Google's 200 new jobs ...

ahal · 20-08-2010 07:53PM #1

Hi all,

Am I alone in finding a strange irony in this statement, given that we have nearly half a million people on the dole?

"John Herlihy, Google's vice president of global ad operations, said the office had acted as a magnet for talented employees from across Europe."

Sounds to me a bit like "we're getting what we want, screw the Irish" on the face of it.

Then again, we don't want the jobs ... is that still the matra?

GSF · 20-08-2010 07:59PM

What about 200 Google employees based in Dublin earning lets say £50k each or £10m a year. Would you rather they paid tax and spent their salaries somewhere else?

ahal · 20-08-2010 08:04PM

GSF wrote: »

What about 200 Google employees based in Dublin earning lets say £50k each or £10m a year. Would you rather they paid tax and spent their salaries somewhere else?

That depends on whether you want an economy or a society I suppose.

GSF · 20-08-2010 08:06PM

ahal wrote: »

That depends on whether you want an economy or a society I suppose.

I dont see how it is an either/or choice as regards Google creating jobs?

ei.sdraob · 20-08-2010 08:07PM

Only if more Irish people bothered to learn a second (major) European language (and maybe not waste so much time barking up the Gaeilge tree)

More people would find themselves alot more employable... here and in Europe

(fluent in 2.5 european languages here

)

ahal · 20-08-2010 08:09PM

GSF wrote: »

I dont see how it is an either/or choice as regards Google creating jobs?

There's quite a difference. It has to do with Irish people getting jobs. In short my point is that revenue raised through making Ireland a giant railway station for foreign labour - as is being openly applauded it seems in that statment - isn't much use to Irish people trying to get a job, especially when a large chunk of our workforce are on the dole.

ahal · 20-08-2010 08:12PM

ei.sdraob wrote: »

Only if more Irish people bothered to learn a second (major) European language (and maybe not waste so much time barking up the Gaeilge tree)

More people would find themselves alot more employable... here and in Europe

(fluent in 2.5 european languages here )

That's a reasonable point. For some reason the Irish education system has traditionally weighed in favour of French for some reason.

On the flip side, CPL are offering help with relocation for underpaid jobs in HP 'Dutch speaking support'. I'm sure there are unemployed Dutch people living in Ireland as it is?

ei.sdraob · 20-08-2010 08:13PM

ahal wrote: »

There's quite a difference. It has to do with Irish people getting jobs. In short my point is that revenue raised through making Ireland a giant railway station for foreign labour - as is being openly applauded it seems in that statment - isn't much use to Irish people trying to get a job.

Ireland is an open economy (and yes this works both ways)

Either bite your nationalist lip and realise that we on average have economically richer lifes than most of the world due in part to being so open

Or close the borders and build a big wall

instead of moaning about the way modern world operates, take advantage of it

Sleepy · 20-08-2010 08:14PM

200 new jobs are a bad thing?

Is it because they're not unionised?
Because despite the fact that Google work their staff hard they treat them well and pay them what they're worth instead of paying them all at the same (OTT?) rate regardless of their contribution to the organisations success?
Because you (mistakenly) believe that our low corporate tax rate is harmful to the country?

Maybe you should see the real lesson here: some elements of the private sector (albeit FDI) are still managing to grow and create jobs in spite of the governments failure to do anything to assist it while expecting that sector's workers to pay for it's mismanagement of the public sector. Not all private companies are in as fortunate a position as Google though, most of them are still shedding staff under the excessive pressures being placed upon them by an inept government.

ex6 · 20-08-2010 08:15PM

Well even if Google creates 200 new jobs and imports 199 guys here from other EU countries, it is still good for Ireland.

1) the 199 people have to live somewhere (they are going to be renting rooms and appartments) - so 199 Irish property owner gets some money out of every new Google employee.

2) They all get paid here and pay their taxes in Ireland.

3) They use all kind of local services, starting from buyig food, commuting, and ending with (ir)regular expenses on entertainment and beer.

Trust me, I know what I am talking about. I am also this kind of "imported" specialist, working in one other big international company here in Dublin. My job is language/location specific, so I am not taking job away from any Irish guy or gal.

Roro4Brit · 20-08-2010 08:16PM

This thread is bloody ridiculous. OP you're an idiot. Google's ad operations is going to be targeting countries, agencies and customers in a whole host of European and Asian counties. Why on earth would or could they hire mainly Irish employees? Honestly, how many Irish people do you know that have marketing experience and speak fluent German, French, Russian etc...yeah I'm guessing you can count them on one hand.

fontanalis · 20-08-2010 08:17PM

ahal wrote: »

That depends on whether you want an economy or a society I suppose.

