Google vs Facebook vs Instacart
Hello Fellow Blinders! A big thanks to the community for all the answers! I have a few offers but I'm currently stuck in Google comp discussion: * Google (HC approved for L5, Team matching done, waiting for comp numbers) * Facebook (approved for E5, TC: 190/30k/450k) * Instacart (L5 approved, TC: 210k/ 480k equity) I have an affinity for Google because I've heard external L5 is hard to get and the team looks good. But my recruiter has been stalling on getting comp numbers for a week now. They asked for numbers from competing offers and have been responding: "team will get back EOD today" for 4 days now. I don't want to keep pinging and seem desperate since that might affect the negotiation negatively but this wait is being unfair to other companies who are waiting to hear on the final decision. For Facebook, my recruiter has already waited for 1.5 weeks since the numbers rolled out and I don't think I can make hold it any longer, I'll need to give an answer early next week for sure. Instacart has a great growth opportunity but I'm not sure if I'll learn that much there about ML and engg as much as at G/Fb. Any suggestions on how to deal with the G recruiter and ask to speed things up without seeming desperate? Are they purposely trying to choke the other offers till their deadlines pass and then arm-twist into accepting a lower offer? #google #facebook #instacart
Njce 6 YOE and you got google L5. You must have aced interviews. Congrats
Instacart 480k equity only? You should get 800k at least. Vote for G anyway
Depends what stage of life you’re in. If you want the best wlb possible / most stability but be potentially bored, go for google. Fb probably will have worst wlb but you’ll learn / grow the most if you’re more junior / inexperienced. Instacart is a place to really take on more scope / ownership but there’s also element of risk. With risk comes upside though (even at current valuation).
I'm a fan of Instacart and its resiliency in fighting competitors (also stated in a post above) but I think that's painting Goog and Fb with a super broad brush. Not all teams at G/Fb are boring. First year bad wlb I've heard from everyone though.
Fair points! It’s totally team dependent and hopefully you are being matched with great teams / opportunities for all companies. I do think that there is ample opportunity to learn/grow at instacart. We are hiring pretty solid talent from google / fb / other companies, and there’s is a lot of room to improve things at instacart. Depends on what you’re looking for! I’m a fairly recent hire, but wlb has been great at instacart.
> I have an affinity for Google because I've heard external L5 is hard to get So you’re saying their negging has been successful? I don’t know what Instacarts business model is post-pandemic. Outside of tech bros in SF, most people value the convenience of home delivery lower than the actual cost. This works while people are afraid to go to the store themselves, or while VCs are paying for the difference, but I’m not sure how that will be viable over the long run.
Hahaha good point on the negging. Who's not vulnerable to it :D That's one way to look at it but if it's industry-wide accepted at L5 is fairly senior, (senior to Fb E5) one could argue it's more of a metric to follow than pure manipulation. About Instacart, sure that risk is always there but it's possible (as a lot of IC folks say) that these behaviors stick (just like wearing masks might stick even if CDC says they're no longer necessary). My point being, it's not something to be totally written off. IC also has historically been resilient to adversities, re: Amazon acquisition of WholeFoods, an exclusive collaboration with Walmart. It's a 4 sided market and people tend to think mostly about the consumer buy-side of it (there's an enterprise version to it too).
Fair. As long as you are aware of the risks.
Op- what’s preparation strategy for google looks like ? Do leetcode helped or not at all ?
LC for sure helps
String or dp or trees ?? Any pointers on leetcode similarity on your questions asked ?
Google for sure, they will match comp if needed and L5 at Google is pretty respectable.
Just echoing everyone else. L5 at google with 6yoe if you dont come from fb/netflix/quant funds is not easy. Even many people with 12 yoe can only get L4. If i were you i’d see if google can match tc. They’ll need the offer letters
Google has been lowrimg the bar for google cloud and hence core google over last 3 years when they hired lots of avarage folks from putisde :) U can always find exceptions like these these days. Know friend who fot L4 even after 10YoE. Know another friend who got L7 manager for 10YoE who came from non faang
Google Cloud has the same hiring bar as regular Google.
Depends on your goals. FB will give you more opportunities to grow to E6, and bigger refreshers. But that comes with a greater chance of stress and being fired. Google you can rest and vest but it’s very hard to make a real impact, or to get to the next level.
OP, what happened here finally?
Grats!!! SWE? YoE?
SWE, 6.5 YOE
Great job on L5 at that YoE. L5 median at G is 330-350k but L5 median YoE at G will be at 10-12 YoE so keep that in mind.