This as-told-to essay relies on a dialog with a Google worker who requested anonymity to guard their privateness. Enterprise Insider has verified their identification and provide letters. The next has been edited for size and readability.
I began college at a top-ranked college for tech about 4 years in the past. Once I first entered, I used to be undecided about my profession path.
However by my sophomore 12 months, I had my eyes set on FANG, also referred to as Fb, Amazon, Netflix, and Google. My final dream was to work at Google,
Throughout my sophomore 12 months, I began grinding on functions for the summer season.
My GPA on the time was a 4.0, which positively helped. However I additionally spent a ton of time doing Leet Code follow, that are algorithm mind teasers to check in the event you perceive the basics of theoretical laptop science.
My exhausting work paid off and I used to be capable of get a proposal from Google, Fb, and Amazon.
I ended up interning at Google for 2 summers, and the expertise was every little thing I hoped for. I acquired nice mentorship and labored on attention-grabbing initiatives that I realized loads from.
Once I completed my second internship, I acquired hiring committee approval, which permits former interns to get matched with a group full-time.
The problem was that it wasn’t a assured match — and if you aren’t getting matched inside a 12 months, it expires.
I obtained full-time affords from Microsoft, Meta, and Google
I began off the job hunt course of fairly assured. However a few months earlier than graduating, I nonetheless hadn’t heard from Google.
I despatched a number of follow-ups asking in regards to the matching course of, however that they had no updates for me.
So I began taking a look at different firms and ended up making use of to a minimum of 100 firms over the following few months. As soon as the market picked up, I began to obtain a whole lot of DMs and chilly emails from recruiters, together with Meta.
I spent a few months interviewing and finally acquired affords from Meta and Microsoft. Proper as I used to be about to just accept my provide from Meta, Google let me know that they discovered a match for me.
Meta initially provided the next whole comp, however Google had some engaging advantages
The affords from Meta and Google have been most engaging to me so I used to be deciding between these two.
Meta gave me a greater provide initially. It included $131,000 in base pay, 10% of my base as a bonus with the potential for a further 10% primarily based on efficiency, a $16,000 signing bonus, and $150,000 in inventory choices over 4 years. The full compensation got here out to round $210,700.
The companywide efficiency bonus is not given out yearly, but when it does effectively, it can most definitely be given out to its engineers.
Google initially provided me much less in whole compensation, however I used to be capable of get them to extend the provide to $218,360 in whole compensation, together with a $138,000 base wage, 15% bonus, and $157,000 in inventory choices over 4 years.
Google additionally provided a $13,000 money stipend for relocation, which made a distinction. Meta’s relocation bundle provided money in lieu of among the companies they provided, like employment housing for 30 days, however the recruiter informed me I may solely money out as much as $5,000.
Google’s front-loaded inventory schedule additionally made a giant distinction in my first-year compensation, which appealed to me. At Google, I’d obtain 38% within the first 12 months, 32% within the second 12 months, 20% within the third 12 months, and 10% within the fourth. At Meta, I’d’ve acquired 25% yearly.
Google additionally provided work for a month anyplace on this planet, which was fairly cool.
Each have hybrid work constructions, however Meta appeared stricter about it. The recruiter at Meta informed me three days every week, in-person have been required. At Google, it was a suggestion, and within the two summers I labored there, it wasn’t enforced. Some weeks I did not are available particular person in any respect and it wasn’t a problem.
I’d have chosen Google both method
If Google did not improve its whole compensation provide, I’d’ve had a extremely powerful choice to make. However I nonetheless would have chosen Google as a result of the function itself was extra attention-grabbing to me.
That, and it is the corporate I all the time wished to work for.
Google made an affect on me early on. Earlier than faculty and dealing in tech, Google was a reputation that stood out to me. It is a hallmark of firm tradition, and it began off larger than the opposite tech firms which have emerged.
Google will not be the one main the AI prepare, however I feel they’re going to catch up. Google is the highest search engine on this planet. They’ve entry to a ton of information.
After working at Google for 2 summers, I understand how the corporate runs, and I imagine in its imaginative and prescient.