Whaaaaaaaat!

ahal · 20-08-2010 08:22PM

Roro4Brit wrote: »

Why on earth would or could they hire mainly Irish employees?

Eh, this is Ireland.

Personal remark reported

PS: the feeling is mutual

Permabear · 20-08-2010 08:24PM

This post has been deleted.

Mervin J Minky · 20-08-2010 08:26PM

ei.sdraob wrote: »

Only if more Irish people bothered to learn a second (major) European language (and maybe not waste so much time barking up the Gaeilge tree)

More people would find themselves alot more employable... here and in Europe

(fluent in 2.5 european languages here )

That is not really fair. I am Lithuanian and I speak four languages fluently; Lithuanian (obviously), Latvian (because it is very closely related to my native language), Russian & English (because they were spoken & encouraged in school). I have leant these languages from an early age and I seriously doubt I could pick up another language at 29 years of age and especially become fluent so I could become employable, especially to interact with native speakers, as it would take years to gain that level of fluency.

ahal · 20-08-2010 08:29PM

ei.sdraob wrote: »

Ireland is an open economy (and yes this works both ways)

Exactly

ei.sdraob wrote: »

Either bite your nationalist lip

Sorry, I forgot that's a bad thing. What country do you come from? Most non - Irish are nationalists in their own countries you know.

ei.sdraob wrote: »

Or close the borders and build a big wall

In fairness, I think that's a bit silly.

ei.sdraob wrote: »

instead of moaning about the way modern world operates, take advantage of it

Yeah, I remember someone calling me a whinger when I said boo about Dell in 2005. Oh, where are they now?

Roro4Brit · 20-08-2010 08:32PM

ahal wrote: »

Eh, this is Ireland.

Personal remark reported

PS: the feeling is mutual

I apologise now for remark, I did in fact mean that the sentiment you expressed was idiotic rather than a personal attack.

Seriously, this is a very I'll informed opinion. The jobs will require fluency in multiple languages, a knowledge of certain markets and ther structures etc and the best applicant s for these jobs nearly always come from the counties they will be working in. That's a fact. Saying that only Irish people should be considered is pants, and google wouldn't be where they are now if they did have that mentality.

ahal · 20-08-2010 08:33PM

donegalfella wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

That was a tounge in cheek remark, and not meant in a literal sense. We had an "economy" and look where it got us being the suggestion. Yes, there are a million and one different strands to that arguement but you get the gist ...

Permabear · 20-08-2010 08:38PM

This post has been deleted.

Mervin J Minky · 20-08-2010 08:59PM

donegalfella wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I think you got my post all wrong. I know all about the Irish education system but I was answering the poster who wrote "why don't Irish people learn another European language" because I understand that it is extremely hard for native English speakers to suddenly try to learn a foreign language if they haven't learnt it from a young age.

I was only using myself as an example that I have learnt 4 languages from a very early age and 29 years later I can honestly say I am 99% fluent in them. 5 years ago it would have been a totally different story BUT I still had very advanced English and that made all the difference.

BehindTheScenes · 20-08-2010 09:10PM

ei.sdraob wrote: »

Only if more Irish people bothered to learn a second (major) European language (and maybe not waste so much time barking up the Gaeilge tree)

More people would find themselves alot more employable... here and in Europe

(fluent in 2.5 european languages here )

I don't even think Irish has anything to do with it. I think the island nation mentality pervades. On top of not being bothered to learn our own language why would most bother with another when English is spoken by so many around the world.

You are right though about the employment prospects if you spoke a second language.

liammur · 20-08-2010 09:10PM

Mervin J Minky wrote: »

I think you got my post all wrong. I know all about the Irish education system but I was answering the poster who wrote "why don't Irish people learn another European language" because I understand that it is extremely hard for native English speakers to suddenly try to learn a foreign language if they haven't learnt it from a young age.

I was only using myself as an example that I have learnt 4 languages from a very early age and 29 years later I can honestly say I am 99% fluent in them. 5 years ago it would have been a totally different story BUT I still had very advanced English and that made all the difference.

A lot of Irish people can't even master the English language, (hence we are swamped with tabloids) let alone the challenge of a few European languages.

ahal · 20-08-2010 09:32PM

Roro4Brit wrote: »

I apologise now for remark, I did in fact mean that the sentiment you expressed was idiotic rather than a personal attack.

Nope, calling someone an idiot doesn't equate with disagreeing with what they say. I don't really care anyway.

