If working at a major tech company is your dream job, then you are likely wondering how to get a job at Google. The task itself may seem incredibly daunting, and rightly so. According to Google, it receives a staggering 1.1 million job applications annually. And that’s just through LinkedIn’s interface.
Add to that the benchmark of technological excellence Google provides and you will quickly find yourself at a disadvantage if you don’t have the proper qualifications. However, landing a job at Google is still a goal you should aim for.
This article will take you through the interview process, open Google positions, and the company culture to help you land a job at Google after bootcamp.
Google: Company Background
The behemoth of technical innovation and information had humble yet inspiring roots. Google was started by Stanford University students Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998.
The company experienced unprecedented financial and widespread growth over its 20+ year lifespan. It has grown from being merely a search engine to being a multifaceted technological powerhouse, specializing in cloud technology, mobile apps, and email.
Google.com is officially the most visited website in the world. In the third quarter of 2020 alone, Google amassed $46.02 billion in revenue.
What’s It Like to Work at Google
Google fosters a positive, forward-thinking work environment for its employees—the company culture is easily one of the best notable of nearly any company.
In 2015, Google won Glassdoor’s Employees Choice Awards for the best place to work. That’s impressive, as Google employs nearly 60,000 employees. Let’s take a closer look into what it’s like to work at Google.
Tons of Perks
You can expect to receive employee benefits when working for a company. These benefits may include free coffee and donuts in the break room, and perhaps your very own parking spot near the front door. However, at Google, they take perks and benefits to a new level.
At the Googleplex at Mountain View, employees free gourmet food, around the clock tech support, free rides to and from work, and revolutionary maternity and paternity leave initiatives.
Google is exceptionally baby-friendly. The company provides stipends called “baby bonding bucks” to help employees pay for necessities. Google even offers seminars and meetings that give helpful tips for parents-to-be.
In his 2015 book, Work Rules! (Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead), the former head of HR at Google, Laszlo Bock, divulged that many of these unique and fantastic perks didn’t even cost the company that much in the grand scheme of things.
Regardless of the overall cost, the higher-ups at Google want its employees to thrive by any means necessary by money to make workers comfortable.
A Diverse Team of Individuals
Google prides itself on hiring a diverse set of people to operate its many departments. Google recognizes that the world is made up of thousands of different ethnic and cultural groups and aims to bring them all together to make fantastic products.
They even publish a diversity report to inform readers, employees, and the public at large about their equality initiatives and what the company hopes to accomplish. Google strives for equality of all types, even though many of the job positions are now remote due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
A Chance to Thrive Anywhere
Working for Google is a dream for many, but what happens when you want to move on to different endeavors? Building your network pre and post-Google employment is crucial to your success.
Having a coveted career at the Googleplex at Mountain View pretty much guarantees you employment in any sector of the software development world. Google opens doors and effectively gives employees a blank check to work anywhere with the company’s credentials.
Getting a Job at Google
Now that you know a little about what Google has to offer in terms of perks and opportunities for its employees let’s see what applying to the company entails, how difficult it is, and what you can do to better prepare for a big interview.
How Hard Is It to Land a Job at Google?
Landing a job position at Google is challenging because of the company’s rigorous quality of standards. They want the best software engineers, web developers, and UX design experts working at the company.
Google regularly receives many job applications. By now, you can imagine why that is. Great pay and fantastic benefits make Google one of the best companies to work for.
Many of the millions of job applicants are the best in their respective fields. Whether it’s information technology or UX design, these experts are incredibly talented individuals.
Is it impossible to land a job at Google? Not at all. We encourage you to apply despite these difficulties. However, it will likely never compare to any other job you apply for. Let’s see why that is.
Applying for a Job at Google
Now that you know more about the company, the culture, and what to expect, let’s look at the actual application and hiring process. Find out the nuances and intricacies of the application and interview experience so you have a valuable look into what to expect.
Google Application and Interview Process
You will stumble across Google’s “How We Hire” page if you search for Google career applications. This useful web page outlines various tools for applying. On this page, the executives and hiring managers at Google want applicants to go in-depth with their resume tweaking.
Google hiring managers want to see meaningful changes that reflect the applicants’ skill level and what they would bring to the position. Merely updating work experience and broad skills is not enough.
