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More Defections At Google

techcrunch.com — Kevin Fox, a UI designer who worked on Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Reader, and Nathan Stoll, a product manager at Google News.

Who dugg this? Made popular Jan 5, 2008

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  • kertong, on 01/05/2008, -3/+71I left Google.

    My dept. got overmanaged. They underpaid me (I got a $25k/year raise to do the same thing I was doing at GOOG for a smaller company), then they knocked us down to hourly pay without telling us, they started taking kitchen snacks away and replacing them with bulk granola (and don't say we're spoiled.. these benefits came out of our salary to compensate, and when these benefits were taken away to maximize profit, our salaries did not get adjusted), I had 3 bosses with more on the way, promotions were "rationed" out and given out not based on merit, but on nepotism and asskissism (the team manager's cousin got the 1 promotion our department was rationed out, while some got denied because of a lack of coding experience.. well, this guy couldn't code his way out of a wet paper bag), etc, etc, etc. It was so bad, that the director of my group was "forced to resign". Sure, there's chess tables, arcades, beanbags, etc, but what's the use if you have a micromanager? My coworkers were playing chess on a friday morning when work was *very* light, and our manager told them to put the chess set away.

    Also, did you know, that all the receptionists that worked at google were basically fired without notice when they switched to a new contractor agency? They were made to re-interview for their jobs, and the ones that *did* get their jobs back were forced to go from a $22-24/hour salary to a $12-14/hour salary. I wasn't a receptionist, but heard this from a friend who was one.

    Still, it's a great place to work - the people are smart, the environment is good, and you can't deny that it is an industry-changing, leading company. But "do no evil".. not really. Don't fall for too much of their PR - the only time their PR on it being a "great place to work" is if you're in management, or a high tiered software/hardware engineering position.

    I'll probably get dugg down/flamed for this, but I'm posting it anyway!
  • Singularitarian, on 01/05/2008, -13/+56Only 3 people out of 16000 quit? This must smash the records for employee retention.
  • jamwil87, on 01/05/2008, -7/+47why is this news?
  • inactive, on 01/05/2008, -4/+35... person that I buried in this thread
  • DucoNihilum, on 01/05/2008, -15/+41I first read "More defecations at google."
  • Dohko_Xar, on 01/05/2008, -1/+24Kevin Fox, a UI designer who worked on Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Reader, and Nathan Stoll, a product manager at Google News.

    What the ***** is up with that description? Where is the predicate of the sentence? There is not even an action in that sentence!
  • wellyuk, on 01/05/2008, -3/+25Yeah, well you'll notice most google products a. run fast and b. are easy to navigate. You'll notice that most microsoft products (for example) a. look over designed and b. are a pain in the arse to work.
  • fkr3, on 01/05/2008, -2/+21Because it's someone else's workplace not theirs. They're clocking in and out and working for the man even if you want to fondle the man's nuts with your tongue and have some fantasy where the WORKplace doesn't boil down to the place where you WORK.

    Now they're off to work their own things which is usually a whole lot more fulfilling than a few perks at your desk job.
  • stealthrocket, on 01/05/2008, -0/+18from the article
    "Remember, these are two three employees out of 16,000 and the end of the year is a natural time to leave a job for something else. But Fox and Stoll join a growing trickle of Google veterans who no longer find Google as alluring a place to work as they once did."

