How To Get A Job At Google

Google is one of the most coveted workplaces on the planet. They promote a flexible and innovative working environment that draws in many applicants when a job opens up.

The company is known for having a rigorous hiring process that leads to bringing in the top professional candidates for every position on the team. Their strenuous onboarding procedures are all worth it, though, if you managed to get hired for a position at Google.

The Benefits of Working at Google

While the process of getting hired at Google is often daunting, there are good reasons why thousands of people attempt it every year. It’s because Google is an incredible place to work. Below are five of the top benefits of being a Google employee.

1. Top-tier professional team. The intense hiring process that Google puts applicants under enables the organization to filter through their options and end up with a top-tier professional team.

   This is a huge benefit of working for Google because your co-workers and supervisors are some of the brightest minds in the technology industry. Working at Google allows employees to expand their network and gather more professional opportunities in the future through these connections.

2. Unique employee perks. Another tempting benefit of working for Google has distinct and attractive employee perks. While many companies offer to include a comprehensive benefits package with insurance and retirement plans, Google goes beyond this standard.

   Examples of unique Google employee perks include:

   • Travel insurance

   • Fertility and adoption assistance

   • 18-week maternity leave/12-week paternity leave

   • In-office massages

   • In-office nap pods

   • Tuition reimbursement

   • Free breakfast, lunch, and dinner

   • In-office gym

   • Insurance (Life, Health, Disability, etc.)

   • Transportation allowance

   The culmination of these perks draws in an average of three million job applicants every year who jump at the opportunity to work for Google possibly.

3. Flexible work-life balance. While a person’s career is a huge part of their life, nobody wants it to be their whole existence. Happy employees are the ones who have enough time to spend unwind from a busy workday.

   The numerous perks and in-office benefits for Google employees contribute to having a positive work-life balance because it allows them the chance to take a break when they need it, even when they’re at work.

   Additionally, Google offers benefits to help employees be with their family during major life changes, as their lengthy maternity and paternity leave.

4. Competitive compensation. Google is on the shortlist for being one of the best-paying companies in the world. The average employee at Google makes $122,345 per year. Top-earning Google employers can make triple the average salary.

   While many aspects go into an employee’s perception of their job, it’s no secret that their salary is a major factor. The fact that Google pays its employees well comes as a substantial benefit.

5. Desirable company culture. Most adults spend at least a quarter of their life working. You want the environment you spend all of this time to be comfortable and encourage your best work. The company culture and working environment that Google provides is a huge benefit of working with the company.

   Google has been presented with several awards for its outstanding company culture over the years. Some of these recognitions include:

   • Best Places to Work in Austin, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and New York (2021)

   • Best Global Culture (2021)

   • Best Company for Diversity (2020)

   • Best Company for Women (2020)

   • Best Company Culture (2020)

   These award titles have been bestowed on Google consistently over the years. The company wants a workplace that fosters creativity and is fun for employees. They accomplish this task by setting up Google offices that meet employee’s relaxation and comfort needs.

   You won’t find any ominous lightning or claustrophobic cubicles in a Google office space. They’ve been known to have brightly colored rooms with lots of windows for sunlight and various cozy hideaways that serve as workspaces. Some Google offices even have a slide to replace stairs.

   The Google offices are created with the goal in mind of making their team happier at work.

5 Job Titles Available at Google

1. Senior Product Marketing Manager

   Average Salary: $147,311
   Job Growth Rate: +8%

   A senior product marketing manager serves a crucial role in Google operations, and they are paid accordingly to reflect the importance of their position.

   Their goal is to improve Google’s market position concerning their competition and find new opportunities for branding strategies. They work in conjunction with a variety of teams at Google to devise the best marketing moves.

   Senior product marketing managers are in charge of launching Google product lines and sourcing untapped customer potential. To accomplish these big tasks, product marketing managers must be experts in customer behavior and demonstrate innovative thinking.

2. Product Manager

   Average Salary: $118,441
   Job Growth Rate: +8%

   While product managers are also handling aspects of a good’s life, their job is more involved in creating the product than marketing it. Their exact responsibilities can differ greatly between companies and projects, but generally, they’re the backbone of the product’s lifecycle.

