen 5y ago
  >Moreover, you can reapply every six months. In result, this gives you perhaps 5-10 lottery tickets every year, you are aware of the saying that the lottery is a tax on stupidity? I guess that is perhaps a little harsh, but only a little. First off, I don't think I would want to work at any place where getting in there is represented as winning a lottery ticket. Think of the poor oompa-loompas enslaved in Willy Wonka's factory. Second off, perhaps it's just my vantage as a consultant in Denmark but everything I've read about working in Google has made me think it doesn't seem very enticing. Third off, even when I was not married with kids I would not have wanted to spend so much time twice a year! How many unpaid hours a year are people willing to work for a lottery ticket that essentially pays out a top-paying job?
  - gowld 5y ago
    Do you understand the difference between spending money on a negative expected value lottery, and spending time developing your knowledge skills? Almost everything in life is "lottery ticket" with some odds.
- dilyevsky 5y ago
  I think i may have given the impression that it’s 10% by pure chance which it most def isn’t. There’s certainly some randomness in the system but if someone is in the bottom 50% by skill they can probably apply like 100 times and still fail every single one.

Many people apply to all the FANGS, since the interviewing skillset needed is similar. Moreover, you can reapply every six months. In result, this gives you perhaps 5-10 lottery tickets every year, which means it's very feasible to get in within a year or two (or three).

janoc 5y ago
In other words - don't bother to apply if you actually need a job. And if you have a job already, why would you bother to apply there? It used to be attractive but is it still? With all the scandals and upheaval in the recent years?
- killtimeatwork 5y ago
  The reason is that it doubles or triples regular SWE salary.
  - xyzzy_plugh 5y ago
    Eh, I've had two offers from Google that were far below the "market rate" I was receiving at some of the largest pre-IPO unicorns of the last decade, and their interview processes were substantially better.
    - gowld 5y ago
      "pre-IPO unicorn" is the same rarified air. We're comparing to average paying jobs most people have.
- dudeman13 5y ago
  >And if you have a job already, why would you bother to apply there? It used to be attractive but is it still? With all the scandals and upheaval in the recent years? $$$
maccard 5y ago
Going through 5 companies hoops for 2-3 years sounds like a full time job. There's no way I would have time to do that on top of work right now.
- dagw 5y ago
  What if doing so could double or triple your salary? Would that change the calculus?
  - maccard 5y ago
    It doesn't change the number of hours in my day, so unlikely.
    - dagw 5y ago
      But it could cut down on the number of days you have to work before retiring. For what it's worth I probably wouldn't want to move to SF and take a FAANG job either, but I can see why many people would
bryanrasmussen 5y ago
>Moreover, you can reapply every six months. In result, this gives you perhaps 5-10 lottery tickets every year, you are aware of the saying that the lottery is a tax on stupidity? I guess that is perhaps a little harsh, but only a little. First off, I don't think I would want to work at any place where getting in there is represented as winning a lottery ticket. Think of the poor oompa-loompas enslaved in Willy Wonka's factory. Second off, perhaps it's just my vantage as a consultant in Denmark but everything I've read about working in Google has made me think it doesn't seem very enticing. Third off, even when I was not married with kids I would not have wanted to spend so much time twice a year! How many unpaid hours a year are people willing to work for a lottery ticket that essentially pays out a top-paying job?
- gowld 5y ago
  Do you understand the difference between spending money on a negative expected value lottery, and spending time developing your knowledge skills? Almost everything in life is "lottery ticket" with some odds.
dilyevsky 5y ago
I think i may have given the impression that it’s 10% by pure chance which it most def isn’t. There’s certainly some randomness in the system but if someone is in the bottom 50% by skill they can probably apply like 100 times and still fail every single one.