(no subject)

[redbird]

Should I answer this job ad? I think I could do the work, and it is Google--but it's advertising.

Comments

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

Google are worth supporting, and advetsiing is one of the few funding routes they have. Theire advertising isn't intrusive (at least not at the moment) so they seem to be doing that right.

And going to this thing doesn't mean you're taking the job. You're finding out more about it, and if you don't like it when you know more, you don't have to accept an offer.

So I'd say go for it, and see what happens.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Do you feel that advertising is in and of itself a bad thing?

I'd apply and go to the reception thing and see what their attitude is. If you could do the job with an attitude of "I'm doing this as well as I can to support Google" that would be fine, if you'd have to work with people going "sell sell sell" then not. You could probably find this out in the interview.

The awful thing about reading the ad was realising that not only would you be good at it, I'd be good at it too. Thank goodness they don't want anyone to do it here!

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Google's operating principle is "Don't Be Evil."

I think that advertising for a company that has "Don't Be Evil" as a principle would be a lot more tolerable and less soul-sucking than any other form of advertising.

It sounds attractive to me, but I don't have a BA.

[jenett]

I agree with the prior comments about the Google not being evil.

I mean, yeah, advertising is advertising. But Google's been pretty good about doing sane ads, and not intrusive/nasty/overwhelming ones.

I'd say if you're interested (beyond thinking you could do the job well, I mean) go ahead and apply and see what happens. You're not saying you'll do the job, after all, you're saying that you're interested in learning more about it.

[redbird]

I don't think advertising is inherently evil--I'm just not sure I could do it in a non-evil way.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

With great power comes great responsibility.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

If you worked for Google, you would be required to do so. I bet they'd help.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Of course you should answer it! There is no reason not to, and several good reasons to go. Such as:

If they invite you to their shin-dig, you can find out if the job (which appears to be writing banner ads for Google, hardly the most soul-destroying advertising job I can think of) would be fun; it might be and they might want you to do it. That would be excellent.

But you should also go simply to have a chance to interview, because this is a skill one should always keep polishing. Attending will give you a chance to talk to other people who are writerly and maybe network a little. That seems good, too.

K. [but maybe you should go to get the Google merch and then sell it on eBay]

Go for it!

[replyhazy.livejournal.com]

Hey, half the fun will be responding in a clever enough way that they invite you!

[cheshyre]

Well, it may not be helpful to you, but my gut response is 'they're hiring in Boston!? Oh, where do I apply?'
Wired recently ran an article on Google which may give a better idea of the corporate culture and pressures.

[jbsegal.livejournal.com]

Yes.
(I could say more. Others have already, however.)

[bohemiancoast.livejournal.com]

Yes, you should absolutely go for it. Google have the best advertising of any website -- targeted, text based ads that are directly relevant to search criteria and often geographically based too.

I often find what I'm after, especially when shopping, by clicking on text ads in Google -- because if I'm searching for, say, a deedlefutz, then UK deedlefutz retailers often buy the word 'deedlefutz', but only for UK searches. So the text ad gives me what I want without having to trawl through all the US sites.

There is nothing inherently bad about advertising; it's a major way to find out interesting stuff.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Applying for the job is an easy decision: of course. Actually taking the job is another, more complicated and difficult, decision. We'll all get back to you on that one.

B