   From growing the initial concept to establishing designs and a long-term vision, a product manager is a key part of the entire process.

   Since the role of a product manager is so changeable, it requires a lot of adaptability and leadership skills. While the position is summed up quite bluntly here, many intricate details go into being a successful product manager for Google.

3. Research Scientist

   Average Salary: $106,814
   Job Growth Rate: +8%

   Since Google is engrained in the technology industry through internet products and services, they need an experienced team of research scientists to launch them towards future innovations.

   Google research scientists work in collaboration with software engineers to create experiments and design updated learning algorithms. Their findings help develop new products or improve on existing ones.

   Research scientists for Google spend their professional life amid cutting-edge discoveries. This makes it a very exciting position, but one that also comes with a lot of pressure.

4. Quantitative Analyst

   Average Salary: $95,493
   Job Growth Rate: +6%

   Google has an estimated net worth of $420 billion as of 2021. As such, the company seeks out the brightest quantitative analysts to help them make educated business decisions to protect the integrity of this fortune.

   A quantitative analyst uses mathematics and statistics algorithms to form an accurate projection of the market. With their findings, they assist businesses in making financial decisions while responsibly managing risk.

   Risk management and identifying investment opportunities are crucial for a massive company like Google.

5. Software Engineer

   Average Salary: $86,157
   Job Growth Rate: +21%

   Google employs thousands of software engineers worldwide to assist in developing the new era technologies that will impact the way users interact with information and the internet. The role of a software engineer within Google requires a lot of creative thinking and brainstorming about future possibilities.

   Some of the areas that Google software engineers work on include:

   • Information retrieval

   • Large-scale system design

   • Distributed computing

   • Network and data storage

   • Artificial intelligence

   Google seeks to hire software engineers that will continue the cycle of innovation.

Tips for Applying at Google

The idea of applying to a massive company like Google is intimidating. Use these nerves to fuel your determination and review the following tips for making a good impression when applying at Google.

1. Focus on your professional experience. Most of the job openings at Google have a decent amount of educational requirements. However, having a stack of degrees isn’t the only quality determining an applicant’s fate with Google. The company is also very interested in relevant professional experience.

   When you submit your resume and application for consideration, be sure to highlight your hands-on experience in the field adequately. Depending on the position, you can also include the details of your portfolio.

2. Reach out to a Google recruiter. Google prefers to build a team of people who take the initiative. By reaching out to a Google recruiter directly through a professional networking website, like LinkedIn, you’re demonstrating this quality from the beginning.

   While they might not have the right opportunity for you immediately, the recruiter might keep you in mind for job openings in the future.

3. Demonstrate strengths in multiple fields. While Google employees each have their designated specialties, they’re expected to have other skills and interests as well.

   A product marketing manager could also have some experience with basic coding and website development. A software engineer might be interested in technical writing and brand development.

   Google aims to hire well-rounded individuals who are multi-talented because they can contribute to the company in several different and useful ways.

The Hiring Process at Google

Once you’ve decided to throw caution to the wind and apply for a job with Google, there’s a series of proper steps you should expect to take during the hiring process. These include the following.

1. Do some self-reflection. When beginning the journey towards potentially finding a job, Google asks its applicants to take a moment of self-reflection before applying to anything. The company wants job candidates to think about the type of work they’re passionate about and the kind of environment that they thrive in.

   Considering these aspects beforehand helps you find the right job opportunity and submit comprehensive materials when you apply.

2. Find the perfect job opportunity at Google. The next step in the Google hiring process is discovering the open job of your dreams.

   Take plenty of time to browse through the job description and requirements for a position that you’re interested in. Make sure that you possess all the qualifications before submitting any application materials.

   Remember that finding an available position that matches your exact background and skills is a process that doesn’t always happen overnight. Be prepared to wait for the right opportunity.

3. Write out a new resume and an optional cover letter. Going through your resume and cover letter with slight updates for a new job application is all you need to do with most jobs, but applying with Google requires a little extra effort.

   Google requests that their applicants use their old materials as a guide but create an entirely new resume from scratch based on the job description of the position that they’re applying for. Cover letters are optional when applying for a job with Google. If you choose to include a cover letter, this should also be completely rewritten.

