Over 2 million people apply for jobs at Google per year. This means you have a lot of work to do to make sure you stand out amongst a sea of people. While the company is known for its tough hiring process, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get hired.
They say there’s no “one kind of Googler” and their website details the pretty normal hiring process of applying, interviewing, and decided. That doesn’t mean that’s all there is though.
Google will typically ask you for class records and your GPA, especially if you’re fresh out of college. Pair your GPA and school courses with great employment or internship experiences to make sure you really stand out.
Make sure you have coding skills. It’s a tech company. Better to be safe than sorry, and able to keep up with your coworker's conversations.
While the typical route would be to apply via the Google website, make sure you’re going to recruiting events, career fairs, and networking. It’s always better to know someone within the company who can refer you, or at least speak to your skills. Struggling to connect with someone? Try LinkedIn.
Have interests beyond computers. Participate in sports, have hobbies, and just be well-rounded. This will help you stand out beyond technical skills.
Finally, show your passion for the company and communicate your desire to do anything it takes to see it grow. Someone with genuine passion and creativity will win out over any generic coder.
While they might not ask impossible-to-solve questions anymore, there are 5 rounds of interviews. Make sure you’re prepared for all of them because it will take stamina and mental strength to last.
How I Landed A Job At Google
This is the story of how I landed the job. The three tips I
share relate to anyone interested in applying for sales/marketing roles at
Google (or any other tech company).
Tip #1: Be Bold
If you want something in life, you have to confidently go
after it and play your own game. If it doesn’t workout, that’s OK. At least you
know that you tried and gave it your all — and that’s the secret to living a
life with no regrets.
I really wanted to land that job at Google.
After the initial phone screening call, the recruiter said
that she’d like to pass me on to the next phase. So she sent me a brief
business case to read over and discuss in my second interview.
The case was simple: an e-commerce retailer wants to build a
digital marketing strategy — what do you recommend they do? My job was to act
as their consultant and recommend a solution that meets their business
objectives.
She simply requested that I “look over the case” so that
“you can share your ideas and recommendations with the interviewer”.
But I saw it as an opportunity to stand out in a pool of
qualified candidates. I wanted to walk into that interview already a winner
who’s guaranteed his ticket into the final round.
So I played my own game.
I learned everything I could about Google’s AdWords. I spent
a decent 5–6 hours reviewing their online material. I then prepared a 10-slide
deck on my approach to digital marketing. I made sure to showcase my creative
thinking and structured approach to consultative sales.
When it was time for that second interview, I began the call
saying: “Hi Dave, I’ve prepared a short deck to showcase my understanding of
the digital landscape and highlight my approach to consultative sales. The idea
is to show you my logic behind how I would approach the client’s request. Can I
share it with you?”
Was this against the rules? Of course not.
Was it expected? Definitely not.
He said “yes — please guide me through it.” And I could tell
from his tone he was incredibly impressed with my work. The interview proceeded
into a talk led by me. I turned the table around and played my own game.
I ran the interview.
So what happened?
I moved onto the final round of interviews.
I was bold. I played by my own rules — and I won.
That’s the lesson in this story. If you want something, you
have to confidently go after it and be bold in your approach. Play a
game — without breaking any written rules — that will set you apart for them
crowd.
You have to go the extra mile.
This approach might not work 100% of the time. In some
situations, there might be candidates who are simply more qualified than you in
terms of work experience or expertise. That’s OK. You tried. You did your best
but it didn’t work out. But you gained experience — and now you’re more
inclined to succeed the second time around.
“Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you
wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer.”
— Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture
Tip# 2: Get Referred
When I joined Google, we were a team of 7. When I left three
years later, we were a team of 23. I can confidently say that about 97% of
those recruits were referral-based.
Get referred.
And this doesn’t just apply to Google. This applies to any
tech company you wish to apply for — Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn…
Getting referred to a role moves your name an inch closer to
the recruiter’s desk. And that inch can make all the difference.
From my experience, I can tell you that if there’s a match
between your skill set and the role you’re applying for, a referral will get
you that initial interview. It will get your foot in the door.
And trust me, Googlers (and employees of other tech
companies) love to refer new candidates — they get a bonus if things work out
and their referrals accept an offer from Google. So really, everyone wins.
Now, how can you get referred if you don’t know anyone who
works at Google? Take a look at your LinkedIn profile. Is anyone in your
network connected to someone who currently works at Google? Good. Get an
introduction. Even if that individual used to work at Google but not anymore,
they will always have access to current Googlers because of their extensive
professional network.
We live in a small world. You will always find a friend of a
friend of a friend who works at whichever company you wish to work for.
Leverage those ties.
Worst case scenario, reach out to people and mention that
you’re interested in a specific role. Even if they don’t know you, they will be
happy to help.
I referred a friend of a friend who I had never met. Now
she’s at Google and she loves working there.
Always look for a connection before you apply — it can
increase your chances of locking in that initial interview.
Tip #3: Have An Online Edge — If You Don’t Already, Create
One
An employer is 10x more likely to hire someone who has an
online edge.
What do I mean by online edge?
It’s any online proof that you care or stand for something.
It’s an online presence. An online voice. An audience. A space you created out
of nothing.
An online edge is any online extension of who you are, what
you believe in, or what you actively practice and create. It shows originality,
creativity and passion.
It can be a blog you’ve created, a collection of articles
you’ve published, poems you’ve written, drawings you’ve scribbled, or small
projects you’ve worked on or tried to create. It can even be as simple as a
personal website that offers nothing more than a landing page with an “about
me” section.
What an online presence says to an employer is that you are
not afraid to bring a different dimension. You are not afraid to test the
status quo. You are not afraid to create. You value yourself and your presence
in this world and you are confident to make yourself vulnerable in the process
of trying something new.
You are willing to take the extra step.
You are an original.
And who doesn’t want to work with an original?
Create an edge for yourself. Create an online voice — an
online presence. And that presence needs to speak louder than a simple
Instagram feed cluttered with pictures of your puppy.
This obviously isn’t an absolute requirement. But in an age
where the world lives online, having an online presence gives you an edge. It
is verifiable proof that you have a personality that stands out — and a story
to tell.
A month after joining Google, my manager told me that having
my own personal website was one of the factors that stood out in my
application.
My website had nothing more than a few blog entries.
But it was an online space that I created out of nothing. It
was an extension of my personality. It told a story — and that story gave me an
edge.
Applying to jobs as a recent graduate can be a daunting
process. The research, the cover letters, the interviews, the
waiting-to-hear-back period… I was there.
I applied to 66 jobs in total, and only one worked out —
Google.
Always believe that good things will come your way if you work hard for them. Stay confident in your skills and in the value you can bring to an organization. Patience and persistence is the name of the game.