Six months ago, I walked into Google’s Mountain View campus with stars in my eyes and a $180K salary offer in my pocket. Last week, I submitted my resignation letter.
Here’s what happened – and why it might be the best career advice you’ll read this year.
The Golden Handcuffs Were Real
Everyone talks about Google’s perks: free meals, massage chairs, unlimited PTO. What they don’t tell you is how these “benefits” become invisible chains.
The reality? I was working 12-hour days, eating dinner at my desk at 9 PM, and using my “unlimited” PTO exactly zero times in six months.
The free food wasn’t a perk – it was a strategy to keep me in the office longer.
Lesson #1: Prestige Doesn’t Pay Your Mental Health Bills
I stayed longer than I should have because of one toxic thought: “But it’s Google.”
The brand name on my LinkedIn felt like armor. The salary felt like validation. But at 2 AM, debugging code for the third consecutive night, none of that mattered.
Here’s what I learned: Your mental health is worth more than any company’s logo on your resume.
Lesson #2: “Growth Opportunities” Can Be Code for Exploitation
My manager sold me on “wearing multiple hats” and “gaining diverse experience.”
Translation: doing the work of three people while getting paid for one role.
I was simultaneously:
- A product manager (not my hire role)
- A data analyst (also not my role)
- A junior developer (my actual role)
The truth? Some companies use “growth opportunities” to justify overworking you. Real growth comes with proper support, training, and compensation – not just extra responsibilities.
Lesson #3: The Best Time to Leave Is When You’re Winning
I quit during my performance review cycle – right after receiving “exceeds expectations” ratings across the board.
Why? Because I realized I was optimizing for the wrong metrics.
I was winning at Google’s game, but losing at life. I was succeeding by their standards while failing by mine.
What I Did Next (And Why It’s Working)
Instead of jumping to another big tech company, I took a 40% pay cut to join a 50-person startup as a senior developer.
The results after 2 months:
- I work 8-hour days (actually 8 hours)
- I’ve shipped 3 major features vs. 0 at Google
- I take weekends off (revolutionary, I know)
- My imposter syndrome disappeared
- I’m learning 10x faster
The pay cut stung initially, but my quality of life improved 300%.
The Questions You Should Ask Before Your Next Role
- “What does success look like in the first 90 days?” (If they can’t answer specifically, run)
- “What’s the average tenure of people in this role?” (If it’s under 2 years, ask why)
- “Can I speak with someone who left this role recently?” (Their reaction tells you everything)
- “How do you handle burnout when it occurs?” (Not “if” – “when”)
The Uncomfortable Truth About Dream Jobs
Your dream job might be someone else’s nightmare – and that’s okay.
Google wasn’t objectively bad. It just wasn’t right for me at this stage of my career. The company optimizes for different outcomes than I do as an individual.
The lesson? Align your career choices with your personal values, not society’s expectations.
What This Means for You
If you’re reading this while unhappy in your current role, ask yourself:
- Are you staying for the right reasons or just the safe ones?
- Is this role teaching you skills you’ll use in 5 years?
- Would you take this job again if offered today?
Sometimes the biggest risk is staying comfortable.
