Wednesday, March 23, 2011

How I didn't get even a job interview in Google

This is going to be a very different post and it is not going to be technical.
I wish to register a complaint:

But first some history: Once upon a time I have sent my resume to Google. I did it via the Google web site, got an automatic reply and was never contacted. You may say that sending the resume via the company web site is not effective way to find a job, and you are right. But actually I was not really looking for a job, I saw a Google advertisement on the web, and decided to apply.

About a month ago, I got the following mail:
Subject: Hello from Google/Google Opportunities

Hi Michael,

My name is ****** ***** and I am an Engineering Recruiter for Google. Your name was passed to me confidentially by an engineer at our Mountain View headquarters.

I see that you have applied, via our website, to opportunities in our offices in Israel, but nothing materialized. If you are interested in positions in those offices I can pass your information to someone who supports that office and can make sure that you are given serious consideration for those positions. Otherwise, I support our HQ and other offices in the US and if you are interested in a major relocation I can assist. If you are interested in opportunities with us please send me an updated copy of your resume along with your reply.

Best regards,

******

To tell the truth my first idea was to say "Yes! I want to come to an interview to Mountain View. Please, make sure that I fly business/first and live in a nice hotel."
But I'm probably too shy to ask for traveling, while I'm not actually interested in a relocation. While position in Tel-Aviv could be interesting, so I replied:

Hi ******,

Thank you for your mail.
I'm really curious to know, who is the person who passed you my name.
I'm asking, since I don't think that I know anyone, who works at Mountain View...

Anyway, I'm interested in the positions at Google offices in Israel. However, if it does not succeed, I won't be available for the relocation, since *********************************.

My updated resume is attached.
Thank you,

Michael.

And very quickly I received the following two mails:

Mail 1:
Michael,

Thanks for your response and for sending me your resume. We currently have Software Engineering openings in Haifa and Tel Aviv. I can get your resume and information over to a colleague of mine that supports those locations. I will forward your information over today.

The person that referred you definitely works in Mountain View, but I can't disclose their name.

Let me know if you have any questions and hopefully something with us in Israel will work out for you.

Best,

******

Mail 2:
Hi Tal,

My name is ****** and I work for the Google recruitment team.

I got your info from *********** from the USA Google Staffing.


I would like to ask if you would be interested in having an open conversation about current job opportunities to see if we have anything available that may interest you?

If you would like to discuss this further then please send me a convenient time/date and your telephone number.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best Regards,

--
***************

My name is not Tal, but who cares :) So I replied with a phone number and few days later I got a phone call from the Google recruiter in Tel-Aviv. She asked me few questions about what I'm doing and what I'm interested to do and then said the following (this is not the exact quote, but this is how I remember it): "We don't invite to an interview the candidates who have such a low degree and such a low GPA, and I'm calling you only since a colleague from the USA team has recommended you. If you are interested I will send you an online programming exam and if you successfully complete it, I'll invite you to an interview."

Few points here: I own a BA degree in a Computer Science with GPA 85. I graduated in 2004 and have 7 years of an experience. I can hardly understand the recruiter who is interested in GPA of a person, who has graduated 7 years ago.
Anyway, she didn't reply and didn't send me any exam. I believe she forgot about me the second the phone was disconnected. May be even a second before.

So I do understand that she called me only because she got my resume from her colleague. The thing I don't understand: Is there such a difference between the requirements for Google in US and in Israel? I mean, I don't believe that the US recruited wrote me mail knowing that my degree is not high enough.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure that even if I was getting to an interview, my chances to pass it probably are not high, so I didn't have any real expectations. It's just a nasty feeling that I have after this a very short recruitment process that wasn't even initiated by me.

1 comment:

Alexander Lipatov said...

It was very interesting to read! Thank you!