Courtesy of Mike Manalac
- Mike Manalac, a CPA, left Baltimore for San Francisco to pursue a job at Google.
- He faced challenges, including initial rejection from tech giants and a grueling commute to Google.
- Eventually, he transferred to Google's Chicago office where he has a better work-life balance.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mike Manalac, a 39-year-old accounting manager at Google in Chicago. It's been edited for length and clarity.