- Daniel Sprague was a Google recruiter who signed through Adecco and earned a six-figure salary.
- Sprague resigned in December 2022 ahead of the layoffs, believing it would be difficult to move forward.
- He decided to follow his passion for tattoos and is now making even more money.
This is a telling essay based on a conversation with Daniel Sprague, a 27-year-old who previously worked at Google in New York and Austin. His employment was verified by Business Insider. Text has been edited for length and clarity.
I joined Google in September 2021 in New York as a full lifecycle recruiter for YouTube. When I was offered this role, I was hesitant at first, but after seeing the culture on YouTube, I knew I couldn't pass up this opportunity.
My role included both sourcing and recruiting, primarily in product management roles at YouTube. I oversaw the entire candidate recruitment process, from contacting the candidate to finalizing the offer. It was really exciting and I got to work with some really cool people.
Things have changed since there was a hiring freeze in October 2022. Instead, I moved into recruiting for an optical engineering role at Google.
I didn't enjoy it as much because it's a different culture than some of the companies that were acquired by Google, like YouTube. Google was clearly overhiring and there wasn't enough work for everyone. Many positions were basically doing the same thing.
Even if you get promoted, your role won't change much, only your salary will change. We're making progress on paper, but otherwise it doesn't feel like real progress.
I was planning to convert from a contract employee to a full-time employee, but a hiring freeze started and there were no positions available. I realized that it's really hard to progress and find happiness there.
I also saw the writing on the wall, as mass layoffs were happening everywhere and there was speculation in the news that the same thing was happening at Google.
There aren't many benefits available as a contractor, so I didn't want to wait to get fired. All full-time employees will receive severance pay, but for contract employees, it's goodbye.
Although I was making well over six figures at Google, I decided to leave in December 2022 to grow my tattoo business, Ever Onward Ink, full time. Now, my income has increased and I have more leeway in my daily life. (BI was able to verify Mr. Sprague's income through a copy of his offer email from Google and a recent bank statement.)
I spent my weekends getting tattoos while working at Google.
I started painting in high school and won several Schola Prizes, but I grew up thinking that art was not a way to make money. Although it was a good hobby, I had heard about the starving artist paradigm, and sitting in art school without thinking too much about future prospects wasn't for me.
During my college years, I held several galleries and showcases where I created art specifically to be collected.
A little later, a friend introduced me to tattooing. I felt it was a little dangerous and I didn't want to hurt anyone, so I tried tattooing on fake skin and it turned out pretty good.
One day, one of my friends asked me if I would like to get my first tattoo. I was honestly scared and didn't want to do anything bad, so I said no at first.
But I looked at their arms and realized there was nothing I could do that they weren't already doing. So I ended up getting a tattoo, and I was really excited about the risks of getting a tattoo. It was different from drawing on paper. You will feel a stronger connection with the people you work with.
I then continued my quest to teach myself how to use the medium. It was very important for me to learn as much as I could about hygiene practices and hygiene and making sure that everything I do when getting a tattoo is up to standard and in accordance with norms.
I learned that my tattoo style is graphic surrealism. We blended geometric and realistic components while maintaining a hard graphic novel style with an edge of realism.
Once I became a qualified professional, I started working 40 hour days at Google during the week and spending my weekends tattooing. After moving to Austin in January 2022, I spent about 10 hours creating pieces for clients in my Austin shop, which quickly became appointment only.
When I moved on from YouTube, Google was no longer a long-term role for me. I decided to see what my tattoo business would be like once I moved to San Diego in a few months.
I opened the book on going to San Diego to give it a little feeler, and within a few days I had booked my first month in San Diego. I now know that this is reality. That's when I realized it was time to quit his job at Google and start investing time and effort into tattooing.
I'll never look back
I'm currently based in Massachusetts, and my daily routine is to wake up, go to the gym, and finish the day's drawings.
I start booking clients around 10am and then tattoo for about 4 hours straight. Then I take a break and then continue tattooing for three hours straight. I now work 10 hours, four or five days a week, but it didn't feel like work.
My clients usually request large pieces for both the arms and legs, but I also took on some rib and back pieces. Depending on the complexity and image, this can take him 4 to 10 hours.
I charge my clients $1,500 for a 10 hour session per day. Price ranges vary depending on the complexity and details of your project.
I have clients who fly in from all over the world, including Ireland, Turkey, Atlanta, and Indianapolis. I have never felt so much appreciation for my work. It's an incredibly humbling feeling to have someone that has so much faith in your abilities.
It feels amazing. What I don't want to have to deal with now is feeling micromanaged or always having to seek someone's approval, so I'll never look back.
I work much better with autonomy than having someone peering over my shoulder or parroting me.
This has completely become a lifestyle. I don't think I can imagine doing anything else for the rest of my life.
