Getting hired at Google: What the CEO looks for in applicants

• Google is looking for “superstar” engineers who are willing to learn and adapt, says CEO Sundar Pichai.
• Job seekers often face a tougher tech job market; Companies are demanding more entry-level positions.
• Pichai also said he sees Google’s free meals as a way to encourage creativity and community.

If you want to work at Google, you should be hungry – both figuratively and literally.

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google parent company Alphabet, said that people who want to work at the search giant in a field like engineering not only have to be excellent, but also have a willingness to learn, develop and adapt to new situations .

The company is looking for “superstar software engineers,” Pichai said in an interview on “The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations.”

It also seems that Googlers’ hunger should go beyond the metaphorical.

When asked about the free meal for the company’s employees, Pichai said the company’s longstanding practice of providing meals to employees has set a standard in Bay Area workplaces. He added that early in his time at Google, he could remember several times when he met someone at a company cafe, chatted, and then got excited about an idea.

“It stimulates creativity. It creates community,” Pichai said, adding that the resulting benefits “far dwarf the costs involved.”

At the end of June, Alphabet had more than 179,000 employees.

When it comes to increasing those numbers, Pichai said he’s proud that nearly 90% of people say “yes” when the company makes an offer to a potential employee.

Getting a job in tech

Of course, given that this is a prestigious company, it’s no surprise that most candidates would take the job. It’s also not surprising that many job seekers would be eager to sign, as some tech veterans have found it difficult to find a job in the industry following a hiring slowdown.

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Additionally, as Business Insider previously reported, it has become increasingly difficult for many young professionals to find jobs in fields such as technology as many employers have increased their expectations of entry-level professionals. Some companies want their employees to have years of experience, even in entry-level positions.

Jason Henninger, managing director at Heller Search, a recruiting firm focused on technology executives, previously told BI that for several years in a row, many technology employers have placed more emphasis on what they expect from those who are looking Entry level jobs are.

Tech veteran David Jolles previously told BI that he moved to the Atlanta area after about four decades in Silicon Valley. It’s been about a year and a half since he was laid off as a project manager at a fintech company. Jolles hoped the move would help him find work in a different industry.

“Wherever you go, it seems like you’re hiring,” he said, referring to his new home.

Find ways to stand out

According to former Google recruiter Nolan Church, candidates often have to find ways to stand out from the crowd to land a job at prestigious companies. He previously told BI that if people want to succeed in an interview, they should, unsurprisingly, make sure they are prepared. This includes spending time on an employer’s website and learning about the organization’s values ​​and mission.

“I think it’s great when candidates can come in and say, ‘I listened to your founder.’ [fill in the blank]“And then give specific examples of what they heard,” Church said.

Additionally, applicants should have stories ready about topics such as a successfully completed project or a career highlight, he said. Having such anecdotes on hand helps candidates “show their deep inner fire, their motivation and what drives them most,” Church said, adding that it makes an interview feel more conversational and engaging for both parties.

“I’ve never seen it backfire,” he said.

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