My story... I was hired to put a product out of the door. The project was late 3 years, and I worked day and night to make the product happen. In 9 months, the product was being announced on Google I/O 2022. I did a lot of changes on eng. side, asked for PRDs, prioritization, improved integration tests, and many other things. At any moment I created friction but I was making the necessary changes gradually. During this time, I was respectful and grateful to the people around me. I was proud to work for Google, my dream job. Then I was put on layoff. After my departure, the next product was only a delta from the original one I released but was not even announced on Google I/O 2023. The person that is in my place now told me a few weeks ago (we are friends), the senior TPM director informed him to avoid fixing any issues on the eng side because, besides the fact he will not receive any support from him, he would be added to any possible next layoff if he insists improving the team. So finally, the reason for my layoff was clear.
My advice to you is dont be naive like I was. If you want to preserve your job, just follow the flow and let the politics keep playing (Google is highly political). During this time try to find a division, less political, that really cares about the customer and have an appreciation for your work. I was told during my time there the results were not important, the eng plays like a jazz band, and the department's goal is more important than the customer, so nobody cares if the product is good or not. If you are in a division with this mentality, or you play the game, or you move to somewhere else with your professional integrity. I am 100% the scenario I described does not represent the entire Google, and I am sure it has good places to work. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to move anywhere else for been that less than 12 months. The job market is very difficult at the moment, think twice before leaving or before doing what is right, play the political game, care less and you will be fine. I wish all the best to all Googlers and X-Googlers.
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How Companies Secretly Boost Their Glassdoor Ratings
Employers flood the ranking site with 5-star postings requested from enthusiastic staffers, leading to unusual spikes, a WSJ investigation found
https://www.wsj.com/articles/companies-manipulate-glassdoor-by-inflating-rankings-and-pressuring-employees-11548171977
It clear google lost a great employee. It sounds like you went through a challenging experience during your time at Google. It's unfortunate that despite your hard work and dedication, you were laid off and faced some political challenges within the organization.
It's important to remember that every company, including Google, has its own unique culture, dynamics, and challenges. Sometimes, organizational politics can play a significant role in decision-making and career advancement. It can be disheartening to feel that your efforts and commitment were not fully recognized or appreciated.
Professional integrity is essential, and it's essential to find a balance between navigating the politics of an organization and staying true to your values.
Wishing you the best in your future endeavors, and may you find a workplace where your contributions are valued and appreciated. Google dropped the ball again.
@1wwq+1n5zFJwf I think google has a lot of new grad engineers and for them it is a paradise because I am not sure how they are involved on these politics. For more senior people it is highly political and toxic. This may explain the good rates at Glassdoor. Also offer a very competitive salary and benefits but if you see the new opened positions you will realize the new salaries are not the same as before.
How is it that Google is one of the most highly rated companies in Glassdoor? Do the perks assuage all these problems?
This post proves what Google is about. Bad leadership and politics. Google will be the next Yahoo in 10 years or less. You need to see the bright side of the situation, you do not need to deal with the pseudo-leaders anymore.
@lbs+1n5zFJwf thank you for your kind words! means a lot to me.
I was laid off three times over the last 20 years. Engineering role, worked long hours. Get to reality - this is how tech works. We get high pay, but the pay comes with risks.
I really sorry this happened to you. I hope you land in a better opportunity and yes, I already heard stories like this before at Google. My manager told me when I joined "There are some games here and you need to know the rules". We should be very selective where we work.