How to work for Google

Did you know that landing one of the most desirable tech jobs at Google is twenty-six times more difficult than getting admitted into the prestigious Harvard University? In fact, Google’s acceptance rate is 0.2% compared with 5.2% for Harvard.

Working for Google might sound like an unbelievable dream, but just because the odds are high doesn’t imply they can’t be ever in your favor! While hard, several thousands do get hired every year, so it is not impossible. Yes, even you can get hired by Google.

At MentorCruise, a mentorship platform, many career mentors agree that a stellar resume and proper preparation with expert coaching experiences can help you land any dream job - working for Google, included.

If working for Google is your dream, then this article is exclusively a treat for you. We’ll share some top tips and secrets on how you can land a job at Google. You’ll learn

• How difficult it is to work for Google.
• How to get a job at Google.
• Google interview questions.
• Google interview process.

Working for Google

Google is frequently perceived to be, and cited as, one of the best places to work in the entire world.

Presumably, this stellar reputation is, at least in part, the reason you are here reading this article looking for advice on steps you can take to potentially work with them.

But Google’s no spring chicken any more. As with any organization that experiences tremendous growth, Google has undergone significant change over the years. Which leads us to the inevitable question, is it still an awesome place to work?

One way to ascertain how good a place Google is to work is by looking at reviews posted on employment websites like Indeed. Indeed’s Google Employee Reviews has an abundance of up to date reviews that give you a valuable insight into the current working culture at Google.

What’s it like working for Google? Anecdotally, the consensus seems to be that Google is still a fantastic place to be an employee. They pay well, have a wide range of perks and benefits, and some of their internal tools are lightyears ahead of anything that can be found on the open marketplace.

How hard is it to work for Google?

As mentioned earlier, it is very challenging to get a job at Google because of their quality standards and the high number of applications they get each year. Here’s precisely how hard it is to work for Google.

1. Google seeks to hire brilliant, motivated, proficient people. There is no sugar-coating with Google. It doesn’t matter what you’re applying for; whether you’re applying as a software engineer or to work in other sectors within the company, Google only hires the very best.
2. They’ll look into the companies you’ve worked for in the past and might not ask you for an interview if you’re coming from no-name companies that aren’t tackling significant challenges like Google is. If you want to get into Google as an intern, your past initiatives must show creativity and ambition.
3. Google will also look into your educational background, especially if you’re looking forward to working as a Programmer or Software Engineer. Even though many dev boot camps and quick ways to learn programming exist, Google will still favor a traditional four-year Computer Science degree – or more – for most of their engineering jobs.
4. Google can be quite selective because of the large number of applications they get.
5. Because Google gets over two million applications each year, they can be quite picky across all teams and for all kinds of roles – from customer support to engineering positions.
6. No matter the role you apply for at Google, you’ll be going up against thousands of people from other prominent technology companies - Microsoft, Tesla, Facebook, and so on.
7. You’ll be running against individuals with fascinating educational backgrounds, too. Google gets hundreds of applications from graduates of MIT, Harvard, and other top tech and computer science programs.

Reading through these difficulties, you may think: I_’m not a tech superstar, so there’s no need for me to find out what positions Google hires for_. But that isn’t a fair evaluation. Laszlo Bock, Google’s Senior Vice President of Chief Operating Officer, is passionate about searching for something called “role-related expertise.”

You’ll see everything from engineering to finance to real estate and workplace resources when you look at the company’s recruiting page. Diverse backgrounds and fields of experience would provide the best candidates for each of these positions. So don’t let your dreams down. Below are a few steps you can take to get a job at this prominent global company.

How many employees does google hire every year?

As one might expect, the number of employees hired by Google varies from year to year.

For the past four years, Google’s continued to [hire more people year-on-year](https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/GOOG/alphabet/number-of-employees#:~:text=Interactive%20chart%20of%20Alphabet%20(GOOG,a%2021.56%25%20increase%20from%202021.), but the rate of increase has been different every year.

