Work-life balance at Google (San Francisco: find a job, contractor, best)

[spicydreamt]

Originally Posted by cardinal2007

The HR people at work sent out an email saying that those who have exactly this attitude are those that are MOST satisfied with their work-life balance. This was based on some poll they did it seems.

I love the ability to take an hour or two anytime I want during the day, or the occasional entire morning with my child, in exchange for the extra availability as needed. I wouldn't even dream to trade this against a strict 9-5.

[economix-nole]

Little Girl Google Letter - Business Insider

At least he got Saturday's off, I guess.

[donewithpretty]

In my experience, when people are claiming 60+ hours, they aren't really using their time effectively -- they're taking a lot of social media and gaming breaks because they have to in order to keep going. It's better to put in an honest day's work (i.e., not on Facebook or IM) and leave at a decent hour. The same amount of work ends up getting done.

[Wintermomma]

I have heard that about Apple consistently, but not "all" of the other tech firms. I think it probably also depends upon what you do. I do see a lot who put in a regular day, then go home and check back into work from home later at night or earlier in the morning. It does add up, but at least it's not in the office 10 hours a day.

And yes, my husband went around and around with the Google recruiters as well, (though not as bad as that story!) but they were far better than the Microsoft ones. They would get him all excited about a job then he would go to the interview (sometimes them even flying him up) and it was an entirely different, lower-level/-paying job - TWICE.

Do the recruiters all work on commission?

[scheherezade99]

Originally Posted by Wintermomma

Do the recruiters all work on commission?

Yes.

[Azmordean]

Originally Posted by Wintermomma

I have heard that about Apple consistently, but not "all" of the other tech firms. I think it probably also depends upon what you do.

+1

More than that, it depends on what team you are on. Company culture is talked about a lot. What people don't realize is that every piece of an "org chart" can have a culture all its own. And the most important one is the team.

You can work at the most forward looking company in the world, but if you get on a team with a certain manager and certain co-workers, you're not a team player if you aren't there 12 hours a day.

This is why it is important for you to interview the people hiring you as much as they interview you. Try to figure out the culture of the team you are joining - it is hugely important.

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by robertin75

I hope you are a recruiter because of the hundreds recruiters that have contacted me the one from Google has been the most unprofessional one (or stupid, I don't know how to describe it).

A little bit of my story:

I was contacted by a Google recruiter about 3 weeks ago telling me that he found my profile on linkedin and was very impressed with my skills and background and that he would love to have a phone conversation with me.

So we set up a time and when I called him he did not answer his phone until like about 20 minutes later than the time we had agreed on.

He then asks me the typical questions:

- Can you tell me about yourself, which projects have you been working on, etc.

After that he said I will pass your resume to the hiring manager and we will go from there. I said ok sounds good to me.

2 days later he sends me an email asking that again he would love to have a quick conversation with me to explain me where we stand in the recruiting process.

So again I called him and then he starts to ask me the same questions from our first phone conversation:

- Can you tell me about yourself, which projects have you been working on, etc.

After that he told me that he passed my resume to the hiring manager but unfortunately he did not want to continue with the interviews so I say ok no problem thanks, have a great day.

Then the weirdest part.

He sent me another email 3 days after saying the same thing. I would love to have a conversation with you.

"I am available tomorrow at certain timeframe and was wondering if we could have a little 20 minutes chat"

At that time I thought maybe he found another position better suited for me.

So next day I called him again (had to leave work early as I did not want to be heard by anyone from my company) and when he answers the phone this is how it went:

(He) "Hello"
(Me) Hi Peter (don't want to use his real name) it's me (I said my name) and he asks me what can I do for you.

I was like what the heck....

You told me to call you at this time. Then he starts mumbling like ohhh really, did I? mmm I don't remember. Let me check my records, then he said ohh yes I now remember.

Then he tells me for the third time:

I just wanted a have a quick conversation with you to let you know that I passed your resume to the hiring manager but unfortunately he did not want to go further in the interview process.

So I was like "Is this a joke?"

Was about to tell him that this is the 3rd. time you said this to me.

And he said the same exact words from our previous phone conversations. I really thought it was either a recording machine using some sophisticated artificial intelligence or that he was just reading a script.

I was tempted to tell him, "Dude this is the 3rd. time you ask me and tell me the same thing" but I didn't.

Just said ok no problem thanks for your time.

I cannot believe that a company like Google has people like this dude.

How the heck was he hired? Is he a relative of one of the workers there and that's why he was able to get in?

Ohh boy I am really glad I did not join Google.

That's very common, most SV firms like Google, Tesla and Apple have way too many recruiters, just do a search on LinkedIn and count the number you find, it's insane. Most are fresh out of college and have degrees totally outside the world of Engineering and do not have a clue they just filter and pass on your resume to the HM who then gives them feedback yay or nay. That is, they will contact you about opportunities outside of your given profile suggest your even qualified or interested in. Just like everything else you got to filter out the middlemen and go right to the sources that can speak your lingo and know Engineering.

Google get's so many resumes a day, they are dazed and confused lol. They have such a easy submission form, not much other than submitting your resume where it goes after that is anyone's guess?

Try Tesla and Apple sometime, they are just as bad.

[robertin75]

Originally Posted by blauskies

That's very common, most SV firms like Google, Tesla and Apple have way too many recruiters, just do a search on LinkedIn and count the number you find, it's insane. Most are fresh out of college and have degrees totally outside the world of Engineering and do not have a clue they just filter and pass on your resume to the HM who then gives them feedback yay or nay. That is, they will contact you about opportunities outside of your given profile suggest your even qualified or interested in. Just like everything else you got to filter out the middlemen and go right to the sources that can speak your lingo and know Engineering.

Google get's so many resumes a day, they are dazed and confused lol. They have such a easy submission form, not much other than submitting your resume where it goes after that is anyone's guess?

Try Tesla and Apple sometime, they are just as bad.

I had already a similar experience with Tesla.

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by robertin75

I had already a similar experience with Tesla.

Read the reviews on Tesla at Indeed and in some instances Glassdoor but it appears someone is padding Glassdoor now with positive reviews, that alone speaks in volumes on that place.

[robertin75]

Originally Posted by blauskies

Read the reviews on Tesla at Indeed and in some instances Glassdoor but it appears someone is padding Glassdoor now with positive reviews, that alone speaks in volumes on that place.

I have read them already in the past.

What do you mean by "padding Glassdoor"? Do you mean not honest reviews?