    He writes like he's talking us down from the ledge. Who the ***** cares if anyone leaves Google? They probably cashed in their options and can now do whatever they want. Good for them. Dumb story though.
  • terminal157, on 01/05/2008, -1/+15No you didn't.
  • inactive, on 01/05/2008, -1/+15So instead of ignoring him you commented on him and gave him the exact same attention that you didn't intended to give him. Brilliant Thinking. You deserve a merit badge for that.
  • somespecial, on 01/05/2008, -10/+23Maybe they want to leave google, because google is a jerk?
  • crackah, on 01/05/2008, -2/+14Oh well.. so what? he is going on to do something different. Im sure the person google hire to replace him will be great too...
  • NFicano, on 01/05/2008, -3/+14google had a UI designer?
  • rip747, on 01/05/2008, -11/+21No offense, but thank God he quit. Google's product might be good, but they look like *****. It would be nice if they got out of the 1995 way of designing things and updated them a little.
  • jtb1999, on 01/05/2008, -3/+12I worked at Google for 6 months contracting. They are arrogant and snooty. I worked for Microsoft in Seattle, for 2 years, they had pool tables, catering, and an open bar in their new entertainment division being built. It's not uncommon. They had a massage area, free, as needed. Google has just leaked press constantly acting as if they offer more than everyone. They are making the mistakes Microsoft did in the 90's. And now their being sued by the EU government, and etc. It's their turn. Arrogance is only good for so long!
  • rogerbly, on 01/05/2008, -1/+9the whole web services, web-scale computing craze has start-ups launching like it's 1999 again. Alot of VC $ and top talent is flowing into startups right now.
  • thejokker, on 01/05/2008, -0/+8dude, if you replaced your list with 'sleeping on the ground, long hours, low pay, heavy loads and deployments, my job might measure up.

    But, somehow i still love being a Marine, doesnt make sense.
    Semper
  • Inverno, on 01/05/2008, -3/+11I work for a fortune 50, the same ***** happens here without the other perks. The shananagins you describe really feel like the way a large, publicly traded business operates. You're essentially working for resume polish and your stocks--hopefully you got a few when you signed up or before leaving.

    I'm doing entry level work for $15, while I could be working for a smaller place for $20-$25. I know having a large company on your resume for a real job helps you land a better gig later on. My company's picky, but they're no Google. I'd write off the "lost wages" and bs you delt with their as an investment into getting your current gig. Good luck with it.
  • Dissonance, on 01/05/2008, -0/+7It's a sentence fragment. Experienced and respected writers can use them with impunity. Although, this is a particularly messy fragment, it is technically acceptable when read together with the title. However, in terms of style and fluency, it leaves much to be desired.
  • Twenty5, on 01/05/2008, -1/+7wow.... that was A REALLY QUICK READ
  • FatLoser, on 01/05/2008, -4/+10What kind of bubble do you live in? You ever work at a company that wasn't a startup in San Fran or Seattle? I've never worked at, or met somebody who worked at, a place which even allows alcohol, let alone free beer. And who plays WoW at work? Never heard of a place that has 5 hour lunch breaks.
  • ToastPop, on 04/17/2009, -7/+13Because you touch yourself at night.
  • virtualsnyper, on 01/05/2008, -0/+6Watch this video, then you'll think saying "First" is funny. ... http://www.neatorama.com/2007/08/18/if-business-me ...
  • Chickenlip, on 01/05/2008, -1/+6If the rabbit ends up in my belly, is it really a waste?
  • jmpeagle, on 01/05/2008, -1/+6the options they recieved from when the company went public are starting to now be exercizable by law meaning that a lot of the innovative people who work there and want to start their own business can now both leave the company and have money to start their own business.
  • baldr, on 01/05/2008, -0/+5are you sure this wasn't some cult that also goes by the name 'google'? The google I know treats its employees really well (from personal experience, not just from what I see on the internet).
  • cyssero, on 04/18/2009, -0/+5It's following on from the title, I think. I had to read it twice before it made sense. Could have been worded better.
  • thailand1972, on 01/05/2008, -0/+5This comment sums it up from techcrunch:-

    TekWak: "wow so you guys are going to write a post about 16,000 of those departures…..can be useful on slow news days…"
  • thailand1972, on 01/05/2008, -0/+5you confused "Submit Comment" for the spacebar? How could you??
  • wellyuk, on 01/05/2008, -1/+5All these nice fun things at work are designed for one thing only - to keep you at work. Sweet.. so you have pool tables and video game machines etc. etc. to play on - you're still at work though!
  • thailand1972, on 01/05/2008, -0/+4Dumb story - just techcrunch trying to whip up controversy from nothing. Blogger desperation is one of the saddest sites...
  • dealseeker, on 01/05/2008, -0/+4Damn straight. Make your own sandwiches - I'm off to bigger and better things.
  • estvir, on 01/05/2008, -3/+7Apparently it's big news when a Microsoft employee leaves and they have how many more employees?
  • Chickenlip, on 01/05/2008, -3/+7FKnight ... You have obviously never been to google. It is completely unlike any other company when it comes to amenities.

