I've worked for major US companies in the Bay Area/NYC and German companies here in Europe so I feel like I can weigh in here.
In Germany I make way less, it's true, but I have a much higher quality of life and feeling of security here and I'd never willfully move back to the US. There's more to life than money, as they say...
I have worked for a european tech giant for over six years now. And when talking to my US friends, this is the biggest difference I have seen.
> In the US, it can often feel that your work is your identity. My European colleagues take pride in their work and are extremely hard workers, but their job is one facet of their identity.
In a non-office setting, I would sooner introduce myself as an improviser and bouldering enthusiast than an engineer. Although, I am the kind of person who codes to relax, not letting my job take over my identity is my last resistance in this boring dystopia.
edit: forgot a negation which totally changed the meaning of last sentence.
I'm not disputing the title per se as I have not worked for EU companies. Having said that, news articles of this sort usually interview a few people and then has the journalist draw a conclusion by way of storytelling.
However, this article seems like an ad for a single company, where they post a direct link to their careers section and even heap praise on the interview experience, which is unusual unless the person is specifically talking about their career to another prospective employer or to an otherwise "professional" audience.
When will Americans realize that the EU is not a monolithic bloc? She worked for an Austrian company and benefited from Austrian laws and work culture.
I had this same situation but if you are located in the US they will lay you off accordingly to US laws, which means it can happen anytime, but they will be nicer about it and maybe pay you a month to do nothing, on top of severance pay. The vacation time was high though.
Business Insider... What a rag of a publication...
wonder what the pay difference is
"I didn't feel appreciated when I got sold back into slavery."
I have had a federal security clearance since I was a teenager and most of that time it’s been a top secret clearance. Yet, I never worked as a government contractor until my current employment. Huge mistake.
It’s so much better than the corporate world even as a software developer and even with all the draconian security restrictions. Actually, the restrictions are nearly identical to working at a major bank. The primary reason it’s so much better is the people. The people tend to skew much older with far more experience, they tend to be better educated, and they all must have clearances and IT certifications. That eliminates so much of the entitlement, insecurity, and general stupidity I saw in my peers as a 15 year corporate software developer.