Roro4Brit wrote: »

Seriously, this is a very I'll informed opinion.

In your opinion

Roro4Brit wrote: »

The jobs will require fluency in multiple languages, a knowledge of certain markets and ther structures etc and the best applicant s for these jobs nearly always come from the counties they will be working in.

Quite likely in some cases. However you as a matter of course recruit from the existing labour market, especially when nearly half a million people are out of work and the economy is in the dike. Google et al are not God, they should make all efforts to recruit from the existing labour market if they can, rather than looking for more recruits from abroad.

Roro4Brit wrote: »

Saying that only Irish people should be considered is pants

It is yes. If I used the term 'Irish' I meant those already in the labour market here.

Regarding open Europe, I consider myself Irish first and European second. True, Irish can go anywhere in Europe for work, though other than Germany and the U.K. I don't seem to notice too many vacancies in the I.T. sector.

Regarding our bunched economy, the problem goes back 30 years. The govt. sat on it's arse while all the FDI came in without building Irish companies on the back of it in any meaningful way. Fas should be out there right now offering training specifically targetted at the needs of companies, rather than offering $2.2 billion companies workers literally for free ( 'This is a work placement which does not offer a salary')

Regarding the languages, I tried to learn German in the 1990's. There was bugger all help from FAS, and I ended up getting grids from a UCD student which I paid for myself. I hung around the Goethe institute quite a bit too, but their courses were a bit out of my league financially. I got as far as intermediate level and got completely pee'd off.

Regarding the more general situation, Ireland is never going to compete on low wages at one end and 'Graduate placements' at the other. The powerhouse of any economy is sub - university, and we don't have the cost of living to go with competing in the low - wages stakes. There basically isn't a plan.

liammur · 20-08-2010 09:39PM

ahal wrote: »

Regarding our bunched economy, the problem goes back 30 years. The govt. sat on it's arse while all the FDI came in without building Irish companies on the back of it in any meaningful way. Fas should be out there right now offering training specifically targetted at the needs of companies, rather than offering $2.2 billion companies workers literally for free ( 'This is a work placement which does not offer a salary')

]/QUOTE]

Excellent point.

RichardAnd · 20-08-2010 09:46PM

Speaking from experience, I have found found Google to be an incredibly arrogant company to deal with with a very inflated view of themselves. Personally, I would rather work for a more mature company like Microsoft or SAP.

But that that being said, 200 jobs is still 200 jobs. The fact is, if a factory making AK-47s for middle east warlords wanted to set up in Cavan and create a few hundred job we are not in a position to complain. So despite my opinions of Google, this is a happy end to the day.

liammur · 20-08-2010 10:06PM

Correct.

We are sad when jobs are lost, so let's be happy when jobs are created.

ardmacha · 20-08-2010 10:12PM

These are relatively well paid jobs and so very welcome. But the positive effect of Google continuing to invest in Ireland could swing things for other potential investors and lead to 500 more.

Roro4Brit · 20-08-2010 10:15PM

Well OP perhaps you should express yourself more clearly. There a big difference between saying 'The Irish' and Ireland's labour force. your op's definitely don't show that you mean the Irish labour Market, it sounds like you mean those of Irish nationality.

ahal · 20-08-2010 11:00PM

Roro4Brit wrote: »

Well OP perhaps you should express yourself more clearly. There a big difference between saying 'The Irish' and Ireland's labour force. your op's definitely don't show that you mean the Irish labour Market, it sounds like you mean those of Irish nationality.

Fair enough, it was a mistake as opposed to back-tracking

ahal · 20-08-2010 11:03PM

ardmacha wrote: »

These are relatively well paid jobs and so very welcome. But the positive effect of Google continuing to invest in Ireland could swing things for other potential investors and lead to 500 more.

I agree to a point. These are what I call 'trophy jobs' though and for every one there's 20 more that aren't, and what's happening there interests me greatly. I have no idea what Google are like as an employer, but I have to say I saw a photo of an employee on a spacehopper on their recruitment website, which certainly made me think (and swallow my Tea the wrong way)

johnnyskeleton · 20-08-2010 11:10PM

ei.sdraob wrote: »

Only if more Irish people bothered to learn a second (major) European language (and maybe not waste so much time barking up the Gaeilge tree)

More people would find themselves alot more employable... here and in Europe

(fluent in 2.5 european languages here )

Sorry to cut across the thread, but is it grammatically possible to be half fluent?

Kinda like half expecting something.

Google's 200 new jobs ...

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