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The difference here is that a software engineering job at Google is widely considered one of the best corporate software engineering jobs in the world. There ar

by benesch 13y ago

The difference here is that a software engineering job at Google is widely considered one of the best corporate software engineering jobs in the world. There are thousands who'd love to be in her place; as she notes, the external pressure to like your job at Google is tremendous. That she had the courage to uproot her entire life, despite the pressure, is impressive. (Granted, you could replace "engineer at Google" with "position X at a top company in field.") Edit: As noted below, Elle wasn't a software engineer at Google, but an account manager in the media/marketing department. The point stands, I think.

oinksoft 13y ago
The technology may be great, but at the end of the day, you're still working for a company whose main business is selling ad space. Definitely not a surprise that many people find this less than fulfilling. The amazing thing is that Google has managed to sell an employment experience whose most outstanding feature is creature comforts to a host of smart people.
- plywoodtrees 13y ago
  At the end of the day, you're still an animal whose main business is eating, pooping, and reproducing. It turns out there's a lot of scope for creativity and joy while keeping the organism alive.
- cromwellian 13y ago
  The vast majority of Google engineers don't work on ads. The guys working on Google Maps, feel they are working for a mapping company. The guys working on Android feel they're working on mobile. The people working on search feel they're working on machine intelligence issues. Frankly, as a Google employee, I like that the ads business subsidizes research into other areas that are not economical yet or which people won't pay for. The fact that Google culture overall aligns my my views on intellectual property, progressive ideals, and just not being a douche-bag cancels out any "taint" that the money is made on (IMHO, tasteful) ads. I used to work at IBM T.J. Watson research. I had no love for the IBM consulting or mainframe business, but I never had to deal with it. Google's main business might be advertising, but that business is mostly automated, it doesn't take 20,000 engineers to run AdWords.
danso 13y ago
OP is not a software engineer, she worked in media/marketing department http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBZRzn1Mci8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBZRzn1Mci8
- benesch 13y ago
  Good call—thanks!
bcent 13y ago
Agreed. Getting to 'the top' corporate job in your particular field, is quite the achievement. Finding yourself in that position ... realizing it's not what you want out of life. Then taking the leap of faith, to turn your entire life upside in an attempt to find the fulfillment you're looking for takes a lot of courage. I tip my hat to her.
lvs 13y ago
Writing is cathartic, of course, but I also didn't walk away with any better understanding of why she specifically quit her job at Google (or her college boyfriend, for that matter). I can read between the lines that Google has become a place that's finally lost that nebulous feeling of individual fulfillment. That I could easily imagine, but the article is really about "finding herself" and not really about Google.

by benesch 13y ago

oinksoft 13y ago

The technology may be great, but at the end of the day, you're still working for a company whose main business is selling ad space. Definitely not a surprise that many people find this less than fulfilling. The amazing thing is that Google has managed to sell an employment experience whose most outstanding feature is creature comforts to a host of smart people.

plywoodtrees 13y ago
At the end of the day, you're still an animal whose main business is eating, pooping, and reproducing. It turns out there's a lot of scope for creativity and joy while keeping the organism alive.
cromwellian 13y ago
The vast majority of Google engineers don't work on ads. The guys working on Google Maps, feel they are working for a mapping company. The guys working on Android feel they're working on mobile. The people working on search feel they're working on machine intelligence issues. Frankly, as a Google employee, I like that the ads business subsidizes research into other areas that are not economical yet or which people won't pay for. The fact that Google culture overall aligns my my views on intellectual property, progressive ideals, and just not being a douche-bag cancels out any "taint" that the money is made on (IMHO, tasteful) ads. I used to work at IBM T.J. Watson research. I had no love for the IBM consulting or mainframe business, but I never had to deal with it. Google's main business might be advertising, but that business is mostly automated, it doesn't take 20,000 engineers to run AdWords.

danso 13y ago

OP is not a software engineer, she worked in media/marketing department http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBZRzn1Mci8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBZRzn1Mci8

benesch 13y ago
Good call—thanks!

bcent 13y ago

Agreed. Getting to 'the top' corporate job in your particular field, is quite the achievement. Finding yourself in that position ... realizing it's not what you want out of life. Then taking the leap of faith, to turn your entire life upside in an attempt to find the fulfillment you're looking for takes a lot of courage. I tip my hat to her.

lvs 13y ago

Writing is cathartic, of course, but I also didn't walk away with any better understanding of why she specifically quit her job at Google (or her college boyfriend, for that matter). I can read between the lines that Google has become a place that's finally lost that nebulous feeling of individual fulfillment. That I could easily imagine, but the article is really about "finding herself" and not really about Google.