A Recruiter's Top 3 Tips for Getting Hired as a Google Engineer

By Shaunacy Ferro |
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Google’s engineers get paid a base salary of nearly $127,000, according to Glassdoor, and that doesn’t even take into account the internet giant’s famously amazing perks, like gourmet food and free massages. It’s no surprise that competition for those jobs is fierce. 

In an article for Fast Company, Keawe Block, a Google recruiter, dishes out some inside secrets on how applicants can stand out from the pack and show off their true potential. Here are three of his easy tips for acing that interview: 

1. LEAVE YOUR GPA OUT OF IT. 

Google no longer uses GPAs to determine whether candidates are viable hires, Block says, so use that space on your resume for information that reveals something broader about you. Talk about all those projects you’ve worked on in your spare time or go into more detail about your programming-related experience—“Give us details about your experience at hackathons, coding competitions, or programming assignments at work,” he says. “Just because it isn't an academic credential doesn't make it any less relevant.”

2. PRACTICE THOSE CODING EXERCISES IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE. 

Google’s engineering interviewers are known for throwing coding exercises at potential hires. It goes without saying that you should practice these types of exercises at home, but Block suggests going one step further: Practice in front of another person. “Candidates should be able to answer three coding questions from scratch (without the help of a library function) within 45 minutes,” he explains. Practice with another person, he suggests, “whether they’re technical or not. And try going analog—use a whiteboard or a blank piece of paper.”

3.THINK OUT LOUD. 

There’s no need to grit your teeth in concentration as you complete the problems handed to you by an interviewer. “Consider thinking out loud while you complete the coding exercise,” Block says. It might even help you relax a little. “Not only can that help you own the task at hand and stay calm under pressure, but this level of transparency helps your interviewer understand how you think.”

Read Block’s full advice over on Fast Company, and feel free to send us a few of those endless snacks once you get the job, OK?

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