How to Get a Job at Google

Google Company Details & History

Google was founded in September 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University in California. Initially, Google began as a research project to create a more efficient and effective search engine. The company's famous mission is to "organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." Google quickly became one of the most prominent technology companies globally, known for its search engine, but it also expanded into various other areas such as online advertising, cloud computing, software development, and hardware.

Google Office Locations

‍Google has locations in most major cities worldwide. In fact, it's a popular hobby among employees to do "office tourism," and travel the world while scanning into the local Google office. Gives a new meaning to work hard, play hard! Here are some of the primary location examples:

• Mountain View, California: Googleplex. THE BIG ONE. This is Google's primary headquarters, where a significant portion of its research and development takes place.
• New York City, New York: Google has a substantial presence in New York City, particularly in the Chelsea neighborhood.
• Austin, Texas: I'm mostly calling this one out because I live here. Hook'em!
• Dublin, Ireland: Google's European headquarters is located in Dublin, serving as a significant base for the company's European operations.
• London, United Kingdom: Google has a few offices in London, which serve as a main for Europe.
• Zurich, Switzerland: Google has an engineering center in Zurich, which focuses on various technology innovation projects.
• Singapore: Google has an office in Singapore, serving as a hub for its operations in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Tokyo, Japan: Google has an office in Tokyo, contributing to its large-ish presence in Japan.

Google's Primary Competitors

While not many companies can stand up to the monolith that is Google, there are some notable opponents. These are also companies that many folks exiting Google leave for (to access things like salary increases or remote work, etc). Some of Google's primary competitors in various areas include:

• Apple: Google competes with Apple in areas such as mobile phones (Android vs. iOS), software (Android vs. iOS/macOS), and online services (Google vs. Apple services, like storage).
• Microsoft Corporation: Google and Microsoft compete in cloud computing (Google Cloud vs. Microsoft Azure), office productivity software (Google Workspace vs. Microsoft 365), and web browsers (Google Chrome vs. Microsoft Edge).
• Amazon Web Services (AWS): Google Cloud competes with AWS in the cloud computing market, offering similar services such as infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS).
• Facebook (now Meta): Google competes with Facebook (Meta) in the online advertising space and social media, as Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc., owns bot Google Ads and YouTube.
• Amazon: Google and Amazon compete in e-commerce, online advertising, and cloud computing.

Top Google Departments for Entry-Level Roles

• Product
• Marketing
• UX Design
• Engineering

Diversity at Google

Google is great at reporting both their goals and status when it comes to diversity metrics. We thought you should hear it straight from them: 

Our recruiting leads are working closely with internal groups like the Black Googler Network to improve hiring, progression, and retention for underrepresented groups at Google. We're launching new onboarding programs for all Black Googlers, and doubling down on our commitment to support Googlers of color through expanded mental health resources, and through internal mentorship programs like Stay and Thrive. We're driving allyship and holding leaders accountable by incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion into performance reviews for all vice president+ levels. We're also focusing on hiring more employees of color in key growth sites, and we're working with external partner organizations and Minority Serving Institutions in order to strengthen pathways to careers in tech for those historically excluded from the industry.

- Cinthia Lopez (she/her), Director of Talent Outreach at Google

Learn more about Google's diversity efforts here.

Is remote work allowed at Google?

Unfortunately, no. Google expects their full time employees to be in the office at least three times a week. Though it's fairly common to have teams spread across the United States and beyond. Google also offers four “work from anywhere” weeks per year.

Does Google have good benefits?

In a word, yes. We've ranked their benefits package a 9/10, only docking a point for lack of remote work. Some unique perks besides healthcare, 401k match on $3k, and PTO:

• Free lunch and snacks at the office
• Free mental health services
• $12,000/year in personal development / college reimbursement
• 6 weeks paternal leave, and 18 week maternal leave
• Fancy gyms in office
• UNIQUE BONUS: Interest time. Spend 20% of your workday on things that are interesting to you!
• UNIQUE BONUS #2: Free scooters. Get around your city for free.

Who is Google looking to hire?

Google values people of all backgrounds to create community in their workforce. They especially seek out those who demonstrate their company values. We feel this is necessary information: they call their new hires Nooglers.

Google Company Values

Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., has a set of core values that guide its company culture and operations. As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, Google's core values include:

• Focus on the User: Google's primary mission is to provide products and services that benefit and enrich the lives of its users. The company places a strong emphasis on user-centric design and innovation.
• Innovation: Google values innovation and encourages employees to think creatively, take risks, and develop groundbreaking solutions to complex problems. This value is reflected in Google's famous "moonshot" projects.
• Results Matter: Google emphasizes the importance of delivering meaningful results and measurable impact. Employees are encouraged to set ambitious goals and strive for excellence.
• Fast is Better than Slow: Google values speed and efficiency in its operations. It encourages employees to move quickly, make decisions promptly, and avoid unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Freedom with Responsibility: Google offers its employees a high degree of autonomy and responsibility. This value promotes a culture of accountability and trust within the organization.
• Don't Be Evil: While this motto has evolved over the years, the underlying principle is to act with integrity, uphold ethical standards, and do what is right for users and society.
• Great Just Isn't Good Enough: Google sets high standards for its products and services. The company constantly seeks ways to improve and strives for excellence in everything it does.
• Merging Work and Play: Google believes in creating a workplace that is enjoyable and conducive to creativity. It encourages employees to have fun while doing their work.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Google is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. The company values diversity of perspectives and backgrounds and seeks to create an environment where all employees feel valued and included.

