Applying for an internship at Google

(Source: http://ecarmi.org)

Like most every Computer Science student looking for a summer internship, I applied to Google.

I submitted my application on their website on December 31st, 2010 and received a thank you email. About ten days later I was sent an automated email asking me to fill out a Google spreadsheet Beta candidate preference form.

I heard nothing for a month and a half. And then, on Friday, February 25th, at 5:06pm I got an email from member of the Engineering Staffing Team, Hadas:

Hi Evan,

Thanks for your interest in Google!

We’ve reviewed your resume and would like to learn more about you. We are interested in speaking to you about a possible summer Software Engineering Internship in one of our North American offices. To start the process we’d like to collect a bit of information from you:

I immediately filled out the forms and responded.

At 9:30pm that same evening I got another email back:

Hi Evan,

Thank you for filling out the forms. I have forwarded all of your information to Becky (cc’d), the recruiter, who will be reaching out to you.

Good luck :)

I emailed the recruiter, Becky, and the next day heard back from her. At this point I was increasingly impressed by their responsiveness. I had been talking to other companies and everyone had been very slow and unorganized responding to my emails.

How to Get an Internship at Google

Getting an internship at Google would certainly be a bright career stepping stone for any student. Not only would you perhaps build a doorway towards a long-term, full-time career with the search engine giant but you’d also have an impressive position on your resume that would help you land positions at many other companies.

You might imagine getting a Google internship is a competitive process with lots of steps. But once an understanding of its recruitment and hiring process is made, getting into Google as an employer would not be seem as an impossible undertakings.

Read the Directions Carefully

The hiring process for Google internships can be found the company’s official students/internship website, and the instructions are quite extensive. You’re being evaluated on your ability to follow instructions and think creatively from the moment you turn in your resume or CV. These guidelines are extremely specific on every count, and if you don’t follow them to the letter you’ll kill your chances before you begin.

For example, Google wants to you to report on every job you’ve ever held whether you think it relates to the Google position you’re applying for or not. For each position you are expected to offer a bulleted list of “concise, key accomplishments” as well as a description of “the impact your efforts had on your company.”

Here’s where the creativity comes in: trying to describe your “impact” at your summer McDonald’s job might be something of a challenge. You might have to think about how you stacked up to key metrics and find ways to phrase mediocre experiences in ways that read in impressive ways. Perhaps you didn’t just make burgers and fries. Perhaps you “routinely beat the clock to provide hot, quality food that exceeded customer delivery expectations, ensuring that our location became a preferred McDonalds store in our local area.” It may seem silly, but it’s all part of the game.