Google eyes insider Bashny.Net

Hi, Habrahabr!
About a year ago I wrote my previous post on the Habré Amazon eyes insider . Thrice I was an intern at the company, and Amazon, there is nothing to hide, attached to this company, took many of its principles, and learned a lot. And I saw a company with the different parties, as happened to work in the Amazon Retail and Kindle, and in Seattle and California. However, my goal, starting from the second year, has been the practice in Google. So when I finally called for an interview, and its results were called in Mountain View on the practice as a Software Engineer, I did not dare to refuse. I spent three months there, working as a team Gmail Spam & Abuse. Involuntarily and unconsciously, I compared the life and work at Google with Amazon, and what I want to share.
Disclaimer: In a previous article I talked about everything as there is no comparison. This is partly because the internal culture of the Amazon about little known. About Google, on the contrary, they know everything. Share on Google "from scratch" will not work. So here are my purely personal observation and comparison. I hope nobody's feelings are not Zaden.

The whereabouts of h5> California - The Promised Land. Especially NorCal. Then you and the ocean so surf and snowboard mountains so, and the wonderful city of San Francisco Beauty and the world's best universities, Stanford and Berkeley, and Silicon Valley. Facebook, Apple, Oracle, and thousands of other companies and start-ups to literally surround the headquarters of Google. This is not vechnohmury Seattle Amazonia middle and Microsoft nearby Redmond. However, we must recognize that there is life in Silicon Valley and disadvantages, among which in the first place, I bear the exorbitant taxes and sky-high property prices (not only ownership but also for rent). I am sure that those who long Habrazhitelyam lives in California, there is a story to tell about the pros and cons, but I for my six months spent in the Valley, most of all pay attention to these aspects.

About the building h5> Buildings Amazon in Seattle and in Sunnyvale (CA) - the true embodiment korporativschiny. Being less pompous and more comfortable than the building of the same Orakla and Microsoft, they still represent a high-rise glass offices. The headquarters of Google qualitatively different in that campus' corporation of good "pretty much looks like university campuses: low-rise buildings, which together form a single complex. Coupled with numerous amusements, such as T-Rex skeleton, hammocks, slides, bicycles, billiards, volleyball courts, etc., scattered across campus, this complex is much more comfortable place where you want to spend more time.

About device and offices h5> If Amazon in the device of all is logical, then Google with it some "strange". For example, working in a team Gmail Spam & Abuse, we are part of Google Social, rather than part of Gmail. Google Maps, in terms of hierarchy, is a division of YouTube. I asked how it happened, and in reply received unsatisfactory stories about bureaucratic and historical reasons. But here's the salt: in the Amazon rarely there are new initiatives team of employees. Often, new teams and departments appear to address the higher layers of management, based on the strategic plans. Google the darkness of small teams that were formed from the 20 per cent of projects. (Note to the uninitiated: a Google up to 20% of the time allowed to pay for work in other teams, their projects, training, mentoring, and teaching in Google). With such a huge number of small start-ups within the company, it is hard to find all the logical place in the hierarchy. In addition, the nature and purpose of some teams change over time. Hence the little mess.

On the relation to business h5> This contains critical differences between the two companies. In the Amazon launch a new product or a new department - the question of studying the market and profitability. Yes, Amazon puts in first place of their clients, sometimes vovred their own interests. But in the development of all dictate forecasts and prospects. At Google, as mentioned earlier, run thousands of mini-projects, which itself provided to prove its profitability. Of the hundreds of running projects, only a few will be really worth, and 2-3 will set a new trend. This is similar to the two types of resource extraction: intense (deep) and extensive (breadth). Google digs in breadth, and no, yes and hits a pair of top-quality diamonds. We must understand that not every company can afford to bury hundreds of projects to find a few challenges.

