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Google tries new angle on hiring

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Re: Google tries new angle on hiring

#51

Post by dalore »

Stormbringer wrote: post #22
bkhl wrote: post #7

I went through 8 interviews (over the course of 8 months) before I got an offer from Google. By the time Google gave me the offer, I already accepted an offer from the other company. I told the HR of Google that their process sucks (of course, I said it indirectly) and she agreed with me. I'm glad to hear that Google is finally making changes here.

Are they still limiting it to only PhDs and Masters? That to me always struck me as their biggest mistake. The common perception from people in the industry is that many of the best programmers are self taught. That doesn't preclude doing a degree of course, however even the really good programmers I've met that did degrees say that they really ramped up their learning efforts after leaving university (and that was m…

No they asked me to interview even though I dropped out of uni for my bachelors.

Re: Google tries new angle on hiring

#52

Post by [deleted] »

noamsml wrote: post #18
arkitaip wrote: post #8

"The new approach includes a new “rule of five” that limits the number of interviews a candidate can attend to no more than that number, said Laszlo Bock, head of human resources. In the past, would-be Googlers were often subjected to 12-14 interviews, he added." Wow, they actually consider 5 interviews to be a lean approach to interviewing; no wonder their process is convoluted. Methinks Google seriously needs to re…

Well, depends on how you count. Is 4 one-two hour interviews by different people on the same day considered one interview or four? (Assuming, of course, a preliminary phone interview would constitute the fifth)

[deleted]

Re: Google tries new angle on hiring

#53

Post by djb_hackernews »

dtby wrote: post #29
WildUtah wrote: post #3

They've been sending recruiters to me regularly for about six months. I get regular pitches and emails about working for them about twice a month from various people. I'd like to be able to consider it but I'm not in their candidate pool (around forty, no regular job for a few years, non-tech schooling, travel, no high tech work for years before that). Must be hard to reach out to the kind of people Google does like…

I'd like to be able to consider it but I'm not in their candidate pool (around forty, no regular job for a few years, non-tech schooling, travel, no high tech work for years before that). I am not in their candidate pool, either by your standards. Quickly approaching forty, dropped out of 'society' for 5+ years, non-high tech work during that period, no Ivy League degree. And, yet, despite the fact that I have made -…

Hmm I wonder what put you on their radar?

Re: Google tries new angle on hiring

#54

Post by mbarr »

Nitramp wrote: post #14

When I interviewed some months ago, I had one telephone interview and five on-site interviews. If I understood them correctly, some candidates also go through a second telephone interview. So a maximum of seven if you include phone interviews. The interviews were quite challenging (and of increasing difficulty), but there was nothing even resembling a trick question or a mind teaser. I researched a bit before the int…

Engineering has been good at getting rid of trick questions, but some other groups still use them.

Re: Google tries new angle on hiring

#55

Post by lukesandberg »

EnderMB wrote: post #9

If I'm perfectly honest, the reason I haven't applied to companies like Google is because their process scares me. I studied at a modest university and achieved a good degree, but the kind of horror stories I hear make me firmly believe that I received a terrible education, because the level of employees they seem to attract (Jon Skeet, anyone?) are a class apart from myself. It didn't help that the university next d…

I very much felt the same way at the beginning of the process (and throughout the process). But you've got to remember that the worst thing that can happen is they say no. And saying no doesn't necessarily say anything about you, interviews can get derailed by any number of things none of which imply that you are unqualified. I have blanked on obvious things, i have coded horrible mistakes on whiteboards. That doesn't mean i was unqualified though.

Google never visited my university either, but i got approached for an interview (linkedIn ftw) and i accepted it because saying no, or not applying is like turning down free lottery tickets. you might not win but it doesn't hurt.

Re: Google tries new angle on hiring

#57

Post by Stormbringer »

Stormbringer wrote: post #24
WildUtah wrote: post #3

They've been sending recruiters to me regularly for about six months. I get regular pitches and emails about working for them about twice a month from various people. I'd like to be able to consider it but I'm not in their candidate pool (around forty, no regular job for a few years, non-tech schooling, travel, no high tech work for years before that). Must be hard to reach out to the kind of people Google does like…

"no regular job for a few years," Given your situation, and the fact that going to a couple of interviews is enormously low-risk compared to the potential reward, maybe you should say yes to the Google recruiters? What is the worst case scenario here? Also, maybe they heard (through the grapevine) that you do good work. Stranger things have happened. :D

Tries to say something encouraging and gets voted down. Nice.

@grief-voter: WTF dude? Care to explain?

Re: Google tries new angle on hiring

#58

Post by durin42 »

noamsml wrote: post #18
arkitaip wrote: post #8

"The new approach includes a new “rule of five” that limits the number of interviews a candidate can attend to no more than that number, said Laszlo Bock, head of human resources. In the past, would-be Googlers were often subjected to 12-14 interviews, he added." Wow, they actually consider 5 interviews to be a lean approach to interviewing; no wonder their process is convoluted. Methinks Google seriously needs to re…

Well, depends on how you count. Is 4 one-two hour interviews by different people on the same day considered one interview or four? (Assuming, of course, a preliminary phone interview would constitute the fifth)

I don't think Google does interviews longer than 45 minutes for engineering.

Re: Google tries new angle on hiring

#59

Post by olegrog »

Stormbringer wrote: post #22
bkhl wrote: post #7

I went through 8 interviews (over the course of 8 months) before I got an offer from Google. By the time Google gave me the offer, I already accepted an offer from the other company. I told the HR of Google that their process sucks (of course, I said it indirectly) and she agreed with me. I'm glad to hear that Google is finally making changes here.

Are they still limiting it to only PhDs and Masters? That to me always struck me as their biggest mistake. The common perception from people in the industry is that many of the best programmers are self taught. That doesn't preclude doing a degree of course, however even the really good programmers I've met that did degrees say that they really ramped up their learning efforts after leaving university (and that was m…

I work at Google. I have a BSCS from Ohio State.

If you're smart and experienced, your degree doesn't matter much for engineering.

Re: Google tries new angle on hiring

#60

Post by olegrog »

arkitaip wrote: post #8

"The new approach includes a new “rule of five” that limits the number of interviews a candidate can attend to no more than that number, said Laszlo Bock, head of human resources. In the past, would-be Googlers were often subjected to 12-14 interviews, he added." Wow, they actually consider 5 interviews to be a lean approach to interviewing; no wonder their process is convoluted. Methinks Google seriously needs to re…

5 would generally mean you do one 45 minute phone screen and one in-person interview where you meet with 4 people for 45 minutes each.

Given the cost of a bad hire, I personally don't think that's enough.

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