• In 2019, Google had 118,899 new employees which represented a 20.38% increase in the number of new hires compared to 2018.
• In 2020, Google had 135,301 new employees which represented a 13.79% increase in the number of new hires compared to 2019.
• In 2021, Google had 156,500 new employees which represented a 15.67% increase in the number of new hires compared to 2020.
• In 2022, Google had 190,234 new employees which represented a 21.56% increase in the number of new hires compared to 2021.

Taking an average based on the recruitment figures of the last four years, Google currently hires approximately 150,233 new employees every year. The average increase in Google hiring for the past four years is 17.85%.

In 2023, however, that trend will change. On January 20th Google announced the immediate layoffs of 12,000 employees around the globe. Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai has also intimated that the layoffs in January will not be the last.

How to Get a Job at Google.

The first step to securing your dream job at Google is to figure out the ideal role you should apply for. On its Glassdoor profile, you can find Google’s open vacancies, together with job descriptions, salary estimates, and where they’re available. You can also apply through Glassdoor when you find the right job by clicking on the ‘Apply Now’ button on the job listing section.

On its website, Google advises candidates to “match their skills and interests with jobs they’re passionate about and the problems they intend to solve.” That said, you can apply for more than one job at a time if you believe your skills make you a better candidate for multiple jobs.

Nonetheless, we strongly urge you to narrow your choices down to a few positions that really fit your skills, expertise, and interests. Professional resume screening mentors can review your resume/CV-and transcript for interns and new graduates to assess the best match(es). But what exactly does a Google resume look like? Let’s find out.

Google’s Resume & Cover Letter Tips

For Google to hire you, you need to convince them that you merit such a role. A stellar resume and cover letter will begin this process for you.

Your resume and cover letter must express;

• How you have shown initiative,
• Innovations that you’ve brought to fruition,
• That you love to learn

Google prefers candidates that are energetic, inventive, and eager to learn. Just take heeds not to blow your own horn too much because Google also greatly appreciates mental humility or the ability to accept when you’re wrong and change your thoughts accordingly.

Now, what is the best way of transmitting all this information?

• Show_ _on your resume and cover letter what you have achieved.
• Quantify any outcomes and share details that go beyond basic job descriptions. \ For example, writing software documentation is one of your tasks in your current role. Think about the results of your efforts instead of mentioning it as a duty on your resume. Your documentation makes it easier for clients to use your company’s software, and this is what you should write about on these records.
• And because Google values data in its hiring process, use proof to support every claim you make. For instance, in the same example given above as a documentation writer, you shouldn’t just say that you enhanced the customer experience. Use any numbers available to demonstrate it instead. This could read something like: “In just one month, consumer complaints were decreased by more than 25% following the publication of the new documentation”.

Speak to a Recruiter for Google

Some Glassdoor users claim that their first interaction at Google was with a recruiter, and if that conversation went well, they progress to Google employee interviews.

Otherwise, you’ll have the privilege to meet with a Google recruiter at your university or college.

“To spread the word about our internships and opportunities for new graduates, we organize outreach activities at hundreds of universities all over the world,” Google communicates on its website. “Check with the careers center of your university to see if a Google representative will visit your campus. And while we can’t visit all schools, you can find and apply to our students’ site for any of our open positions.”

One way of impressing a Google recruiter is by asking them the right questions. Ask questions that show them that you want to understand the position better, what the company’s culture is like, and how they’ll define success in the role. Some questions may include:

• What do the role’s day-to-day duties look like?
• What are the values of the firm?
• To reflect certain values, what attributes do you look for in employees?
• What’s your favorite part of working for a business?
• In this place, what does performance look like, and how do you calculate it?
• Are there professional development opportunities? If that is so, what do they look like?
• With whom am I going to be working most closely?

As stated earlier, if your conversation with a Google recruiter goes well, you can advance to the Google interview phase. You may be wondering what kinds of questions will be asked at such an interview. For your interest, we put together the following;

Google Interview Questions

Many of those interviewed at Google experience a process involving an initial phone or video interview and an in-person, onsite interview.

