Another googler here.

I don't enjoy the work at Google as much due to bureaucracy, pace of work and politics. I previously worked at a startup and there is a stark difference in the work culture and environment. I'm working with the exact same team as that at the startup (we got acquired by Google). The same people i enjoyed working with, I absolutely hate it now.

Nothing ever gets done, even when it is possible to do so. Folks around here call it perf-farming.

There's nothing quite like shipping (or breaking!) something that impacts billions (with a 'b') of people . It was unexpectedly exhilarating for me the first time I shipped.

As a user of those products, one gets the impression that the improvements are more focused on what is in Google’s interest rather than what is in the users’ interest, though.

I guess that's one way to delude yourself. I'm just here (different big tech company) to get the biggest paycheck for the least amount of harm I could inflict on the world.

Until google gives it the axe.