Comments on: Most googliest places to work in the south Bay Area?

Question: Most googliest places to work in the south Bay Area?

blahtsk — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:16:55 -0800

After making it to my 3rd and final interview, Google decided not to hire me (*sniff*). What are the other most googliest places to work?

"Googliest" meaning:
- Bright, motivated, curious engineers.
- Engineers encouraged to work on multiple projects / domains.
- Engineers encouraged to be creative (e.g. 20% project).
- A conscious effort to foster a unique working environment.
- Located in the south Bay Area.
- Currently hiring.

Thanks in advance!

By: parmanparman

parmanparman — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:20:32 -0800

Try C/Net.

By: crinklebat

crinklebat — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:38:42 -0800

I think even at Google, googliness depends on your group. There are probably some very googly groups at almost every software company in the Valley. Conversely, there are some oppressively ungoogly groups at Google. It's the luck of the draw - just make sure you actually get to talk with your group before you sign anything.

By: divabat

divabat — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:59:17 -0800

Facebook?

By: DarlingBri

DarlingBri — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:05:03 -0800

Try Linden Lab.

By: Gucky

Gucky — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:05:45 -0800

Depending on the division and your work style, there's Apple.

I know people who, believe it or not, love their jobs at Yahoo!

What are you interested in making happen and achieving? For every Google, there's about 100 smaller companies that will give you freedom, control and creativity. They may go under, but hey, then it's on to the next one, yeah?

By: grouse

grouse — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 01:19:14 -0800

University research departments.

By: the dief

the dief — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 04:35:59 -0800

Oh man, I feel for you - Google interviewed me in early 2000. Needless to say, I didn't get the job. If I had, I'd be rolling around on a bed stuffed with money underneath sheets stitched from hundred dollar bills with several beautiful ladies, possibly also made from money, instead of posting this answer as a librarian with a six year old laptop.

That said, I agree with the posters who mentioned small startups, Yahoo, and university research departments. Depending on your temperament and toleration for risk, any of them might work for you. Good luck.

By: web-goddess

web-goddess — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 04:54:19 -0800

Nothing to offer, except that they rejected me on Monday (after a phone interview, six face-to-face interviews, and a takehome worksheet). I feel your pain.

By: PenDevil

PenDevil — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 05:16:28 -0800

Thoughtworks

By: sevenyearlurk

sevenyearlurk — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 05:46:16 -0800

Don't feel too bad -- Google's under pressure right now to cut back on hiring. In Forbes today:

"Analysts also expect Google (nasdaq: GOOG - news - people ) to fess up to scaling back its hiring. During the four quarters ending in June, Google hired at a torrid pace, boosting head count by 74%, as pointed out American Technology Research analyst Rob Sanderson in a report Tuesday.

Gross revenue, by contrast, was up only 58% during the same time. That weighed down Google's operating margins, Sanderson noted--and kept the company short of Wall Street's expectations. "

By: mkb

mkb — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 06:55:25 -0800

Akamai.

By: mkultra

mkultra — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 07:12:46 -0800

Another vote for Yahoo. An NYC-based company I used to work for was acquired by them shortly after I left. Six years later, a lot still work there (or have moved within Yahoo) and have nothing but good things to say about Yahoo.

By: lou

lou — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 07:22:39 -0800

Read Netflix's recruiting page, it sounds like something you're looking for. They're hiring in Los Gatos.

By: eralclare

eralclare — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:21:35 -0800

I don't know if Mozilla is hiring right now, but they are pretty damn google-rific and very close by. Also, try looking into companies that show up in TED talks--many of the smaller ones are probably on track to be the next Google.

By: anildash

anildash — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:38:39 -0800

What do you want to do, and what are the things that you're good at?

By: zpaine

zpaine — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:27:09 -0800

I think startups are fairly hit or miss when it comes to the environment that you are searching for. If you end up interviewing at a startup, be careful to observe the place and the people.

Folks tend to assume that startups today are like the playground startups of the 90's, or like Google. Many of them may be, but I haven't found that. When you interview, try to detect the general stress/anxiety level, and be sure to ask about things like side projects.