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Ask HN: What is it like working at Netflix?

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Re: Ask HN: What is it like working at Netflix?

#21

Post by eddiezane »

kethinov wrote: post #15

I've known people who've worked at Netflix and have complained about some toxic policies. Some highlights I can recall: Unlimited ESPP rewards already wealthy employees. If you can afford to not take any pay for six months, you basically get a big bonus. I was told there was (and may still be) some kind of stack ranking system. Employees are fired if they're in the bottom x percent of performance reviews, even if the…

I really like Travis CI's take on unlimited vacation time [0]. Probably won't ever catch on in the US though.

0: http://www.paperplanes.de/2014/12/10/from-open-to-minimum-va...

Re: Ask HN: What is it like working at Netflix?

#22

Post by perfTerm »

justizin wrote: post #2

I had a manager who worked for Netflix, and looked into a position with them after leaving his group, asking him roughly this question. Unsatisfyingly, his answer was, it depends on who you work for. They have a "Freedom and Performance" culture that I'm sure you have seen a slideshow PDF for, and my old manager said that to some people this means, "Get your shit done and work when / wherever you want", to others it…

Yea I'm working for a company focused on "autonomy" at the moment. What this has resulted in is calls at all different times of day and night, and an in inability to get questions answered during normal working hours.

The calls themselves I don't mind so much, it's the stress of looking at your phone on a Saturday morning and seeing five messages "Hey are you awake?", "How about now? Time for a call?". Or messages at 9:30 at night, 2:00 in the morning, 8:00 AM. Instead of autonomy it's more a constant feeling of stress about work. Instead of freedom it ends up being prison.

I've let them know I'm moving on in two weeks to greener pastures. I'll have an office instead of working from home, and a schedule. The heirarchy won't be flat thus reducing the number of people I have to communicate with. Everyone will be based in my hometown meaning I won't be communicating over google hangouts which I am so looking forward to. And as an engineer I sort of really dislike meeting with clients and I'm glad I won't have to anymore. I can explain things to people, and I will willingly, but to have to explain technical concepts to the nontechnical frequently and over hours of hangouts is tiring, uninteresting, and frustrating.

Essentially, it's not for everyone. And that went a bit off topic, but beware the virtuous intention which paves your path to hell.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like working at Netflix?

#23

Post by aswanson »

mbesto wrote: post #8

I don't have any intimate knowledge of working at NetFlix, but holy crap they pay well: http://data.jobsintech.io/companies/netflix-inc/2015 PS - In almost every business I've ever encountered, people are a lot less godlike than you might perceive from an external view.

They don't pay well for "Senior Data Scientist", whatever they mean by that. I make more than that in a much lower cost of living area of the country.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like working at Netflix?

#24

Post by hamburglar »

kethinov wrote: post #15

I've known people who've worked at Netflix and have complained about some toxic policies. Some highlights I can recall: Unlimited ESPP rewards already wealthy employees. If you can afford to not take any pay for six months, you basically get a big bonus. I was told there was (and may still be) some kind of stack ranking system. Employees are fired if they're in the bottom x percent of performance reviews, even if the…

I've worked for a company with "unlimited" vacation time, and "Orwellian joke" really is a great way to put it. In addition to everyone being careful not to be the guy who takes too much vacation (oh, except the slackers, of course), the value of an individual vacation day drops in everyone's eyes (no scarcity) and the result is that management develops an attitude that it's more acceptable to veto specific vacation dates. I've never had a proposed vacation denied at any other job but I saw it all the time at the "unlimited" vacation company (not only for myself but I heard coworkers complain about it).

Re: Ask HN: What is it like working at Netflix?

#25

Post by luckydude »

anxrn wrote: post #17
mbesto wrote: post #8

I don't have any intimate knowledge of working at NetFlix, but holy crap they pay well: http://data.jobsintech.io/companies/netflix-inc/2015 PS - In almost every business I've ever encountered, people are a lot less godlike than you might perceive from an external view.

Netflix pays only base salary, no stocks (RSUs). Total compensation at most other comparable companies has a significant stock component. The H1B reports only include base salary. So which they do pay well, no doubt, it is misleading to compare them to other companies based solely on H1B data (i.e., base salary).

Yeah, we're a Los Gatos based company as well and we beat those numbers. Without adding stock in the picture, just salary, bonuses, 401K and healthcare.

