I was offered a job at a company (not Google) with similar perks: free food on site, a margarita machine that was always on, campus gym, etc. I was in my 30s and a single mother. Those “perks” were a massive turn off for me, because I knew that they signaled a desire for employees whose entire life would revolve around work. When I brought up my concerns to the recruiter who was trying to convince me to take the job, she said, “Oh, don’t worry. There are a couple of people who have on their calendars, ‘No meetings after 6:00.’”
I didn’t want my coworkers to perceive me as a slacker because I had life responsibilities outside the office. Instead, I went to do essentially the same job for a company that paid the same amount, but gave me the flexibility to be both the mother and employee that I want to be. I spend 8–10 hours in the office most days and am happy to put in extra hours once my children are asleep, but from 6:00 pm–9:00 pm on weekdays and on weekends, my attention and time belongs to my children.
I work smart and hard, instead of long. An all-inclusive job environment is great for recent college graduates, but those of us who see our careers as an important part of life, rather than all of life, don’t enjoy or want those perks.