   The goal is for applicants to create their refreshed resumes with Google’s guidelines in mind. It’s the first test that you’ll be put under during the hiring process.

4. Submit a job application online. After revitalizing your resume, you’ll apply online. The online application will provide the hiring manager with information about who you are and your basic career history. Google welcomes applicants to apply for up to three jobs per month through their careers search tool.

5. The interview process. If a hiring manager thinks that your application indicates potential, they’ll invite you to begin the interview process.

   The Google interview process includes:

   • A series of online skills assessments

   • 1-2 short phone or video interviews

   • A mock project completion

   • A detailed in-person final interview

   The Google interview process is longer than most companies because it’s the final few evaluations that stand between the candidate and a job offer decision. It can take over six months for the entire process to be completed, but you could have a job offer from Google at the end of it.

6. Job offer decision. The final stage of the Google hiring process is a job offer decision. This involves reviewing the culmination of your application materials and performance throughout the interviews.

   If you aren’t offered a job, you’re encouraged to apply for another role in the future. If you are offered the job and accept it, you’ll begin the new and less stressful onboarding journey with Google.

5 Common Google Interview Questions

The interview portion of Google’s hiring process is the final determining factor in whether you are offered a job. You should be prepared for an intense few months when beginning the interview process with Google.

While the questions that you’ll be asked differ greatly depending on the role you’re interviewing for, there are a few general questions that Google tends to ask all their applicants.

1. What is your favorite Google product, and how would you improve it?

   The interviewer asks this question to gather how familiar you are with Google’s products. However, they’re also interested in understanding your insights for improvements. This demonstrates your creative thinking and shows how much you’ve thought about Google’s future before coming to the interview.

   Example Answer:

   My all-time favorite Google product is Gmail. While Google has many useful products and services, it’s always been Gmail that keeps me connected professionally and personally. If I had to improve it, I would alter the system to display the contents of multiple email accounts at once. I think this would make multi-tasking between accounts a lot easier.

2. Tell me something about yourself that wasn’t included in your resume.

   Google is the type of company that wants to know candidates on a deeper level than their resume. A hiring manager will ask a question like this to figure out who an interviewee is beyond a bulleted list of their experience and accomplishments.

   Example Answer:

   Something about myself that’s not included in my resume is that I spend a lot of my free time with my dog, Olly. Two things in this world bring me untethered joy. It’s reaching my professional goals and Olly.

3. What would you do if you were asked to perform a task that you’ve never done before?

   This is another question that seeks to uncover whether a candidate has what it takes to accomplish the role’s responsibilities.

   When you’re working for a flexible company, such as Google, it could mean that you’re asked to take on responsibilities that are new to you. Your response demonstrates your problem-solving skills and approach to learning.

   Example Answer:

   In my last job as a marketing consultant, I was asked to supervise a brand development team for a small project. This was something that I’d never done before, but I was excited to take on the challenge. I told my manager that the responsibility would be new to me and asked for a little extra guidance along the way. She was happy to help and set up a meeting with other supervisory staff to answer some questions. The project went great, and I continued taking on leadership opportunities.

4. How would you explain cloud computing to a six-year-old?

   One of the signs that someone has a firm grasp on difficult information is translating it simply to others. That’s why Google hiring managers ask candidates how they would describe the vital concept of cloud computing to a six-year-old.

   The goal is to provide an accurate picture of cloud computing without being too confusing. Answering this question also demonstrates your communication skills.

   Example Answer:

   Cloud computing is kind of like electricity. People are sent electricity and only pay for the amount of energy that they use in a month. Cloud computing works in the same way, but it’s for storage on computers.

5. How are you going to impact our team after you join?

   At its core, Google is a company that’s rooted in constant positive evolution. They need people on their team who are going to promote their values of improvement and innovation. To figure out if a candidate has this type of potential, a hiring manager asks the direct question of how they would impact the team.

   Example Answer:

   As a research scientist, I would bring the skills and experience necessary to accomplish the job’s responsibilities. In addition to this, I also think I’d positively impact the team with my solution-oriented attitude and creative thinking. I believe that my unique perspective would be an asset to Google’s research team.

Author

Sky Ariella

Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.