Although questions may differ from position to position and interviewer to interviewer, recurring questions include:

1. To highlight the achievements of teams, you are organizing an all-hands conference. How would you go through this all-hands meeting planning?
2. Talk me through a project from beginning to end that you were in charge of.
3. When opening a Gmail or Google + account, what is your opinion on whether or not people should be allowed to use their official name?
4. Talk to me about the steps that should be taken when preparing a new Google Campus in California, USA, for the opening session.
5. How will you treat a submission that explicitly violated corporate policy from your boss?

Another essential thing is to note is that Google typically loves group interviews. Veronica Wright, CEO of Resumes Centre, says that Google enjoys community interviews. Google is a major supporter of group interviews. “Like them or not,” she says.” What makes Google’s strategy so unique is that candidates must get unanimous support to go forward.”

Whatever the case, the Google interview process is almost the same; beginning from a Phone screen interview through the onsite interview, team matching, and hiring committee.

How to Answer Google Interview Questions

If you feel uncomfortable reading some of the sample interview questions, learning the STAR framework might help put your mind at ease. Moreover, it will make you better prepared for the interview.

As they are with many companies, behavioral questions are a key part of the Google interview process. They want to test your competence. At MentorCruise, many mentees have mentioned to us that they have struggled with such questions before coming to us. It’s difficult to give a concise answer when you’re put on the spot.

In this situation, you need to validate your competencies by giving the interviewer a tangible example from your experience. That’s where STAR comes in.

STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Use this framework to respond to questions where they ask you to describe your response to a common problem or scenario in the workplace. In brief, you set up a situation where you were tasked to resolve a problem. Then, you describe the actions you took to attain the desired result.

The objective here is to make yourself the “STAR” in the eyes of the Google hiring committee. Although you should still achieve this without seeming like a braggart.

Let’s examine each pillar more closely, in sequential order.

Situation

Draw from your work experience and think of a challenge you overcame. Give a bit of context, but don’t go too deep. A few sentences of background will suffice.

Task

Once you’ve chosen the scenario, you must discuss your role. Both in terms of your position at the company as well as your task in that specific scenario. For instance, you could have been a marketing director – that’s your role at the company. However, your task in the situation you’re illustrating to the interviewer could have been to resolve a dispute between two of your colleagues.

The task should be relevant to the position you’re applying for. The Google hiring committee must be able to envision you overcoming similar obstacles in your desired role.

Action

Now that you’ve conjured the scenario, it’s your job to discuss the actions you took to resolve it. During this phase, you must narrate the story in the first person singular. Use “I” not “We”.

Unlike the first two steps, you can spend a bit more time discussing this. Mention the meaningful and concrete measures you took to resolve the situation.

Result

All good stories must come to an end. Naturally, this section should cast you in a positive light. How did your actions lead to a positive result for everyone involved? Although ideal, the result doesn’t need to be jaw-dropping, like increasing sales by 30%. If you’ve formulated a narrative confidently, you can also frame new knowledge as an indelible result.

Use the STAR Method in a Google Interview

Of course, you should prepare some sample answers that employ the STAR method well ahead of time. Google is a results-driven business, they want to determine exactly how your skills could be of assistance to them. No fluff.

Therefore, you need to read the job posting beforehand. It’s especially useful to look at the “responsibilities” section. Hopefully, some of your experience aligns with the duties of this position. If so, think of an appropriate situation.

Alternatively, you could think of a situation where you put Google’s values into action. This will show them that you align with their company culture.

Sample Google Interview Answers using the STAR Method

Let’s look at the STAR method in action. Remember, you’re not supposed to come up with these answers on the spot. By looking at the requirements and values of the job posting, you’ll be able to recall and rehearse some relevant scenarios ahead of time.

Note that you should also try to use recent examples. Otherwise, the interviewer might not feel as though the situation is relevant to your performance today.

Walk me through a project you were in charge of from beginning to end.

For this example, let’s assume that you’re interviewing to be a product manager at Google.

