Google reviews

* Little to no vision from upper management - the company has become increasingly reactive rather than proactive * Little prospect of career advancement - promos kept getting scarcer and scarcer during the time I worked there * Compensation shrinks over time, as they don’t give very good raises * Company has become riddled with bureaucracy and internal politics in the last few years * I kept hearing from colleagues that the best way to get a promotion or a raise at google was to leave and come back * Upper management has pretty much alienated their employees over the past decade and all their emails about their wonderful ski trips and how we’re all in this together feel really condescending * Constant reorgs makes your position in any given group shaky at best

> Apprenticeship is not a conversion program. You will need to apply externally. > Since it's new to the states there are a lot of things that need to be fleshed out for this program. > Some managers will take advantage of apprentices' time making apprentices feel overworked for a position they may not get a job in after the program is over. (DO NOT allow your manager to overwork you - the point of the program is to learn) > Management lacks communication with apprentices. Apprentices will have more questions throughout their contract and be given no concrete answers. You will hear A LOT of "maybe", "I think", "don't quote me on xyz", "I heard" which can be frustrating and at some point inexcusable in a corporate setting. > Your manager is new to management so they will need your help in providing feedback about your experience. > You will have to not depend on the program - do not expect your hand to be held throughout the process as everyone, including management, is still figuring it out. > If you are at the end of your cohort and suddenly the U.S. is in one of the worst tech job markets (like my cohort was), you will be stressed and find it difficult to find a position in tech (no matter the apprentice track) whether its inside or outside of Google. Make sure you have a plan B and C. > The program does little in helping you find a job. You will do most of the leg work.