Competing With Silicon Valley's Cushy Benefits | Hacker News Reader

Competing With Silicon Valley's Cushy Benefits

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7 pointsslfisher6 comments

"Todd Carlisle, director of staffing at Google, told a panel at the Inforum conference...that no job applicants ask about work perks, and no one turns down a job based on what perks are available."

That's not true at all. I terminated my interview process with Google because they would not commit to very simple benefit requirements (ie: would I keep my same level of benefits if I change product teams; am I required to use the doctor office closest to the job site or am I free to choose my own; who pays for the hardware/software to do the job; can I roll a 401k into the company provided 401k and does the company 401k allow to be transferred if I leave Google).

As for Google "gourmet" food - nobody in their right mind cares if HR hands out vending machine token for muffins with "gourmet" on the wrapper. But show me a company that can successfully respond to the above issues and they'll have no problem hiring - and no one terminating the process.

Todd Carlisle, director of staffing at Google, told a panel at the Inforum conference...that no job applicants ask about work perks, and no one turns down a job based on what perks are available.

It is possible that no applicants need to ask because they are already familiar with the perks Google offers. I recently turned down a very generous job offer when I found out the hours were very rigid and the dress code strictly enforced.

I wish there were a site like Glassdoor that detailed the perks offered at various companies. I'd like to know upfront what the dress code is, what hours employees are expected to work, how many vacation and sick days are offered, what holidays are observed, what the 401k match is, and what health insurance plans there are, etc.

you and me both!

I totally agree.

Take one of the obvious benefits, for instance: Health insurance. There's a big difference between the cost of insurance you get at a big company (one employer covered _two_ sets of glasses per person per year!) and what comes with the health benefits from a smaller firm (my spouse's company has a reasonably affordable plan, but we have a $12,000 deductable... which we hope to never need to use up).

There are other tradeoffs, of course, and he loves his job so he isn't looking, but the point is that you don't know what the benefits are, going in. They are absolutely part of the compensation package a developer (or anyone else) has to consider, but nobody willingly offers the details until the job offer is on the table, or until Day 1 on the new job.

Some of these things are negotiable, so I can understand why they rarely are mentioned. For instance I had some CIOs recommend that in salary negotiations, if the company balks on more money you can ask for a third week of vacation and usually get a Yes.

But yeah, I'd like it if Glassdoor collected such data!

Health insurance is an even bigger factor once you consider kids. I went to work for a startup which at the time I joined did not offer health insurance. I was able to do that mainly because my wife's plan covers her, a spouse, and all dependents, free of charge. Now that my company offers health coverage, it is free for me, but a spouse would be ~$200/mo and dependents ~$400/mo. If you have a spouse and 2 kids, you'd be looking at $1000/mo difference between the two companies.

the unlimited vacation, aside from being a perk, is an attempted way around California’s laws on vacation. It keeps companies from piling up liabilities -- which the company has to pay out when the employee leaves -- from all the vacation employees are accumulating and not being able to take because the hours are so arduous.

Any lawyers care to comment on this?

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