A couple of my friends completed software engineering internships at Facebook this summer. They texted me frequently about the new workplace quirks they discovered—arcade rooms, funny conference room names, fully stocked kitchenettes, free tech vending machines, to name a few. One of them also snuck me into the Menlo Park headquarters to witness the magic for myself. I was met with colorful architecture, an endless supply of free food of cuisines from all around the world, Herman Miller chairs, and curated gardens. Who wouldn’t want to work here?
Neither of those friends plan to return to Facebook in the future. From a career perspective, a job there may pay well for some years, but the company has been on a seemingly permanent decline for a while; from an interest perspective, the work there did not feel meaningful or socially innovative; from an ethical perspective, it’s certainly not good. So while a software engineering Facebook job fulfills six of the first reading’s seven value rankings for jobs, it’s not enough.
As for me, from a utilitarian perspective, all things considered, I would accept a job at Facebook if I had no comparable alternatives. After all, it does fulfill six of the seven most important values for choosing a job. However, if I had any other similar option, I would opt for that instead.
So facebook takes the “bread and circuses” approach? I’m glad your friends saw through it.
I think there will be other jobs.