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Ask HN: Would you rather work for Google or a smaller high growth company?

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21–30 of 83 posts

Re: Ask HN: Would you rather work for Google or a smaller high growth company?

#21
No doubt about the upsides to joining Google or Facebook but their compettitive edge is based on stolen user information. Unauthorized tracking of users has been outlawed by SCOTUS. So their key compettitive advantage follwing user around the web will be eventually shut down.

Re: Ask HN: Would you rather work for Google or a smaller high growth company?

#22
post #18
post #8

I've interviewed at lot of companies, a lot of which I had no intention of taking. The interview process I think says a lot about a company. I was very put off by the processes of 2 of the big companies, so much so I'd never consider them again as I think it's a bit of an indication of how they operate in general. I found smaller companies tend to have a much more honest conversation with you, and offer a lot of inta…

What is it you don't like about the Google interviewing process? Having been an interviewer at both Google and send mid-sized companies, I feel like the process at Google is a lot more objective and fair for hiring people.

Not GP, I recently interviewed there and it felt super dry and impersonal. I think it is designed this way though. The teams ended up being awesome and I accepted on a project I'm stoked for.

Re: Ask HN: Would you rather work for Google or a smaller high growth company?

#25
post #9

Are you staying an engineer all your life or eventually be an exec? Do you want to be well paid or influential? Are you a PhD who likes doing one thing in depth, or are you a get-sh*t-done person who likes multiple interesting projects? Do you plan to change jobs a lot or stay one place for a long time?

I agree with your list and would suggest one addition: What are your competencies and how do they mesh with the requirements of the employer? There are a lot of competent programmers who would never get employed by Google and there are many brilliant engineers at Google who would struggle in a GSD focused small company.

What is GSD?

Re: Ask HN: Would you rather work for Google or a smaller high growth company?

#26
Rethink "corporate career", absolutely insane, especially for an asian american with the bamboo ceiling. You are harming your own prospects. Do what is in your best interests and go work for a company where you're an exec from the beginning: http://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/...

Re: Ask HN: Would you rather work for Google or a smaller high growth company?

#27
Having worked at both, I'd recommend Google for a couple of years, then GTFO. You'll get massively overpaid (save your money!) and you'll learn some useful stuff. But it's a chaotic mess, the employees are spoiled, and you'll never become a real grown-up if you stay there long term.

Looks great on your resume, though.

Re: Ask HN: Would you rather work for Google or a smaller high growth company?

#28
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with your list and would suggest one addition: What are your competencies and how do they mesh with the requirements of the employer? There are a lot of competent programmers who would never get employed by Google and there are many brilliant engineers at Google who would struggle in a GSD focused small company.

What is GSD?

not op, but I assume it stands for Get Sh*t Done

Re: Ask HN: Would you rather work for Google or a smaller high growth company?

#29
post #27

Having worked at both, I'd recommend Google for a couple of years, then GTFO. You'll get massively overpaid (save your money!) and you'll learn some useful stuff. But it's a chaotic mess, the employees are spoiled, and you'll never become a real grown-up if you stay there long term. Looks great on your resume, though.

I've interviewed there and my impression was that the average employee was very young, straight out of college. When I was there I was 27 and I felt slightly old.

Re: Ask HN: Would you rather work for Google or a smaller high growth company?

#30
Step 1. Take the stable route that pays more.

Step 2.Then save enough money to buy a 4plex house within a couple of years. (5-10% downpayment)

Step 3. Live in thr 4th unit, rent the others and get a roommate in your 4th unit.

Now, congrats! You live for free for doing nothing.

Next step:

Option A)

Save up enough money to repeat the model above.

After 2-4 houses.... you should be able to earn net positive minimum wage and live for free.

Option B)

Save up enough money and put into ETH/BCH (and retire within 3-5 years when next bull market comes)

Option C)

Start looking for remote jobs paying 150k-200k/ year and get them to pay your own 1-man corporation so you control your taxes. While doing Option A and B above.

You can retire by age 30-35 with this model.

Then you basically have "fuck you wealth". (Not "rich", but Wealth).

Then work at the companies You like and leave the moment you don't like them anymore since you don't need them.

All the best,

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