Contracting at Google
I keep seeing posts from people contracting at Google. Some apply for a regular permanent full time role and are then offered the same role as a contractor. Others apply for jobs that advertised as temporary. With team matching taking so long, maybe it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to tell the Google recruiter you want to start as a contractor, then convert to permanent once team matching is done. Most companies hire contractors through external job agencies and will pay a predetermined rate for the job, with only like 50 percent going to the contractor. It sounds like Google can hire contractors without an external agency that takes a huge cut. Is this the case? Google contractors, what are your hourly rates? I’m aware that contractors don’t get any benefits at Google. Do they have access to free food though?
Do contractors at Google get the shitty projects no fte wants to touch, or the same as ftes?
They get shitty projects like cleaning up old docs/code and relinking them to new ones
Contracting rates depend largely on the role. I have seen $25/hr for an HR role and up to $150 for an engineering role. It all depends on headcount too. Non engineering headcount is scarce and almost everyone in people ops is a conversion or came in fte after 8+ years of experience. Engineering conversion is more likely as the company is more willing to give engineering headcount than back office.
Are those rates what google pays out or what you have seen the contractors get after the firms take their cut? That makes me feel better that engineering conversation is more likely. Is there a hiring committee for hiring contractors?
Thats what the contracting companies will pay you. Its not a guarantee that you will be converted though. The engineer work that contactors do is considered lesser than what you would do as a full timer so it really depends on the luck of the draw if you get a sympathic manager or not. My experience is in non-technical roles and since those managers all were contractors at one point they tend to help you more.
Why not just wait for the team matching? There are a lot of risks to your career and TC with that approach if they don't convert you quickly.
Not currently employed. The alternative would be going to a lesser company and then leaving after a few months for Google, adding a short stint to my resume.
Contracting would be doing the same thing. Adding a shot stint at another company, you just might sit in a Google office but the pay, vacation, health benefits, 401k would be decided by your employer and miss representing that time as employed by Google in the future would be a bad idea.