NEW YORK: Facebook is searching some more pinball machines and rock-climbing walls. The social networking company, known for its many perks that make it a regular on the hottest-places-to-work lists, is increasing headcount at an incredible pace.
Facebook, which reported Wednesday that sales fell short of estimates, passed the 10,000-employee mark last quarter. With a total of 10,082 at the end of March, Facebook increased headcount by 48 per cent compared with the same time last year.
Forty-eight percent is an eye-popping number. Google doesn’t report earnings until Thursday, but the company, which has been frequently questioned about its fast pace of hiring, grew only 12 percent last year. Granted, Google is about five times the size of Facebook, but the online search company actually reduced headcount from the third to fourth quarter, due partly to the closing of its sale of Motorola Mobility to Lenovo.
When asked on the earnings call about Facebook’s hiring spree, chief financial officer Dave Wehner said the company is basically beefing up everywhere, and that growth skews toward research and development. Those who follow the company shouldn’t be too surprised by the increase in spending on hiring, and Wehner pointed to its expense forecast as if to say: We warned you. “We remain very pleased with our ability to attract and retain top-tier talent,” he said.
