The reasons it sucks to work at Google

I read an interesting article about why it sucks to work at Google. The reasons were compiled from Glassdoor which is a website that aggregates salaries and employee reviews for a variety of companies. I paraphrased some of the top reasons:

- The reward system is flawed. Promotions come from launching new products. Fixing bugs in old software can be overlooked.

- No work life balance. Most employees work late. Many employees spend weekends in the office.

- Monetary compensation could be better. Starting salary is low

- Young software designers do not make great managers

- Early employees at Google occupy management positions and are waiting to excersize their stock options

This was interesting because Google is often seen as one of the best places to work at. Yet, appearances are not always what they seem and sometimes the "grass is always greener" phrase applies perfectly. It may seem obvious or cliché but I think the challenge is to find an occupation which you are passionate about, and to be proactive in improving your own situation and the situation of your department. I have many friends which are dissatisfied with their jobs, their bosses, internal politics, coworkers, their career path, the direction their company is taking, you name it. Partially, this is a reflection of the economy, but it is also a reflection of the current attitude of employees whose expectations are only exceeded by their complaints. At some point, you have to take ownership. Afterall, isn't this what you are paid to do?