The paradox and irony, but the internal search engine Google - a piece of shit h5> This is true. In comparison with the internal search engine Amazon Googley intranet - an extremely disappointing experience. There are several reasons. First, naturally pop the question: why not apply the same algorithm for indexing internal pages of Google, and that the entire Internet? The answer is simple: the indexing algorithm relies on the fact that the links in the body of documents larger than the documents themselves. If this is true for the Internet as a whole, for Google release the intranet is not so. Another reason for the settling of the internal search engine - the fragmentation of content. Often the internal pages are documents stored in Google Drive. And writing these pages - who in that much. In Amazonia, this problem was solved by a centralized wiki directory, search for that produce a lot easier.

On Culture h5> In his first summer in the Amazon, I wrote a letter to CEO Jeff Bezos with the following lines: "Hi Jeff! I intern in your company. You know, this summer we were about 900 people (interns) in Seattle. And I thought, why do not you pick us up an hour or two in which a large hall and did not utter inspired speech. It would be cool. "As expected, this letter remained unanswered. It would have remained unanswered in 99.99% of the company, so there is nothing to be offended by Jeff.
It was nice that Google does not even have to ask. Every Thursday, Sergey Brin and Larry Page do come on the scene in the cafe Charlie's campus in Mountain View and talk about the events and innovations in the company. At the end of the meeting they answer questions from internal microblog ... and questions from the floor. Be present at this meeting, all employees can Google that are in Mountain View. We just need to take place early in the audience. Accordingly, to communicate with the Almighty founders of Google may present any. And it's great!

About extravagance h5> Oh god what Google wasteful! Yes, Amazon instilled in me the desire for thrift. We must understand that you do not trim the Amazon that you need. But no excess! In Google you provided all that you need, it would be nice to have, and do not need. Yes, we are talking about massage, decorations, furniture, robots, video conferencing, etc. Riding my surprise was sending the whole compartment for a few days at the resort due to the company - and this counts as working time, not a vacation. Certainly, in terms of working it's cool. Of course, someone will say that the company that is captivating, and someone says that the company really cares about the happiness of employees and builds team spirit. But the fact that it is expensive and it is not necessary, all agree. Generally, spending time in Google, and watching his generosity / extravagance, I wondered whether this generosity - a good and important contribution to efficiency, diligence and loyalty of their employees? Is the company eventually gets them more and thriving, or is it that she is thriving despite these costs?

About gyms and sports h5> Gyms in Google frankly bad. A lot of people, old trainers, no proper iron little space. The pool is not in principle - there is only what is called infinite pool. It's such a bathroom where water moves against your movement - as a running simulator, only for swimming. But the great fields and parks for jogging and biking the hills to very close to the campus. Volleyball courts and fields for soccer - something that is necessary. Engage with the instructor or in the section did not try, but it's nice to know that there was such a possibility. In fairness, I note that in the Amazon there is no default and bad gym. But twice I still get free access: the first time Amazon has lodged me in a hotel that had an arrangement with a local rocker; for the second time - he worked in a rented office, which was part of a complex with a wonderful sports club. I love America for perepadaet freebie!

the credibility of the interns h5> in the Amazon interns neslabo trust. I have never come across the fact that I had to get special permission to use a special database or service (of course, if he is not charged). Google just constantly had to fumble manager, so he requested me to access one or the other. Had to suspend work until you give access to, and sometimes even denied with reference to the fact that I intern. On the one hand it is good that Google, sword in hand protects your data, but it also complicates the work.

about equipment, interview, and compensation h5> in Google and Amazon issued around the same set of developer: the hospital with a couple of screens to develop and laptop for email and rallies. Interviews also pretty standard: two technical interviews of 45 minutes on the phone. After passing these interviews, the process of determining the team. It may be difficult to get exactly where we would like, since the team selected the candidates themselves. But if the goal is simply to get into Google, you probably somewhere so determine. (Note: this information is only for applying for Internship). Compensation (called s / n and bonuses in the States) is also on the same level in the two companies. However, we must note that in the Amazon must still spend money on food when in Google about it do not have to worry.

Such is the story again about everything and anything. Internship - a wonderful opportunity to learn the different companies and their styles in a short time. But the review was very much superficial. Who can contribute to a more profound and prolonged observations are welcome in the comments.

Source: habrahabr.ru/post/237491/