Google Interview Process

The interview process for Google heavily depends on what position you're going out for. If you're looking to apply as an engineer, you will have a code screen in your second interview with the hiring manager.

Round 1 Interview at Google: Recruiter Screen

A recruiter screen is extremely normal for larger companies to vet you for the role you're applying for. They will ask some "screener questions," often written by the hiring manager, to try and weed out the applicants who are not qualified to save everyone time. Expect to talk about previous experiences that mimic the wording in the job description.

Round 2 Interview at Google: Phone Screen with Hiring Manager (+ Code Screen) Interview

This is arguably the most important step of the interview process! The hiring manager will want to dive deeper into the specifics from the recruiting screen. To kinda get a hint for what they'll ask, think about the kinds of questions the recruiter asked, and plan to answer in more detail.

If you're going out for a technical role like an engineer or data scientist, expect there to be a couple coding assessments tacked to this round. There will be a mix of technical and behavioral questions in this round.

Round 3 Interview at Google: 5, 45 Minute Conversations (Speed Dating?)

Google's onsite interviews are usually 4-5 rounds with a mix of different team members. During these rounds, two primary things are assessed:

• Role-Specific Fit: You'll be expected to demonstrate expertise, problem-solving skills, and technical proficiency directly related to the position you're interviewing for. Expect challenging questions and scenarios from other folks familiar with the role.
• Firm-Specific Fit - Process, Teamwork, and Culture:  These rounds explore your ability to collaborate, adapt, and thrive within Google's culture. You'll be evaluated on things like teamwork skills, problem-solving processes, and how well you align with Google's culture.
  

Round 4 Interview at Google: Hiring Committee and Team Matching

At this point the rounds split, where some candidates move directly to the hiring committee and some candidates go through the team-matching phase.

In the team-matching phase, you’ll meet potential managers to discuss team you might be joining. If a team wants you, they’ll tell the recruiter who will then be submitted to the hiring committee. The hiring managers then review the candidate’s information and make recommendation on whether or not to hire them.

Google Internship Program

Google fosters a great internship program to both undergraduate and graduate students. Their internship site but we'll recap it for you here:

Traditional Summer Internships

• Anyone in school can apply for a traditional internship at Google.
• Internships open in early September for summer of the following year. They close around January.
• The internships are onsite and based all over the world.
• Here's their list of current open internships.

Google Associate Product Manager Program

The Google Associate Product Manager program is one of the first and leading APMs. It's a two year program for new and recent grads, where you will work with cross-functional teams spanning engineering, design, and marketing to launch real products. Some potential products include Maps, Search and YouTube.

There are two sub-programs in Google's APM-- full time and interns. APM interns work 12 weeks over the summer, while full timers work in two one-year rotations and have the option to stay on after the program.

Learn More about the Google APM Here

We have a tried-and-true process to help our Bridged readers get hired. It's 5 primary steps, but the meatiest is finding ways to get specific experience. Read on for recommendations.

Identify Your Target Role

Do your research, through Bridged or another company, to identify roles that may align well with your interests and core competencies. You can start here with our review of Best Entry-Level Tech Jobs to explore some options.

Explore Ways to Get Experience

There are lots of ways to gain job experience without being on the job. Bridged gives several recommendations in our Job Guides for each job, but you can start by exploring programs like Coursera or Udemy to get valuable, resume-ready certifications from reputable sources.

Use Jobscan to Optimize Your Resume

We've written a whole article about this, but you'd be surprised how many resumes NEVER see the eyes of a human! That's because of a pesky-little thing called an Applicant Tracking System (or ATS for short) that scans and ranks resumes based on their matchability to the job descriptions. Unfortunately, a lot of these programs are outdated, and won't pick up the best candidates! Jobscan helps you get around this with comprehensive resume scanning and improvement recommendations. Get our full review writeup here.

Use Linkedin Premium to Find and Reach out to Google Recruiters

Roles these days, especially entry-level roles, are pretty competitive. There's no getting around it. However, showing you have the chutzpah to reach out shows wonders.

Premium subscriptions allow you to view more profiles and send more Inmails to locate and reach out to a recruiter that works on an area that hosts your target roles. Be funny, and emphasize the work you've done to match with their company. Mention Google's values, and how you'd relate. A little human connection works wonders.

And Finally: Be Patient

It's a weird world out there in the job market. Everyone is getting rejections. Don't let it get to you, and keep upskilling in the process. Someday you'll see you're exactly where you need to be, and on the right path. Good luck!

Google is a great target company for an entry-level tech role. Be persistent, and keep applying. You've got this.

Here at Bridged we are huge fans of stacking micro-certifications to achieve desired career results. We're building a product to make your career planning fun and affordable, and we'd love to talk to YOU! Was this article helpful? Did you land an interview at Google?

Let us know at hello@getbridged.co