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Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?

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Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?

#201

Post by hellogoodbyeeee »

coolwhhip wrote: post #51
zerr wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It will not only open doors for you for all your future jobs Is this true though? I guess it might help with the first contact, but I've heard from x-googlers that they still had to prepare and pass all those whiteboard CS-riddle based interviews again, for next endeavors.

Sample size of one: my company tends to ding candidates from Google if they have any whiff of the kind of status- or compensation-driven thinking displayed in this comment section. Can sometimes indicate limited independent thinking and low concern for others. Definitely can close doors.

>if they have any whiff of the kind of status- or compensation-driven thinking displayed in this comment section.

Whenever I hear about an employer that doesn't want employees who want to get paid a fair market value, I just assume the bosses and owners are the greedy ones which exploit their employees emotions in order to under pay them.

Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?

#202

Post by khazhou »

sokoloff wrote: post #107
gesman wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"...You're much better off being a founder." Or VC investor with preferred shares that will guarantee you get paid first N-times your original investment (before unaware engineers will see a penny).

That’s generally not a choice available to people early in their career in tech. Being a founder is a choice available to them...

I think it was a sarcastic way to say:

Founders and investors still often stand to make millions even while engineers get zero.

I.e.: don't be a sucker.

Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?

#203

Post by sokoloff »

khazhou wrote: post #202
sokoloff wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s generally not a choice available to people early in their career in tech. Being a founder is a choice available to them...

I think it was a sarcastic way to say: Founders and investors still often stand to make millions even while engineers get zero. I.e.: don't be a sucker.

Perhaps; if so, it was unhelpful snark (IMO) because of that key difference...

Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?

#205

Post by humbledrone »

marssaxman wrote: post #167
humbledrone wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IMO one of the best things about working for Google is that it's so easy to move between teams to e.g. find the domain you want to work in. While it's true that you may not have many options for your first team (unless you are already a domain expert, in which case you may get funneled into your domain), if you are performing well for your current team, it is extremely easy to move around. I say this a a Googler who…

So easy relative to what, I wonder? I was slotted into a team which was neither fun nor anything I am into, and never managed to transfer. They said my manager wouldn't be able to block me from transferring, but he did so anyway, and I ended up leaving Google. There was nothing about the process which felt like it was any easier or less political than what I've seen at other megacorporations.

Well, easy relative to a startup which has just one engineering role (wear all the hats). In the startup world, changing roles generally means going through the interview process at a new company, starting over on seniority, vesting schedules, etc.

I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience at Google. It is a large company, so I don't doubt that there are dusty corners with bad management. But I've seen a pretty broad cross-section of the company and find most of it to be quite great in terms of mobility.

Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?

#206

Post by sosilkj »

mrep wrote: post #170
JustSomeNobody wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does Google really pay that well?

https://www.teamblind.com/article/Google-Engineer---Total-Co...

according to this, half of google L3 engineers > 200k! that seems high and i'll admit i'm surprised.

L3 is what college grads start at right?

Edit: corrected my comment (thought figures were salary, but they're total comp)

Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?

#207

Post by mrep »

sosilkj wrote: post #206
mrep wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://www.teamblind.com/article/Google-Engineer---Total-Co...

according to this, half of google L3 engineers > 200k! that seems high and i'll admit i'm surprised. L3 is what college grads start at right? Edit: corrected my comment (thought figures were salary, but they're total comp)

Yes, L3 is what new grads start at. However, blind only talks in TC (total comp) so those are all TC numbers.

Source: I read blind more than HN. Also, the title says total compensation.

Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?

#208

Post by sosilkj »

mrep wrote: post #207
sosilkj wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

according to this, half of google L3 engineers > 200k! that seems high and i'll admit i'm surprised. L3 is what college grads start at right? Edit: corrected my comment (thought figures were salary, but they're total comp)

Yes, L3 is what new grads start at. However, blind only talks in TC (total comp) so those are all TC numbers. Source: I read blind more than HN. Also, the title says total compensation.

oops thanks

Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?

#209

Post by KennyCason »

I agree with most people’s advice about going to Google. My additional reason for advising you to go to Google is that you seem to be on the fence. The startup option is a great option if you’re very passionate about it.

While I didn’t have a Google offer, I had a Lockheed offer and that was always a company I really liked growing up (also former Marine). It was a difficult choice for me as well, but I chose Lockheed and I have zero regrets. I learned a lot about large organizations and got to work with a huge team of very smart people. Many of which who very directly mentored me. I worked there for two years + 3 years previously for internships.

When the startup bug became irresistible, I knew it was time and went and co-founded DataRank with some friends. The Lockheed experience helped me in the sense that it “validated” me, much like Google on your resume will certainly validate you.

In regards to money: When I finally went the startup root I made 1/4 my salary and had zero benefits for the first 1.5 years. If you’re passionate enough about it you won’t really care about that 1/3 salary (for a while at least). Then I bumped my salary to 1/3 my previous salary! It wasn’t until after 2 years when my salary returned to 80% my previous salary. Eventually a surpassed my previous salary, then double and tripled it, and now I optimize more for doing what I love.

Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?

#210

Post by mav3rick »

bradleyjg wrote: post #96
austhrow743 wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Small town personal tax agencies aren't financially competitive with Deloitte either. Doesn't make them abusive if Deloitte tier accountants choose to work for them. Every industry has small low income employers and big titans with deep pockets. The big take most of the high quality talent by offering high salaries, and the small compete for the scraps with niche offerings. Only in software does being the former seem…

That's true. But by the same token the owners of those agencies don't get up on their high horse about candidates that are "compensation driven". If a top talent interviews with a small town agency and asks if they can do 33% of Deloitte instead of 30%, the agency might say yes and might say no, but they don't say "how dare you even think about money when I am offering you a chance to do god's work on earth by helpin…

Thank you. That's partly the point I was trying to make.
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