Google reviews

Gone are the days of a biologist being hired as a senior product manager (Salar). Now Google hires MBAs with 2 years at Proctor and Gamble or 3 years at an investment bank as our typical product hire. People that thrive on bureaucracy and build up the team. When HR is more than a few dozen people and there are both HR and Facilities vice presidents, you know that the company has gotten way too top heavy.

The lack of any coherent strategy can be extremely frustrating. The entire company just kind of wanders through the daisies as if at the whim of a couple of billionaires with attention deficit problems. Hmm. Let's buy some wireless spectrum! No, let's make a browser! Wait, let's make a phone! Let's make a wireless phone browser social network thing! That will be awesome! Be prepared for _enormous_ variance in recognition and compensation, between individuals and between projects. The sexy new project that doesn't make a dime in revenue, and everybody already wanted to work on anyway, will probably get the multi-million dollar awards. Slave away on ads for a few years and, well, you'll get the satisfaction of knowing that you're keeping the lights on for the kids playing foosball. Similarly, many complain about the "low-numbered" employees, which are indeed a problem. Why they stick around, I don't know. Their level of talent runs the full spectrum, but you can usually count on them having egos and titles to match their bank accounts.