31
eNPS Score
Q&A With Google Employees
There’s no one kind of Googler, so we’re always looking for people who can bring new perspectives and life experiences to our teams. If you’re looking for a place that values your curiosity, passion, and desire to learn, if you’re seeking colleagues who are big thinkers eager to take on fresh challenges as a team, then you’re a future Googler.
How employees describe working at Google
People are good, everything looks good and work most of the time, the progress is slow but it feels like always progressing.
Review from Engineering Dept
The company isn't perfect, but is generally pretty good. The fact that the people actually reflect on what is wrong is great, and I think people don't appreciate it as much as they should.
Review from Engineering Dept
care more for the associate and reduce the micromanagement
Review from Engineering Dept
It's a lot of work, but also really satisfying. Sometimes it's too competitive or too much of a rat race but I think that's every job around here.
Review from Engineering Dept
Team member wages need to increase because recruiting is a challenge
Review from Marketing Dept
What it's like to work at Google
- Google employees generally work 9.2 hrs a day
- Employees at Google report the work pace is comfortably fast
- On a typical day, employees at Google have 4+ meetings
- 83% of Google employees look forward to interacting with their team every day
- Google employees most often take 20-30 paid vacation and sick days each year
- 71% of Google employees report they are happy with their work life balance
- Google employees typically get valuable feedback on how to improve at work Once a month
- 83% of Google employees call their work environment positive
Q&A With Google Employees
IDX: 25 TOT: 159
What's the vibe like in the Engineering dept at Google? How many hours are you working?
Some people stay late, some teams drink beer and play video games, some people work early and leave early. It varies.
Vibe is generally good. Company has awesome perks. Nobody counts your hours. Usually I work 40h/WK with little variation.
Vibe is energetic, and I'm working ~8 hours/day
How's the work pace at Google?
It 100% depends on the team. Some have a much slower pace work style where as others move at hyper speed. A lot of this is based on tasks required. In finance there are deadlines that have to be met in a certain time frame with no room for extension whereas some groups that do development might have more relaxed deadlines.
Slow
Fast paced but great results.
How do you feel about Google's future?
The future is incredibly bright for Google
I think Google is going to continue growing strong
business is booming. maybe a little too much.
Do you have to work crazy hours at Google, or is there a good work/life balance?
Depends on the team and everything depends on your manager. Some are terrible
Very rarely. But I guess it depends on the team. Most teams have counterparts in other time zones that help alleviate that. But I have heard horror stories as well... Just like any other place.
Good work/life balance
If you could make changes, how would you improve the culture at Google?
Everyone should calm down. When a document is written by a insignificant engineer, and it ends up as international news, then something is wrong. Trust that Google, and Googlers on the whole want the best, and let it be resolved outside of the public eye.
I would change the approach toward recruiting. It’s a push until you burn out and step back approach. There’s a hunger game every year where 40 contractors fight for 1 job. Incentives are built in to overwork contractors without paying them for their hours. Work 70, bill for 40 was the practice that got one hunger game contestant full time job with benefits. Having a recruiter who doesn’t feel safe in their company is like asking a cow to lead it’s family to the butcher. The offices outside of Mountain View are not made up of the same ingredients as the Main Campus. It is the sun for Googlers. A must visit for 2-3 years in order to move past manager status for all engineers. Seattle is made up of Amazon and Microsoft cultures which is rediculous, since that’s what Larry and Serge were working to avoid. There’s intense overworking in so many departments.
Highly fragmented teams responsible for their own quarterly goals incentivizes people to sweep some problems under the rug or refuse to help other teams in order to puff up their accomplishments come review time. Inevitably there is a "not my problem" attitude in some quarters, and some teams often pushback on potential improvements even though it might be the right thing to do for the company overall. When an important ball is dropped, because there are so many people are involved, there is no accountability and hence no culture of "take it and run with it", which I hear is the attitude in Facebook.
Culturally, does Google seem like a place that over-50 workers are welcome -- or even considered for work? Of the 50 workers closest to you on the marketing dept org chart, how many are 50 or older?
no. The average age is 28 year old white male, single, without kids. Their diversity reports they've published for the past several years document they are doing nothing to change this.
Absolutely not. The average employee is a 28 male, single white male. And as their diversity reports have documented, they have done nothing about it for years.
Not at all. Google is a place for young liberals.
What benefits does Google provide?
Benefits are not given. A multitude of benefits are discouraged by management.
Benefits are not equally divided.
The three biggest benefits: (1) free lunch and gym on site every day which makes you feel so grateful; (2) if you die while at Google, your spouse gets 1/2 your salary for 10 years and kids under 21 get $1,000/month until they reach age 21 - it's the benefit you hope never happens but it gives you peace of mind. (3) Full match up to 6% of your salary (capped to maximum allowed) of 401k and pretty much easy automatic enrollment into 401k when you first join. Other benefits: (4) While you do work a lot, you don't have to clock in and clock out or bill your hours, there is freedom in how you do your job so long as you get it done. (5) you work with people who are super smart; (6) everyone else thinks you're super smart because you work there - I know that's shallow but it is validating even though you know you're the same person you ever were. (7) working on cutting edge issues and you have a hopeful feeling like you're making a positive impact in technology, and in your community.