But we're a company that is more like a co-op than your typical startup, as in, we're weird. Good weird, but weird.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like working at Netflix?

#26

Post by kentbrew »

Netflix employee 2009-2011; built the user-facing parts of the original iPhone and Android apps. If you are an engineer--sorry, can't speak to other roles--and you can possibly swing a stint at Netflix, do so. They move fast, pay a ton, and you'll build a universally-loved product with some of the smartest people in the world.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like working at Netflix?

#27

Post by vonklaus »

noobplusplus wrote: post #7

Don't treat HN like Quora.

> I've known people

> I don't have any intimate knowledge of

> Don't work there but friends in ops industry have

> I had a manager who

> Had a friend who worked at apple, went to netflix

Just to disagree with the hivemind here, at this point literally only one reply talks about actually working at Netflix personally and I would expect glassdoor, quora or linkedin to be a much better venue for this.

Your attitude aside, this sentiment is likely correct.

edit: 4 people showed up and are answering questions and being generous with their time. nvm, suck it Quora, HN it is.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like working at Netflix?

#28

Post by discardorama »

superfunc wrote: post #20

Had a friend who worked at apple, went to netflix, and was back at apple within under a year. It may have been a move to get a raise with apple, but it could have also been a reflection on netflix. Take that for what you will.

I have a colleague who did this too; and he explicitly says that he did it to get a massive raise at his current position. Since Netflix pays a lot, he was able to get his current employer match Netflix.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like working at Netflix?

#29

Post by diab0lic »

I currently work at Netflix. Opinions contained herein are entirely my own, sorry for any errors I typed this on a phone. Hope I can help you make a decision. More than willing to answer any questions, just reply here. :)

The turnover rate you quoted is undoubtedly overstated or at least out of date. As for getting fired within a month, it won't happen. People are generally let go for a repeated pattern of major failures, and I can elaborate here if necessary.

I work on an incredibly high performing team at Netflix and would consider myself to be one of the bottom percentile people on the team. I don't fear for my job, and I don't have to. I get amazing coworkers, and I learn a lot almost every day. I can really depend on my team.

I'll address a few criticisms I've seen in other comments:

Unlimited vacation: It's not BS. My manager recently told the team to take more vacation. I responded by letting him know that next week if be taking a month off. His response "just so we're both clear, you're telling me, not asking me, because I'd be really uncomfortable if you felt like you had to ask."

Performance: Coworkers are generally really high performers, people genuinely care, but the tendency to hire senior employees means a lot of family people, and there is work life balance. There is no "stack ranking" system in place and to my knowledge there never has been.

Unlimited stock contribution being a bonus for already rich employees: Really? Really?! I say this as someone who came in with a negative net worth and no cash flow. You're taking risk in exchange for potential reward with the stock plan. Those who are rich can afford to take more risk, and they are taking more risk by putting more in. Sure maybe not risk of ruin but there is financial risk. What's wrong with this? it's been lucrative, I was considered a "heavy contributor" by company standards but pretty light compared to some I talked to.

Expectations: You set and manage these for yourself. Sometimes you screw then up. This is sometimes a challenge for me, but it's entirely within my own influence. This quarter I set lower commitments and took the first month off. It hasn't been an issue.

Again, opinions are my own.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like working at Netflix?

#30

Post by relix42 »

If you're good and what you do and have passed the interview process, you'll be fine. The fact that you are self-aware enough to understand the high performance culture and what it takes to meet that bar further indicates that you'll fit in.

There isn't a stack rank system at all. Nothing like it in fact.

High turn over - more so in the customer service side of the business; not the engineering side.

Source: work at Netflix, interview a lot of engineering candidates, have thrown things at diab0lic.

[edit 1] Answering a few other questions:

Unlimited vacation - yup it's true and encouraged. Being unable to cash out 2-3 weeks of vacation isn't something I see as a big deal. I take more time off than that. My co-workers not my managers make me feel bad about it. Why? They're on vacation.

Work and work load - I choose much of what I work on. My job is to make things better at Netflix and I'm trusted to do so.

High salary - many other companies put some of your remuneration in RSUs, options, or other vehicles that may create future benefit. So you're gambling and you have to stick around to see if it pays off. Netflix pays you your salary in cash right now; no golden handcuffs in the form of vesting schedules or stock levels. (There is an optional options program)

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