Google Updates

The perks at Google have long been the talk of Silicon Valley and beyond. But when all is said and done, how do they stack up against the perks at Microsoft? And which is the better workplace?
That’s what a Microsoftie discussed in great detail in a post on a blog called “Just Say No to Google.” The unnamed Microsoftie had worked at Microsoft, then at Google and was back at Microsoft. He had shared those thoughts with a Microsoft recruiter, who had circulated them via e-mail inside Microsoft. No word as to who created the blog or posted the e-mail.
Some salient points: Google is a lot like Microsoft was “back when the company felt like most employees were in their mid 20s”; Microsoft has far better offices; Google pays less and its health insurance is not as good as Microsoft; but Google has free food, and that seems to trump all else. For the Google and Microsoft obsessed, there’s a lot more detail (including more than 300 comments, some from Google and Microsoft employees).
But then, there was the question of whether any of this was authentic. The All about Microsoft blog confirmed that the employee did exist and that those were his thoughts, but had no word yet on the recruiter. And no word on who had posted it to the Web.
The post is attracting so much attention, in part, because the war for talent between Google, Microsoft and others is hotter than ever. The companies are growing at phenomenal rates, and there are just not enough top recruits to go around. That’s especially true since Silicon Valley is packed with well-financed start-ups that are going after many of the same recruits. And they’ve got something that neither Google nor Microsoft can offer: the opportunity to strike it rich in a public offering.
The Wall Street Journal today writes about inroads that start-ups are making with Google’s workforce. The story points out that some veteran Googlers are leaving for startups, as the company has grown too big for some and as pre-I.P.O. stock options vest for others.
But in a story about talent wars in Silicon Valley last month, I also found that Google remains a powerful magnet. For the class of 2007, it was the most desired employer among both undergrads and M.B.A.s, according to surveys.