'Once you dive into...': Bengaluru engineer reflects on life at Google, shares perks, challenges, and lessons learned

A Bengaluru-based software engineer named Raj Vikramaditya, also known online as "Striver," recently shared his experience of working at Google for three years. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Vikramaditya highlighted both the perks and challenges of working at the tech giant. His reflections quickly gained attention, amassing over 97,000 views and sparking lively discussions.

Vikramaditya praised Google for offering an exceptional work-life balance. He described the company as one that takes care of almost every aspect of employee well-being, from providing food, gym access, and spa services to organizing trips and parties. These benefits, he explained, make it easy for employees to focus on their work without worrying about daily hassles.

Another major highlight was Google’s high-quality codebase. Vikramaditya admired its superior design and architecture, which he found inspiring. He also appreciated being surrounded by top-tier talent, an environment he said motivated him to stay sharp and constantly improve.

In addition to work-life balance and technical excellence, Vikramaditya mentioned several financial perks, such as extra pay for on-call shifts, peer bonuses, and spot bonuses. He also highlighted Google’s advanced internal tools, noting that some of these tools are so innovative that they could easily function as standalone products in the tech market. The company’s well-documented systems made transitions between teams easier for employees.

The Challenges of Google’s Work Environment
Despite the many positives, Vikramaditya acknowledged certain challenges. One issue was the slow approval process, which he said was necessary in a large organization to prevent risks like lawsuits.

He also pointed out that the work scope in some teams was limited. Most teams don’t work on end-to-end features since much of the infrastructure is already pre-built. This can make it harder for employees to learn new skills unless they’re part of a core team.

Switching teams and promotions also posed challenges. Work done in one team often didn’t count toward promotions after a switch, which slowed the promotion process. As a result, employees sometimes waited until a promotion before changing teams.

Reactions from Social Media
The post received a mix of reactions from social media users. While some congratulated Vikramaditya and thanked him for sharing his journey, others focused on the perks. One user commented, "All I read was Pro's," while another said, "We both started working around the same time, but the companies we work for make all the difference."

Overall, Vikramaditya’s post offers a balanced view of the highs and lows of working at one of the world’s most well-known tech companies.