Google (and any MegaCorp) will siphon out any love you have for your profession. Go startup.
Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?
111–120 of 224 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?
#112Google. In a few years you’ll have a million in the bank and then you can afford to roll the dice on any startup that catches your interest, if you still want to.
Does Google really pay that well?
Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?
#113There could be a third option: Find some contract work [1], become a digital nomad [2] for a while, find a great city with a very low cost-of-living and stay there for a few months (or years), work on some of your own product ideas and try the "indie hacker" thing [3].
Worst case: You spend a few years working ~5 hours per week (or a few months per year), and spend the rest of your time just enjoying life and doing whatever you want. You can work on your own ideas and have full creative freedom, even if most of your ideas don't work out.
Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?
#114Earlier 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.
What is compensation driven thinking? You mean what execs do when they decide to funnel profits back to shareholders instead of giving raises?
Look, employment is a business contract. Business is about making money.
Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?
#115Earlier quoted context omitted.
This would be a violation of Google’s anti-moonlighting clause, so only take this advice if you’re willing to lose your job at Google over it.
Which is unenforceable because it is a violation of the California labor code section 96 k. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySectio... .
It doesn't have to be enforced if they fire you "without cause" (because of the moonlighting)
Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?
#116IMO it depends on the person. I know some people who would thrive in the startup environment but would be annoyed in big corp. And vice versa. Matching your work style to the company style will matter more for your work enjoyment than a bit more $.
I worked in both and met both kinds of people in both kinds of environment. There are many factors at play, but I think the most significant is your uncertainty tolerance and excitement appetite:
- Startups are more chaotic but more exciting.
- Corps will be more boring but will pay better and offer less uncertainty.
Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?
#117Google. In a few years you’ll have a million in the bank and then you can afford to roll the dice on any startup that catches your interest, if you still want to.
Does Google really pay that well?
Depends on what you're doing. I know the SREs can probably get up there after a couple years, given the crazy amount of knowledge you have to have coming in.
Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?
#118Google. In a few years you’ll have a million in the bank and then you can afford to roll the dice on any startup that catches your interest, if you still want to.
Does Google really pay that well?
Re: Ask HN: How do I choose between a job offer from Google and a promising startup?
#119Google. In a few years you’ll have a million in the bank and then you can afford to roll the dice on any startup that catches your interest, if you still want to.
Does Google really pay that well?
Yes. Base pay for a very junior hire is $140k - $160k and equity ranges from $250k to $400k or more (vesting over four years, so $62.5k to $100k per year). After annual bonus and raises, for a single person who lives reasonably and has no debt it's about 4-6 years from zero to $1M in the bank.