Google pays less than Microsoft, uses tricks to get longer hours out of its employees and 'forgets' about 20 percent projects, according to a former Google employee who joined the search giant as part of its Phatbits acquisition.
Behind the lava lamps, organic dinners and free shuttle buses lurks a company where employees end up working long hours, don't enjoy private offices and get paid less than Microsofties.
That's according to an internal Microsoft e-mail that has made its way to the Web. The blog posting is believed to have been written by a Microsoft recruiter who interviewed the ex-Googler.
Some highlights:
- "People are generally in the building between 10 a.m. and about 6 p.m. every day, but nearly everyone is on e-mail 24/7 and most people spend most of their evenings working from home."
- "Most people don't actually have a 20 percent project. Most managers won't remind you to start one."
- "There are glass-walled offices, there are open-space areas, there are cubicles, there are people who's (sic) desks are literally in hallways because there's no room anywhere else."
- "A college kid can literally join Google and, like they did as freshman at university, let Google take care of everything. Of course, if Google handles everything for you, it's hard to think about leaving because of all the 'stuff' you'll need to transition and then manage for yourself."
- "Google doesn't place any value on previous industry experience. (It puts tremendous value on degrees, especially Stanford ones.)"
- "Google actually pays less salary than Microsoft."
- "Google's health insurance is actually not nearly as good as Microsoft's."
Among the insider's suggestions for Microsoft to compete more effectively with Google in recruiting and retention is offering employees free food. Serving breakfast by 8:30 a.m. will ensure that many workers are at the office early, the ex-Googler said.
Who is this mystery person who dares to reveal the untold secrets about the company ranked best place to work by Fortune?
In her ZDNet blog, Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley says she knows who it is and that she contacted him and his opinions reflect those in the e-mail. He is one of the founders of Phatbits, a company acquired by Google, she says. He left Microsoft before starting Phatbits and then returned after leaving Google. Foley does not identify him but writes that he said he did not create the blog or post the e-mail to it.
I narrowed it down to someone and left a phone message for him but did not hear back to get confirmation.
Working for Google , at least you would be on the cutting edge.
Working for Microsoft, would be like being a parking inspector! (spend your day upsetting people and driving them away from your business)