Careers

13 unusual but awesome perks at companies hiring now

Jillian Kramer, Glassdoor
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Google's Mountain View, Calif., headquarters.
Photo by Bloomberg

When it comes down to whether to apply for or accept a job, the benefits offered are pretty darn important. (In fact, Glassdoor users have said they want benefits or perks more than they want a raise.) But how do you know what a company's putting on the table before the interview? You use Glassdoor — and this handy guide of 13 companies offering cool perks.

Our personal fave? Airbnb's travel credit, which employees can use to book this Malibu Airstream getaway.

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Reebok

Unusual Perk: Free fitness classes. Reebok is an athletic wear company, after all. Employees here can snag free classes at its on-site gym and Crossfit Box any time of day.

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.1

What Employees Say: "Company culture is incredible. You are able to work around people with similar passions each and everyday." —Former Employee

Google

Unusual Perk: Death benefits. No one wants to think about this benefit, but it's valuable if you ever need it: Google gives the surviving spouse or partner of a deceased employee 50 percent of his or her salary for the following 10 years after his or her death.

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.6

What Employees Say: "The perks are amazing. Yes, free breakfast, lunch, and dinner every weekday. Amazing holiday parties — at Waldorf Astoria, NY Public Library, MoMA, etc. — overnight ski trips to Vermont; overnight nature trips to the Poconos in the summer. I don't see this going away unless the company starts hurting financially." —Current Employee

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Facebook

Unusual Perk: Free intern housing. We all know interns are (usually) hurting for money, so that's one reason why this perk is so appealing. All of Facebook's interns have the chance to receive free housing — plus shuttles to and from work so they don't have to pay for gas.

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.7

What Employees Say: "Incredible benefits. Excellent compensation that rewards strong performance. Lots of autonomy. Tons of room for growth. Very transparent from the top down. Strong leadership. Intelligent and caring colleagues. The most fair and well thought out review process you will find everywhere. Exciting work." —Current Employee

In-N-Out Burger

Unusual Perk: Free burgers. There's no reason to pay for lunch if you work at In-n-Out Burger. Its employees can enjoy a free burger, fries, and unlimited drinks during a shift.

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.7

What Employees Say: "You get a free burger with fries every time you work. Also, there is unlimited access to the drinks, except for the shakes." —Current Employee

American Express

Unusual Perk: Five-months of paid leave for new mothers. In the U.S., companies aren't required to offer paid-leave for new mothers. But American Express offers them five months off at their full pay, making this perk pretty darn unusual but outstanding.

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.0

What Employees Say: "I love the positive minded environment that the company strives to keep for their employees. The company offers great incentives such a Healthy Living, work life balance, on-site nurse, and more." —Current Employee

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Netflix

Unusual Perk: Unlimited vacation time. Yep, you read that right. Netflix allows employees to choose how many days they take off each year, whether that's two weeks or two months.

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.3

What Employees Say: "Excellent culture, freedom to learn and to work on exciting projects. Great compensation package. The company treats their employees well and shows their appreciation for the hard work that makes Netflix great." —Current Employee

Salesforce

Unusual Perk: Paid time off for volunteering. When you do good, Salesforce rewards you. The company offers its employees six paid days off each year to do volunteer work. Plus, the company gives its employees $1,000 each year to donate the cause of their choice.

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.6

What Employees Say: " Management on all levels care about employee success. Great benefits. Cool offices. Solid training program. Products that actually work." —Current Employee

Spotify

Unusual Perk: Egg freezing. More and more people are delaying pregnancy, and Spotify has caught on. The company covers the cost of egg freezing and fertility assistance to workers.

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.4

What Employees Say: " Passionate and inspiring people, great benefits, endless opportunities to take on additional projects or get involved in an area you're interested in." —Current Employee

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Airbnb

Unusual Perk: Travel stipend. When you work at Airbnb, you're bound to get some house envy. But luckily, employees here can check out the properties they post with a $2,000 stipend so that they can travel and stay in the Airbnb listing of their choice each year.

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.6

What Employees Say: "My team is like my family. The company is generous, mission driven, and works hard to make employees heard. Great location, motivated and sincere people. Each time I strike up a conversation with someone new, I feel like I've made a friend. I can be myself, quirks and all, and am embraced." —Current Employee

REI

Unusual Perk: "Yay" days. "Yay" days, as REI calls them, are two paid days off each year in which employees can get outside, off the clock, and enjoy an activity of their choice.

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.1

What Employees Say: "Great Co-Op ethics. Fun and inspiring. The very best HR program I have ever worked under: salary reviews, reporting issues and resolving problems. Health care option for PT employees extremely rare in this marketplace, and most appreciated." —Former Employee

PwC

Unusual Perk: Student-loan debt reimbursement. People with student loan debt know those bills can be crushing. But for PwC employees, the load is a little lighter. PWC's Student Loan Paydown (SLP) will pay $1,200 a year towards an associate's or senior associate's loans. "Over time, this may help reduce student loan principal and interest obligation by as much as $10,000, and shorten your loan payoff period by up to three years."

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.0

What Employees Say: "The career opportunities, young and vibrant culture, internal support, and international presence is among the top pros of working for PwC." —Current Employee

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Bain & Co.

Unusual Perk: Global soccer tournaments. If you want to play soccer, you can at Bain & Co., where more than 1,000 employees (on average) participate in its global soccer tournaments each year. Last year's tournament was in Brussels, while this year's is in L.A.

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.7

What Employees Say: "Bain has the best culture of any organization I've ever been a part of. I come to work every day feeling excited about interacting with my colleagues. The work is fast paced and engaging and we deliver real value to our clients. Pay is excellent. Travel has been less than I expected when I applied." —Current Employee

Goldman Sachs

Unusual Perk: Gender reassignment surgery. For employees who desire gender reassignment survey, Goldman Sachs will pay for it for them. The company has offered this perk since 2008.

Overall Benefits Rating: 4.2

What Employees Say: "Many leadership and career opportunities. GS had a team-oriented culture, which I found very productive and supportive. It enabled me to grow in my field as well as a leader. Benefits were very, [including] unlimited sick leave, long vacations, [and] great health plans." —Former Employee

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This article originally appeared on Glassdoor.

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