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Ask HN: I was just acquired by Google. What should I expect?

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Ask HN: I was just acquired by Google. What should I expect?

#1

Post by j_baker »

The startup I work for (Apture) was just bought out by Google. On one hand, I'm excited. I have heard nothing but good things about how they treat their staff, especially engineers. On the other hand, there's no way to go from working for a company with 12 people to a company of 60,000 people and not be a bit overwhelmed.

Can someone hear give me an idea of what to expect? Are there any habits I may have to break? How does the Google Experience tend to be different for "acquired" engineers versus "hired" engineers?

Re: Ask HN: I was just acquired by Google. What should I expect?

#5

Post by rachelbythebay »

Unless you are uniquely valuable, you will undoubtedly go through a standard hiring process. Expect to not be hired for your "own job" -- it's not yours any more, it's theirs.

Seriously. For most people at an acquisition, this is the end of the road. They get a couple of weeks or months and then they're gone.

Go look at what happened with Skud. She didn't fit their idea of an engineer, so she got a "fixed term", no bonus, and in July that was it. She was out.

http://infotrope.net/2011/07/21/a-note-to-google-recruiters/

Also, look up what happened with AppJet/EtherPad and Wave. Some of it is right here on HN:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2320172

Re: Ask HN: I was just acquired by Google. What should I expect?

#6

Post by dholowiski »

rachelbythebay wrote: post #5

Unless you are uniquely valuable, you will undoubtedly go through a standard hiring process. Expect to not be hired for your "own job" -- it's not yours any more, it's theirs. Seriously. For most people at an acquisition, this is the end of the road. They get a couple of weeks or months and then they're gone. Go look at what happened with Skud. She didn't fit their idea of an engineer, so she got a "fixed term", no b…

Any idea what happens if you don't meet their requirements? (Eg, no university diploma) - can you get acquired but not hired?

Re: Ask HN: I was just acquired by Google. What should I expect?

#7

Post by j_baker »

dholowiski wrote: post #6
rachelbythebay wrote: post #5

Unless you are uniquely valuable, you will undoubtedly go through a standard hiring process. Expect to not be hired for your "own job" -- it's not yours any more, it's theirs. Seriously. For most people at an acquisition, this is the end of the road. They get a couple of weeks or months and then they're gone. Go look at what happened with Skud. She didn't fit their idea of an engineer, so she got a "fixed term", no b…

Any idea what happens if you don't meet their requirements? (Eg, no university diploma) - can you get acquired but not hired?

I don't have a college degree and I was offered a job. Believe me, there's no chance in hell google would hire me if I put in a resume. Hell, even if they like my resume, they wouldn't have likes my crap interview performance. :-)
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