“As a product manager at Jobco, I was tasked with developing a business plan for their new line of widgets. I began by talking to a range of key stakeholders including the marketing and production departments. After gaining precious insight from these discussions, I showed discernment by implementing the advice that I deemed effective. As a result, I have helped Jobco exceed its sales targets for that line by 15% last quarter.”

This is a rather general example; you could add details and anecdotes from your own experience. Just make sure you don’t go on for too long. Keep your story focused.

How will you treat a submission that explicitly violated corporate policy from your boss?

This is a more specific question. Instead of answering it with a hypothetical, this is a great time to demonstrate how you handled conflict in the past.

“I recall a similar scenario a couple of years ago. When we updated the design of one of our best-selling product lines, one of the executives above me told me in no uncertain terms that we needed to change its blue color scheme. Meanwhile, my designers had already begun drafting their prototypes. It included multiple shades of blue. After relaying the executive’s wishes to them, the lead designer seemed rather puzzled. A few days later, he submitted a final draft that was barely different from the one I saw a few days before.

I kept my displeasure to myself. Calmly, I picked up my phone and invited the designer and the executive to lunch. During this time, the executive outlined her reasoning behind changing the color scheme. The designer explained his confusion over the decision in turn. I retained a cordial disposition, ensuring both parties felt heard as I mediated the discussion.

A couple of days later, I received a new design. There was no blue to be found. “

Google wants employees who are open-minded and willing to change their opinions. This comes at a cost. While tense discussions are sometimes necessary, cooler heads must prevail. Let the Google hiring committee know that in the event of a dispute, you’ll take leadership.

Imagine that you were attempting to onboard a client to a cloud solution, but suddenly, they became undecided. What measures would you implement to alleviate their fears?

Knowing how to deal with hesitant clients is the mark of an effective communicator. To avoid having clients and money slip through the cracks, companies need you to show resolve in times of uncertainty.

“Onboarding clients is often a challenge. People don’t like change. One day, in a moment of frustration, one of our new clients threatened to return to his old supplier. Having already talked to the sales team, I knew exactly what had swayed him over originally. I patiently listened to his rant and mirrored his concerns. Then, I gently reminded him of our product’s advantages and the rationale he gave for switching to us.

This seemed to satisfy him. To this day, he is still one of our most significant clients. I don’t think I would have kept him on board without maintaining a caring disposition. And even though I’m not officially a salesperson, I always make sure to understand the client’s reason for buying in the first place.”

As you can tell, a major part of resolving conflict is anticipating issues before they arise. If you can demonstrate that you’re proactive and take initiative, you’ll be well on your way to working at Google.

To give yourself as much of an edge over other candidates as possible, you could benefit immensely from an interview coach. As a result, the Google interview process will go much smoother for you.

The Google Interview Process

Phone Screen - 1 to 2 rounds.

Depending on the position, the primary phone screen is with a prospective manager or team member, lasting 30-60 minutes.

However, expect some extra obstacles for technical positions. Phone screens take longer for software engineers; you will need to answer a coding question in addition to the usual resume walkthrough when describing the process in a Google Doc. Also, they may ask for your GPA or SAT scores.

For non-technical positions, expect role-related interpersonal, hypothetical, and case-based questions. Be ready for some standard questions, such as…How can you make Google Maps better? Which you can find as a candidate for a product manager.

Interviews onsite - 4 to 9 rounds.

All “onsite” interviews are currently being conducted via Google Meets.

Four to five interviews at 45 minutes each are standard onsite interviews. Others could be 1:1 or even a panel.

At this point, don’t expect questions about your resume or prior experience. A “scientifically validated” approach called “structured interviewing” is used by Google, where recruiters prepare a list of questions for each session and a scoring rubric. In a bid to standardize the interview process, every candidate answers the same set of questions for each role.

Technical position candidates will be expected to address technical issues in real-time, such as coding a solution or whiteboarding a concept. Coding questions usually conducted on a whiteboard are executed for a “more realistic coding experience” on a Google Chromebook.

