i work at meta. hr systems. mostly comp processing. quiet job. stable. sometimes i daydream about retiring in portugal.
today a package hit my queue. base + bonus + equity. looks normal at first glance. then i open the details.
$1,000,000,000
over four years.
plus signing.
plus year 1 minimum: $100m.
i stare at it like it’s a typo. check the name. triple check the level. researcher.
coolcoolcool. so now i have to enter this into workday.
i paste the first number, field throws an error.“value must be below $99,999,999.”
lol. okay. i try splitting it. base in one bucket, equity in another. nope. i try scientific notation. it rounds it down.
the system can’t HANDLE a billion dollars.
i call someone on payroll infra. tell them i’ve got a 10-digit comp packet. they think i’m joking. i forward the req. they go quiet.
“we’re gonna need to escalate this,” someone mutters.
“to who?” i ask.
“god, maybe.”
next thing i know zuck’s chief of staff is in the thread. now i’m in a thread with zuck. because of a number.
then i find out the guy declined the offer.
just said no. no negotiation. no counter. just… no.
i’ve been maxing out my 401k for 11 years & this man said no to a billion dollars like he was skipping dessert.
i close the ticket. delete the draft.
go for a walk.
& then i rethink everything.
내가 8살인가 9살때 엄마가 취직한 가게에서 엄마가 가습기를 매일 청소했다. 가습기 살균제는 당연히 썼고. 그리고 몇개월이 지나고 엄마는 감기증상이 나타났다. 감기인줄 알고 방치했다 증세가 심해져 한의원에 갔는데 폐렴이라고 진단이 났다. 그래서 약을 타서 복용했는데도 전혀 낫지 않았다.