google-hockey.jpg
So much for roller hockey at the Googleplex!

Most would think that working at Google is every tech geek’s dream. Well, it’s probably just hype. Of course there are the excellent benefits and work set-up such as free gourmet lunches, Google stock, and being able to work on your pet projects 20% of the time. Still, it’s work and you either enjoy it or not (and you tend to either slack or age faster when you don’t enjoy what you do).

Here’s a peek into how it’s like to interview with Google. Peter Abilla was contacted for a position in Google’s print team. After two days of gruelling interviews–11 in all, and with free Google goodies–and a couple of weeks’ looking forward to a good offer, Peter had to decline as the offer wasn’t what he had expected.

His observation of the entire experience, though is what I find interesting: the Googlers didn’t seem to be too happy with where they were (pardon the capitalization, or lack thereof).

all in all, the experience was okay. there is certainly more hype about google than i believe it really merits. true, they hire sharp — really sharp people; i felt a lot of energy and could see the innovation happening there. but, the people i interviewed with didn’t seem happy to me. they looked tired and grumpy. i didn’t get a feeling that google treats their people very well. i’m glad for my decision not to join google. but, i’ll always wish i had free reign on those odwalla drinks.

I guess in any company, no matter how great the environment is supposed to be, there would be people who are unhappy, or at least tired and stressed out!

[Via Macalua.com]