Poll: Have you ever applied to work at Google?

#1

Post by thetrumanshow » Tue, Jan 25, 2011, 8:58 PM UTC

So, Google is hiring like crazy, but they are ultra selective. I wonder if that selectivity precludes some folks from ever applying in the first place. How many of you fit that description?

Edit: there is lots of interest here... Google folks, turn this into a mini HN/Google career fair.

Edit: Guessing this submission was downmodded by a moderator. Ouch?

Re: Poll: Have you ever applied to work at Google?

#2

Post by byoung2 » Tue, Jan 25, 2011, 9:02 PM UTC

I used to go to a bar in Santa Monica (Warszawa) where the Google folks go every Friday for happy hour. The recruiters kept trying to get me to apply, but I never did. I get the impression that they want people with Engineering/CS backgrounds and here I am a programmer with an English degree. I bet I'd have a better chance of building a startup and selling it to Google so that I could work there than going through the application and interview process. I could be wrong though...

Re: Poll: Have you ever applied to work at Google?

#3

Post by guyzero » Tue, Jan 25, 2011, 9:06 PM UTC

Extra option: I never applied and was hired. Believe it or not we have recruiters out there sourcing candidates. I have personally interviewed people who were asked to apply by recruiters but who did not apply on their own.

Re: Poll: Have you ever applied to work at Google?

#4

Post by thetrumanshow » Tue, Jan 25, 2011, 9:07 PM UTC

byoung2 wrote: post #2

I used to go to a bar in Santa Monica (Warszawa) where the Google folks go every Friday for happy hour. The recruiters kept trying to get me to apply, but I never did. I get the impression that they want people with Engineering/CS backgrounds and here I am a programmer with an English degree. I bet I'd have a better chance of building a startup and selling it to Google so that I could work there than going through th…

I tend to think that Google really suffers when smart people like you don't even try to apply.

I think the typical awesome engineer is just a shade too self-deprecating to even think it possible to get hired there.

Re: Poll: Have you ever applied to work at Google?

#5

Post by thetrumanshow » Tue, Jan 25, 2011, 9:20 PM UTC

So, at least one person said they were hired by Google. I have a question for those folks...

When you applied, did you have any reasonable expectation that you would actually be hired to work there, or was it just on a whim... like a lottery ticket?

Re: Poll: Have you ever applied to work at Google?

#6

Post by gjm11 » Tue, Jan 25, 2011, 9:23 PM UTC

I can't accurately use any of the options. I got an email from Google suggesting that I apply -- I think they found my name on a mailing list somewhere; at the time I had a job I didn't want to leave, but later on I got in touch, only to decide after getting through the initial phone screen that I didn't actually want to work there. (It would have meant either moving house or a lengthy commute; I'd just moved house and had a new baby.)

I don't know how common a story that is. There are probably quite a lot of people who've been contacted by Google recruiters but decided not to apply at all.

Re: Poll: Have you ever applied to work at Google?

#7

Post by lopatamd » Tue, Jan 25, 2011, 9:23 PM UTC

it makes no sense applying since i wont get hired anyway xDD

its a dream job anyways for all

Re: Poll: Have you ever applied to work at Google?

#8

Post by gmurphy » Tue, Jan 25, 2011, 9:26 PM UTC

byoung2 wrote: post #2

I used to go to a bar in Santa Monica (Warszawa) where the Google folks go every Friday for happy hour. The recruiters kept trying to get me to apply, but I never did. I get the impression that they want people with Engineering/CS backgrounds and here I am a programmer with an English degree. I bet I'd have a better chance of building a startup and selling it to Google so that I could work there than going through th…

I work at Google and I am an engineering-degree dropout who was referred by a music-degree dropout; we both now report to a VP who was a mathematics-degree dropout.

That's not to say it won't be harder to get past resume screens and such, and a referral does help in these cases. Thetrumanshow is right that Google suffers when people like you don't apply.

Re: Poll: Have you ever applied to work at Google?

#9

Post by rhizome » Tue, Jan 25, 2011, 9:27 PM UTC

thetrumanshow wrote: post #4

byoung2 wrote: post #2

I used to go to a bar in Santa Monica (Warszawa) where the Google folks go every Friday for happy hour. The recruiters kept trying to get me to apply, but I never did. I get the impression that they want people with Engineering/CS backgrounds and here I am a programmer with an English degree. I bet I'd have a better chance of building a startup and selling it to Google so that I could work there than going through th…

I tend to think that Google really suffers when smart people like you don't even try to apply. I think the typical awesome engineer is just a shade too self-deprecating to even think it possible to get hired there.

I don't think Google (or really any large company) is a good place to work for autodidacts.

Re: Poll: Have you ever applied to work at Google?

#10

Post by kennethn » Tue, Jan 25, 2011, 9:27 PM UTC

-- (Rare?) I never applied, but was hired anyway!

Me. I came in 4+ years ago by way of an acquisition. Note that "never applied" doesn't equate with "never interviewed" - we all had to go through the same interview process as regular candidates.