Interviewees are asked to use an app for interviews to use their favorite language for programming.

You’ve passed the hard part if you complete your on-site interviews! Some candidates pass to the hiring committee immediately, but some candidates go through the team’s matching process.

Team Matching Phase

You will meet prospective managers in this process and discuss the team you will join and the kind of work.

They’ll inform your recruiter if a team wants you, and that will be added to your portfolio, which will then be introduced to the hiring committee.

The Hiring committee

The last step of the interview process is the hiring committee. The committee consists of multiple Googlers, who review the success of an applicant during the entire interview process.

The testers read your package in a day or two leading up to the hiring committee meeting and decide whether or not to employ you.

The reviewers will then share their input at the meeting and extend an offer if all participants agree.

The executive review

You might assume that the final decision on your application will sit with the hiring committee. But you’d be wrong.

Once the regional hiring committee has agreed on a candidate’s application, it will then be sent to a Google executive committee for final approval.

The executive committee’s responsibility is to weigh all the different aspects of the candidate’s application in conjunction with the hiring committee’s recommendation.

For example, even though the hiring committee identifies an applicant as having the desired attributes and skill-set for the position, the executive may determine that the candidate’s requested compensation is not commensurate with the role they’re applying for. In this case, they might reject the application.

But this rarely happens. Marc Donner spent seven years chairing a hiring committee at Google and also worked on executive committees for some time. He states that in all of his time as an executive committee member, they only went against the hiring committee’s recommendations once or twice.

The executive committee also works on the basis of unanimity. So everyone has to agree on a specific candidate. If they can’t, they sometimes seek a resolution through an additional interview. However, this is an expensive and time-consuming process, and sometimes it is simply more efficient for them to move on to the next candidate.

How to get into Google as a software engineer

Google has all kinds of jobs from sales and marketing to HR and people and everything in between. But the most sought-after positions are undoubtedly in software engineering.

There are a lot of myths around what it takes to get hired as a software engineer at Google. We’re happy to help dispel some of those here.

First of all, you do not need to have a degree in software engineering, or indeed any other kind of degree, to get hired at Google. They want people who can code, not people with a piece of paper proving they attended college.

You need to have a strong foundation in different coding languages such as Java, Python, or C++ (if you know more than one, all the better).

If you know how to code, there are various methods for demonstrating your coding prowess on your resume; you can participate in open-source projects, seek out internships at other tech companies, take part in hackathons… anything that can show Google that you can do the work.

Once you can prove you have what it takes to do the work, the next key element is to prepare for the interviews by following the steps pointed out above.

Google software engineer acceptance rate

Calculating the acceptance rate for software engineers at Google is practically impossible because Googe does not disclose this information publicly.

Google has previously stated that its acceptance rate for internships is approximately 3.75%.

So, taking into account that 0.2% of applicants get hired by Google, the acceptance rates for full-time software engineers and software engineer internships are somewhere in that 0.2-3.75% range.

With all that notwithstanding, don’t allow the difficulty of getting hired by Google put you off. If you accept defeat before you’ve even played a hand, you were probably never of the caliber Google expects of its employees.

If working for Google really is your dream job, you have to fight for it. Tenacity and perseverance are highly regarded attributes at Google.

If you apply and are rejected, don’t accept that as the end. Follow up with the recruiters, identify your shortcomings or where you went wrong in the interview process, learn from these setbacks, and try again.

Get professional help with career mentors at MentorCruise.

As a tech mega-giant with tons of workers and a truly global presence, Google doesn’t have a lot in common with average employers.

With its high-quality standards and the millions of applications, it gets every year, landing a job at Google needs a remarkable effort. And the best way to initiate this effort is to hire a professional career mentor.

At MentorCruise, a career mentor with hiring experience will not only ensure that you submit a stellar resume but will also serve as a technical interviewer, asking you some of the standard Google interview questions you may hear in one of your future interviews.

Then you will receive real feedback on how to boost your interview appearance, skills, and other issues that might be relevant to a potential hiring decision.