When do you get to and leave work?
You're always on. And if you report weekend work, you will get written up and ostracized for reporting it.
I'm in NYC. I get in between 9&10. I leave after 7.
You are always one. Co-workers work in the middle of the night. Managers schedule mtgs in the middle of the night. It's cut throat. When I asked for a flexible work arrangement, which is a company policy I was written up in a PEP.
What is the PTO policy at Google?
You get 3 weeks vacation, all the standard holidays, and sick days.
Generous unless you have a disability or are pregnant, than it's horribly unfair.
21 days in the first year 28 in the other years.
What is the best advice you could give someone during their first month at Google?
Meet as many people as you can as they can help you ramp up much quicker than you can on your own.
Get a 20% project. Start thinking about promo early. Don't be afraid to look for a team and project you like. You can usually transfer after a year to a great team
Just be you follow the policies and procedures and be on time be honest and do your best
What is the hardest interview question Google asks?
The hardest interview question is subjective, but you can expect them to be on par to a hard problem on Leetcode. Google has made an effort to bar questions that can be found online.
The answer will most likely be a hash map, whatever the question is.
What didn't you like about your job?
How long do the interviews usually take at Google?
About half a day.
All day
Month or so.
How do I do well in an interview at Google?
Practice, practice, and more practice. You will likely require months and NOT weeks to prepare. Don't just wing it. You don't want to blow your shot. Although you can retry in 6 months or 1 year.
Eye contact, smiling, enthusiasm, talk through your problem solving, ask questions to get more details about interview questions, enjoy your lunch
Be yourself.
How do you feel about going to work at Google everyday?
About the same as going to any other job. It all depends on how you like your work, your peers, your manager, etc.
I used to love it, not I genuinely hate it
Very happy.
How's the feedback process at Google?
There is a performance review every 6 months where you select your peer reviewers. Your manager will go over what they think you need to improve on and what you did well.
Twice a year everyone is asked to justify they're job and responses go on a permanent record.
Straightforward just escalate to a person of higher position.
How secure do you feel at your job at Google?
There seems to be constant pressure to perform. Turnover is pretty high, but there are those who stay quite a few years.
Not at all. They have tried to force me out due to a disability a few times.
For as long as I can work.
What's the internship program like at Google?
You're assigned a mentor/sponsor who probably came up with the project you'll be working on. Depending on how well you performed and how well you do on the next interview, you may be extended a full time position.
Very fun, and very challenging.
Real hands on.
How innovative is Google?
Outside of search, I don't know. Android, YouTube, and Maps were all acquired. Outside of Ads, they seem to be struggling to find a big money maker.
Less than they used to be
Google has been implententing new projects for almost 25 years (some succesful some not so successful) but innovative nonetheless.
What's one thing you wish you'd known before joining Google?
You'll make more money than you think with equity refreshes, bonus multipliers, etc
I should have joined earlier, but always figured I wouldn't be good enough.
To document everything I do.
How's the morale at Google?
The morale everywhere is bad in 2020. Google is no different
Integral.
Great, stock price is up!
What part of Google's business is growing fastest? What part is having difficulties?
Google is really ramping up the cloud computing division. Cloud is something they are definitely suited for and are really good at. YouTube is going through many challenges right now.
Their HR. Their technological advancement.
Cloud and Data Centers
How would you describe a typical day
Breakfast, work, coffee, work, lunch, work, work, dinner, work, work, Sleep, wake, work, shower work, Breakfast...
7AM meeting with global partner. full day of meetings. 8PM meeting with global partner. You are always on.
7AM meeting with global partner. Full day of meetings. Then 8PM meeting with Mountain View. Don't bother asking for flexible work arrangements because you will get written up in a PEP for asking. It's a hostile, cut throat environment that I don't recommend.
How’s the morale in the office?
Depends on the team. On some its amazing, on others team members are jumping ship faster than they can bring new people on.
Depends slightly on the product area, but all of the parts of the company I have been at it is excellent.
Low. Lack of innovation in comparison to previous years. Lots of politics
How do the current devs on the team act towards new developers that join?
They love new team members. Everyone is supportive, and helps train and mentor them.
Very friendly and helpful
v nice. pamper. no hazing
How challenged are you at Google?
Everyone is pretty competent. There are high expectations of everyone. You might be given a little more slack if you're entry level.
Sometimes very challenged, it depends on the project. The scale of things is impressive no matter what you're working on.
Curious about what work's like at Google?
Anonymously Ask Google Employees Any Question
Should I work at Google?
56% of Google employees would encourage their friends to become coworkers, whereas 19% are neutral and 25% would not recommend working at Google to their friends.
| 56% | Promoters |
|---|---|
| 19% | Passive |
| 25% | Detractors |
Recently Asked Questions about working at Google
- What skills do you need to be successful in the Product department at Google?
- What perk or benefit should Google have?
- How diverse is Google workforce?
- Google promotes itself as inclusive, diverse, fun, collaborative, and more but looking at news and reviews.... It seems if you have differing views (religious), are diverse (female Asian), or want work life balance you won't be accepted?
- What should I wear for an interview at Google?
