Why I Don’t Talk to Google Recruiters • Hacker News Board

Re: Why I Don’t Talk to Google Recruiters

#11

Post by falsedan » Tue, Feb 21, 2017, 4:19 PM UTC

Part of the problem is that these companies don't know who your direct manager will be, since they don't know where you'd best fit! Or worse, by the time you finish your notice period, they've re-orged and another team needs engineers more than the originally-intended team.

One of the skills they're looking for is adaptability/flexibility, to offset the terrible resource planning.

The message I really get from this post is that they'd be happier in a more structured, predictable environment, and there are plenty of places like that, old+new, small+large.

Re: Why I Don’t Talk to Google Recruiters

#12

Post by zschuessler » Tue, Feb 21, 2017, 4:19 PM UTC

Similar story: a few years back I was interested in applying to TopTal for side work. As a senior engineer working with well known companies, I thought the acceptance process wouldn't be as bad as claimed on their homepage.

Passed the first personality interview. The second was a coding challenge. I said to the interviewer several times I have not studied algorithms, and that if the coding challenge involves them, I would prefer to drop out and not waste time for anyone involved. I was very happy to say that multiple times - I know what I don't know. The interviewer goaded me into taking the challenge anyway, saying I'll "definitely be fine and pass."

The next day I attend the timed coding challenge. Three algorithm puzzles that are in no way insignificant. I had Google at my disposal and still could not solve a single problem - although I came close on one involving permutations of chess pieces.

Unreal. At least Yegor had the good fortune of not being directly lied to by the recruiters!

Re: Why I Don’t Talk to Google Recruiters

#13

Post by preinheimer » Tue, Feb 21, 2017, 4:19 PM UTC

This also solves another problem. Many orgs have their recruiters slot a candidate into a particular role really early on in the process (possibly even before the first phone screen). So you're not applying for a job at FooCorp, you're applying to be a Level 2 Engineer on the WidgetSearch team. By the time the third interview finishes, it turns out you're a bad fit, and the process stops. This doesn't mean there's not a great role for you inside the company, just that the you were tagged for in their recruiting software wasn't it.

By having the future direct manager involved early, they can hopefully say "I need a algorithm person, not an OOP person. Go talk to Carla, she's been looking for someone like this" sooner.

Re: Why I Don’t Talk to Google Recruiters

#14

Post by lazyant » Tue, Feb 21, 2017, 4:20 PM UTC

Well, in their defense (Google/Amazon/Facebook etc), a team leader or any other particular person cannot interview 500 applicants, so either more people are interviewers or they are way more specific with initial resume (which can be fake to a big extend).

I don't like algorithm questions either but at least they optimize by time, the alternative is to have people in for a few days, or spend a day doing chat interviews and risk getting a bullshitter.

Re: Why I Don’t Talk to Google Recruiters

#15

Post by EdiX » Tue, Feb 21, 2017, 4:20 PM UTC

johan_larson wrote: post #3

I wonder how high up you have to get before the top-tier companies are willing to make an exception to their standard interview process. Director? VP?

whenwillitstop: you are hellbanned.

Re: Why I Don’t Talk to Google Recruiters

#16

Post by untog » Tue, Feb 21, 2017, 4:20 PM UTC

stuckagain wrote: post #8

> There is no point in giving me binary-tree-traversing questions; I don't know those answers and will never be interested in learning them. Interview process: complete success.

Depends what the job description is, surely. And if the developer isn't interested in working on these things, surely it's failure on Google's part to effectively target who they are approaching?

Re: Why I Don’t Talk to Google Recruiters

#17

Post by newobj » Tue, Feb 21, 2017, 4:22 PM UTC

utnick wrote: post #7

The worst part for me is how long the process takes, and how much time is invested for an interview process where the success rate is so low. My recent experience with AMZN was: - get contacted by recruiter, schedule a call with recruiter a few days later - take a take-home coding test a few days later - talk to the recruiter again a few days later to tell me I did well on the coding test - talk to another recruiter…

If Amazon (or probably anyone for that matter) has some reason to believe you have a short timeline, you can expedite all this. Both times I interviewed with Amazon (I boomeranged and worked there in two separate stints), I had other loops/offers from other co's, and went from initial contact w/ Amazon to an offer in ~4 days.

Re: Why I Don’t Talk to Google Recruiters

#18

Post by johannes1234321 » Tue, Feb 21, 2017, 4:22 PM UTC

stuckagain wrote: post #8

> There is no point in giving me binary-tree-traversing questions; I don't know those answers and will never be interested in learning them. Interview process: complete success.

For a complete success they would have a way to filter out people without algorithm knowledge early on. A day of interviews already costs them some money, especially on the scale they are doing this.

Re: Why I Don’t Talk to Google Recruiters

#19

Post by geodel » Tue, Feb 21, 2017, 4:22 PM UTC

utnick wrote: post #7

The worst part for me is how long the process takes, and how much time is invested for an interview process where the success rate is so low. My recent experience with AMZN was: - get contacted by recruiter, schedule a call with recruiter a few days later - take a take-home coding test a few days later - talk to the recruiter again a few days later to tell me I did well on the coding test - talk to another recruiter…

May be not for many people here on HN but for very large number of engineers job opportunity Google/Amzn/MS/FB etc are once in a lifetime type. I have not met people in my circles who would balk at interview process there.

Re: Why I Don’t Talk to Google Recruiters

#20

Post by jorgemf » Tue, Feb 21, 2017, 4:23 PM UTC

I did an interview with Google few years ago, I still don't know the position they wanted me for. I make pretty clear my preferences but I was interviewed by random engineers not related with what I wanted to do in Google.

I guess they just want software engineers as workforce. They don't really care about what you want and your skills, if you are very good at something you will probably be good at something else.