How to get a job at Google

Attention, job hunters. Google is hiring. In fact, it’s having a problem finding enough people with the right talent and skills to fill all its openings.

So what’s the best way to get your foot in the door? When you visit Google’s career page, you’re greeted with the question: “Can one conversation change the world?” To find out what that means, Associate Editor Richard Gincel had a meaningful conversation with Judy Gilbert, staffing program director at Google, who covered the bases for anyone interested in working for a company that, according to its own description, “offers the freedom of a startup with the stability of a large, profitable, and growing company.”

InfoWorld: So, how do I get a job at Google?

Judy Gilbert: The first thing is to figure out what kind of job you want. If you go to our Web site, we’ve got all kinds of opportunities all over the world, and they’re changing all the time. So whatever your area of expertise is, there’s a good chance you’ll find an opening that fits what it is you want to do.

IW: What kinds of cutting-edge work is Google doing to attract top talent?

JG: If you look at our labs page of new products and services, and updates to things we’ve already released, you’ll get a pretty good idea, though you’re still only seeing the tip of the iceberg in terms of our R&D. We recently announced Google Apps for Your Domain. And that’s just one that was announced in the last three days. In a typical week around here, we may be doing three separate product releases.

IW: What skills and talents are most in demand at Google right now?

JG: Well, we’re always looking for software engineers. But it really varies. We look for folks that can work in groups -- that’s critical to what we do in all departments, not just engineering. We want people who can contribute on their own and, more than pull their own weight, enjoy the collaborative process of making things better.

IW: Am I going to be working 50 or 60 hours a week?

JG: We don’t have a culture where we have people burning the midnight oil all the time. With that said, there are products to be shipped and time lines [to be upheld]. Sometimes you stay late. But the joy in delivering on time can make all the hard work worth it as you’re sprinting toward the finish line. Then, you take a couple days off.

IW: What will make my résumé pop?

JG: We look for people who have a track record of achievement; they’ve gone above and beyond in some way. It might mean that they’ve worked on open source projects, which shows that’s how they want to spend some of their free time. Volunteer work is something that can show real commitment. We’re looking for those who find ways to go above and beyond.

IW: What should my résumé omit?

JG: If people bother to call out that they’re familiar with word processing programs, we’ll be less impressed.

IW: Will Google fly me out to Mountain View to interview me?

JG: If we decide to move forward after a first-round phone interview, we’ll fly the candidate to whichever office is interviewing them.