Jim Tang began at Google in December 2021 as a New York–based software engineer and worked there for three and a half years. He earned up to $326,000 in total compensation before taxes while working on front-end products in Google's ads organization. Daily routines often involved late starts, autonomous project work, occasional long days when pursuing promotions, and office perks like free food and snacks. Early pride in showing his parents the office gave way to disillusionment with corporate culture and constraints on authenticity. He quit in May 2025, traveled to Japan as a digital nomad, and became a creator and entrepreneur, reporting greater fulfillment.
I started working at Google in December 2021 as a software engineer, based in New York. I spent three and a half years there and earned up to $326,000 in total compensation before taxes, but I became disillusioned with corporate life and, at age 27, I quit and became a creator and entrepreneur, traveling as a digital nomad. It's made me feel more fulfilled.
I worked on the front end of products within Google's ads org. The job was quite laid-back. On a typical day, I'd badge in around 10 a.m. Sometimes, there was a meeting or two a day, but I was usually working autonomously on projects. At times when I was grinding for a promotion, I'd badge out at 7 p.m., but some days, I'd leave early at 4 p.m. Google had great perks, such as free food from office cafés, and free snacks from micro-kitchens.
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