How to Prepare for a Google Job Interview
Preparing for a job interview can be a daunting task, but with the right strategies in place, you can feel confident and ready to impress potential employers.
One important step in the preparation process is to get familiar with the company and identify keywords that are relevant to the job position for which you are applying. By doing so, you can tailor your interview answers and highlight your best qualities and experiences in a way that aligns with what the company is looking for in a candidate.
So, where do you begin? Here are five steps to help you get started:
Step 1: Know the company’s mission.
Google’s Mission: Our mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
Step 2: Make a list of keywords.
As you read their content (website, blog, career/job pages), make a list of keywords and phrases. For Google, I recommend starting with their Career Page.
They are very transparent about their hiring process and provide a great outline of what steps you need to follow, from self-reflection to how to structure your resume.
Help them see your value by being clear and concise about how your experience and values are a good fit for the position and the company.
As Google says on their Career Page,
“Draw a direct line between your passion and our position, let us see who you are a bit.”
Here are some words and phrases that I think are the most relevant based on Google’s content on their Career Page:
organization
accessible and useful
culture
equitable and inclusive
diversity of perspectives
passion
fulfilling career
distinctiveness
variety of backgrounds
rewarding
Highlight the keywords that you feel you can genuinely and naturally incorporate into your interview responses, and keep that list near you when you’re preparing your answers.
Step 3: Immerse yourself in the Google world.
Here are more resources you can use to become more familiar with Google’s values and hiring process:
Step 4: Edit and submit your resume.
Make sure your resume clearly reflects the qualities and skills required for the job and includes data. Here’s a tip directly from Google:
The “equation” we suggest goes a little something like this. Accomplished X as measured by Y doing Z.
Here’s an example: “Increased tail wags of Dooglers by 75% over two days by placing dog treats outside of conference rooms.”
Also, be specific and concise. Although Google does not have a length restriction, resumes are usually and ideally one page.
Bonus Tip: While you’re working on your resume, you should also update and optimize your LinkedIn profile.
Step 5: Prepare and practice for your interview.
Make a list of common questions and prepare your answers in a Google or Word Doc so that you can easily refer to them during your interview.
Here are some great resources for interview questions:
And finally, when you’re ready for a mock interview and/or you want some actionable feedback on your resume and LinkedIn page, you can book a coaching session with me here so that you feel confident and well-prepared before your job interview.
Good luck!
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