Ask HN: Would you work for Facebook? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Would you work for Facebook?

#21

Post by ctheb » Mon, Jun 08, 2020, 4:14 AM UTC

You have clearly elucidated the major factors in your decision: 1. Career / salary 2. Moral hazards

Taking into account what other comments have touched on, I’d say that you should be sure to weigh your own personal interests. Honestly I find it hard to believe that every engineer at FB believes that every decision FB takes is right. As others suggest - being part of the machine, you will have a voice and you will be able to have some impact on the world, and at the same time you might be able to advance your career and income.

You haven’t discussed the alternative options - what else are you considering?

Disclosure: I have had a FB offer but decided not to take it.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work for Facebook?

#22

Post by pier25 » Mon, Jun 08, 2020, 4:27 AM UTC

I don't know, but I imagine I couldn't work at Facebook or even at Apple for long. Working in medium to big companies where they force feed you decisions has been one of the biggest sources of frustration in my career. I'd rather be the captain of my own ship, even if it's just a very small ship. We don't have kids so this is a luxury I can afford, for now.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work for Facebook?

#23

Post by jasonv » Mon, Jun 08, 2020, 4:30 AM UTC

If you can get an offer from Facebook you can probably get offers from less problematic companies, since you’re already acknowledging the moral hazard.

Me personally? Never.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work for Facebook?

#24

Post by gigel82 » Mon, Jun 08, 2020, 4:34 AM UTC

Why did you go interview for them if you had moral reservations? It's not like they dropped an offer out of the blue.

When you went interview for them, you already decided that money / career is more important than the "moral hazards", so stick to your decision.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work for Facebook?

#25

Post by rachelbythebay » Mon, Jun 08, 2020, 4:39 AM UTC

If you have to ask this about a company, you probably shouldn't. I say this as someone who asked that (not about FB, but about somewhere else), then worked there anyway, and it turned out to be just as bad as my gut was telling me.

There are plenty of gigs where you won't have to ask this.

Note: this response is entirely about your own gut feelings and positions on things, and nobody else's. Not mine, not anyone else who comments here. YOU are who matters.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work for Facebook?

#26

Post by ponker » Mon, Jun 08, 2020, 4:43 AM UTC

Sure. They’ll hire someone else if I don’t work there and I would like a Facebook size paycheck.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work for Facebook?

#27

Post by pixxel » Mon, Jun 08, 2020, 4:43 AM UTC

Is there a formal ceremony on contract signing to hand over one’s soul or does it simply evaporate when walking through reception.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work for Facebook?

#28

Post by asdfk-12 » Mon, Jun 08, 2020, 4:45 AM UTC

Never. Disingenuous business model, a history of deceiving users, governments, and investors; seemingly no desire to create an innovation hub a la Bell Labs. Yeah, I'd rather do manual labor.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work for Facebook?

#29

Post by janhenr » Mon, Jun 08, 2020, 6:04 AM UTC

gigel82 wrote: post #24

Why did you go interview for them if you had moral reservations? It's not like they dropped an offer out of the blue. When you went interview for them, you already decided that money / career is more important than the "moral hazards", so stick to your decision.

OP could have applied for leverage in other applications to be fair.

Re: Ask HN: Would you work for Facebook?

#30

Post by karmakaze » Mon, Jun 08, 2020, 6:39 AM UTC

Personally, I wouldn't because there are other options. If I were in your position, probably for a short while.

I'm basing this on when I did contract work for a large student loans corp. After I learned how they work, scandalously (and usually not well for the student) in the US, I still renewed once more.

[Mind you, it was near-absurd money. I didn't claim a Lotus signing bonus and instead bought myself a Mini waiting til the GTI came out--a fine commuter.'