Google encourages applicants to avoid sending resumes in haste, as it could jeopardize the hiring chances. You apply online, and an HR manager will get in touch with you if they feel you are a good fit for the company.
The interview experience at Google is multifaceted. Applicants will need to take online assessments, followed by some minor project work to exhibit software skills.
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After that, applicants will have virtual chats and up to four different interviews with hiring managers in one day. Yes, this means many “what are your strengths and weaknesses” types of interview questions.
These interviews are standard in structure. Think about what your soft skills and hard skills are, and weave them into more comprehensive facts about yourself. Prospects need to partake in on-site interviews and actually meet the team making sure your favorite search engine runs reliably.
Google hiring managers will ask open-ended questions to determine how you best react to and solve problems. If you have gotten this far in the process, this should be no big deal for you to tackle.
Google Career Opportunities: Job Titles and Descriptions
Google careers may have seemed like an abstract concept—up until now. Let’s break down those walls and show you some of the most outstanding software engineering and project management jobs. Let’s see what Google employees, also known as “Googlers” can expect.
Staff Software Engineer
- Salary: $141K to $237K
- Benefits: Health and Life Insurance, 401K Plan
- Level: Entry, Mid-Level
- Experience: Years of coding experience with Java, C#, JavaScript, and Python
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in computer science
The software engineer role at Google is one of the most common. Software engineers in any company develop, test, and implement countless updates and programs. Google promotes creativity and innovation to attract prospective employees for this lucrative position.
Software engineers at Google implement changes and undertake large projects to improve software. Staff software engineers also act as unofficially mentors to other employees, forming a cohesive and tight bond to allow talented and diverse teams to quickly reach goals.
Product Manager, Google Cloud
- Salary: $69K–$120K
- Benefits: Health and Life Insurance, 401K Plan
- Level: Senior-level
- Experience: Preferred managerial experience in various fields like UX design, IT, and project management
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in a tech-related area
If you have ever used Google Docs or Google Sheets, you are already familiar with Google Cloud. Cloud software is quickly becoming the normal state of information technology, software, web development, and UX design.
Your role as the product manager for Google Cloud means you are at the forefront of revolutionary technology. It also means that you have a lot of crucial responsibilities, including launching and testing new products, working collaboratively with nearly every other department, and knowing the economic landscape regarding technology.
Google Cloud managers are effective project managers that lead cross-functional teams in completing nuanced and essential goals.
Research Scientist, Google AI
- Salary: $118K to $215K
- Benefits: Health and Life Insurance, 401K Plan
- Level: Senior
- Education: PhD
Artificial intelligence (AI) will be one of the most critical aspects of the technological landscape for decades to come. Machine learning and deep learning make up a promising and creative future in tech.
That’s why joining Google as a research scientist dealing specifically in AI is the way to go. Research scientists at Google specialize in technological advancements in AI technology. This means that applicants need to have impressive credentials. This isn’t an entry-level position, and it requires a PhD at minimum to receive consideration.
It’s crucial to learn artificial intelligence, have years of experience, and have a degree in computer science to succeed as a research scientist.
Engineering Manager
- Salary: $132K to $215K
- Benefits: Health and Life Insurance, 401K Plan
- Level: Senior
- Experience: Three years of hands-on technical leadership
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in computer science
Engineering managers are Google’s tech experts. Engineering teams at Google take a peek beneath the hood and ensure all of the proverbial nuts and bolts are in place.
This is much more than a position monitoring search engine results. Google, first and foremost, considers itself as an engineering company. That’s why the engineering manager is crucial to the success of all of Google’s endeavors. Applicants need strong technical and communication skills and experience in leading cross-functional teams of people.
Engineers participate in system-wide monitoring, language processing, machine learning, and have crucial tech-based responsibilities.
What Does It Take to Get a Job at Google?
Landing a job at Google isn’t the most straightforward undertaking, but you now know that it’s entirely possible. Google has something for anyone who is technologically-minded and forward-thinking, whether you are a UX designer or a heavy technician.
Remember: don’t just hastily submit a resume to the company. Follow their site map that serves as a hiring philosophy. Don’t jump the gun and give them low-quality work. Google wants an impressive resume that brims with quality, not quantity.
If you remember to show your work, have an open mind, and a little intellectual humility, you can easily land a job at Google and go far. And please, remember to include your cover letter.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