    For lunch yesterday, I had shredded rabbit in a veal demiglaze sprinkled with sweetbreads. To top it off I had profiteroles, and fresh butterscotch custard for desert, and grabbed a cappucino on the way out.

    That was a normal day.
  • sixthree, on 01/05/2008, -0/+4Cut what ***** out? Those 3/16,000 employees left on their own free will. This ***** isn't even news, SOMEONE DECIDED TO QUIT AT SUBWAY TODAY BIG ***** WHOOP.
  • klazik, on 01/05/2008, -3/+7O and 30 people left yahoo, and 15 from Microsoft... Big whoop, what you wana fight about it?
  • kertong, on 01/05/2008, -0/+3I did get hired fulltime ;) After 3 months, too. A lot of other people though, who were just as qualified as I if not more, didn't, due to either timing or politics.
  • wankelrotary, on 01/05/2008, -1/+4NEWSFLASH: A couple employees resign from a company -- may find jobs elsewhere! Stay tuned for more developments!
  • kertong, on 01/05/2008, -1/+4Oh, and just to add - it wasn't like I was mistreated because I was working as a lowly janitor (no offense to the digg janitorial careermen here) or anything. I worked for GOOG for a little over 2.5 years, and I worked on their datacenters, and built/repaired/scaled their production infrastructure. It sucked watching all the engineers get new iPods as newhire gifts, while us lowly ops guys got a slap on the butt and a "here's a 3-6 month contract, if you don't ***** up or slack off, maybe we'll hire you on as fulltime.. maybe.". The caste system sucked. The engineers were given sennheiser headphones, while the rest were given $5 labtec headphones, etc.

    Ok, I'm done ranting for the night. :)
  • wellyuk, on 01/05/2008, -2/+5You get to shoot people. For real, not pixels. That must be pretty cool.
  • Drizzit, on 01/05/2008, -1/+3Those employees also had millions in stock. Lets see I'm a millionaire and I have this crap job.. hmmm.. So either they go retire or they get greedy and figure out how to make more with their money.
  • VeganG, on 01/05/2008, -0/+2Also, it was all free.
  • PolarBearFire, on 01/05/2008, -0/+2They probably got rich and realized they're working for a freaking AD company. Seriously if you're rich and don't have to work at any job that comes along to feed the family you want your job to be meaningful. Although Google may be a great place to work, I don't believe I would work there just to put more ads on the internet, phone, tv, corneas, etc.
  • Lennalf, on 01/05/2008, -0/+2testing bury.
  • vonskippy, on 01/05/2008, -0/+2Next time move your lips more when you read - it will stretch out those really short not really news articles.
  • pw378, on 01/05/2008, -2/+4This paid message brought to you by Microsoft.
  • thejokker, on 01/05/2008, -0/+2that doesn't happen as often as you might think. But im not saying i dont like my job, its just even though my work area is lacking in all of these google-type amenities i still like doing my thing.
  • pixelbeat_, on 01/05/2008, -0/+2I find those enlisting much more interesting than those leaving:
    http://www.pixelbeat.org/docs/google_stars.html
  • bdbElysian, on 01/05/2008, -0/+2Google may or may not be a great company to work for but the bottom line is it IS a company. Like any company there will always be people coming and going for what ever reason no matter how great a working environment a company seems to provide.

    Actually this is so common I have no idea why this was posted in the first place (no offense to the original Digger.)
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