Work for Google for Belarusians - a dream or a reality?
In 2011, Google plans to increase its staff by 25%. It’s easy to get a job at Google, what mistakes do candidates make during an interview, and why can you see an interviewer with a dog in a company, Mojazarplata.by learned from Google’s employee Igor Makhanka.
This year, Google will receive 6,200 new employees. The company plans to break the record for hiring employees set in 2007. Then, 4,500 people were hired by Google.
At the same time, Google pursues not so much quantity as quality, and wants to see among its employees the most talented people who can think outside the box and work independently. Belarusian Igor Makhanyok became one of them. Since 2007, Igor has been working as a programmer in the Google office in Zurich. He is currently engaged in the improvement of the Android Market application for mobile phones. Mojazarplata.by asked Igor to remember how his work at Google began.
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Igor Makhanyok, 26 years old, a graduate of the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Informatics of the Belarusian State University, twice the winner of the Russian Yandex Search Cup on the Internet, the holder of the title “The Man Who Found Everything”. He took an active part in the inclusion of the Belarusian language in the Google Translator service, was engaged in checking translations into Belarusian for the Google Cartographer service.
Jobs at Google: where to start?
- Submit a resume and get into the number of candidates for work in Google is simple. To do this, first of all you need to go to google.com/jobs and see what employees are required by the company. Each person can respond to a job open in any office.
The system of recommendations works well in the company: any Google employee can suggest the candidacy of his friend. So it was in my case — an acquaintance recommended me, ”Igor recalls.
Then there was a telephone interview, and then an interview at the company's office in Zurich.
The whole process - from submitting a resume to employment took almost half a year.
- The most difficult was the interview in the company. It was necessary to show both the professional level and answer the unexpected questions of the interviewers.
In order to get a job at Google, you need to demonstrate that you can achieve goals yourself, without constant control by the manager.
For candidates who go to Google for an interview, Igor Makhanek advises to refresh basic knowledge in his professional field, and be kind and polite directly at the interview itself.
How to avoid common mistakes in a Google interview
Sometimes candidates make mistakes that deprive a chance to get into the Google team. To increase his chances of getting a job in the company, Igor Makhaniok advises:
• Remember that the most expensive thing in the hiring process is not paying the travel expenses of candidates, as many people think, but the time of Google employees themselves. Three to five interviewers talk to each candidate.
• If you are sick or for another reason cannot fully participate in the interview, ask to be moved to another day. Even if you have already flown to the city where the company office is located. It’s not worth wasting Google’s staff time in vain and loosing your job opportunity. You will be given a second chance.
• Look for the interviewer's problems on your own, without asking many additional questions. The company appreciates the ability to cope with the tasks on their own.
• Even if you think that you were asked a question not of your level and you are too qualified to deal with such tasks - approach the task seriously - your reaction is also important for the interviewer.
• If a question, on the contrary, seemed too complicated to you, do not give up and do not immediately ask for another task or question.
• Do not be nervous.
• And, of course, do not be late.
Adapt to Google
- Newbies on Google (they are also called “nugglers”, from the words new + googler) are greeted friendly. Companies always need employees, and new colleagues who take on some of the work are always welcome, Igor smiles. - Most of our office staff are foreigners. Of these, eight are Belarusians. And everyone understands new colleagues well, because he himself went through a period of adaptation. Personally, it was difficult for me only in the first two weeks, because of the language barrier. In the company, everyone speaks English. But very quickly I adapted.
- The hardest thing to adapt to a developed wage market. For example, in Belarusian IT companies a sharp salary increase is possible immediately by 50, or even 100 percent, and rapid career growth. In Google, there is no rabid growth rate of salaries and career advancement. A salary increase of 10% is already considered large, Igor shares. - On the other hand, the company has a developed system of bonuses for successful employees.
In Belarus, rapid career growth in IT is possible due to the fact that you stand out against the background of other employees. Here, initially, strong employees are selected in the team, and there are practically no less qualified employees.
Salary in Google: not for the time, but for the result
However, this does not mean that a Google employee has little chance of a salary increase.
“You just need to work better than others,” Igor advises. - And it will definitely notice. Working in Google, it is difficult to become a billionaire. But to make money on everything you need for life - completely.
Working at Google implies a focus on results. Managers do not write specific plans and instructions for employees, but formulate general tasks. At the end of each quarter, the performance of each employee is evaluated. If the work results coincide with the company's expectations, the employee receives a bonus.
The company has no hard work schedule. There are hours standards established by an indefinite labor contract (in Switzerland it is 40 hours). But the company does not pay overtime. The company is not important how much time you spent at work, and what results achieved. That is why every Google employee is interested in doing their job faster and better.
Igor explains such traditions of the company to the fact that Google is a company with American roots. And in the USA it is customary to negotiate an annual salary, not an hourly rate. Of course, there are exceptions - for example, the work of technical support staff, who need to be on duty at the office around the clock, is paid differently.
In general, the standards of work and approaches to assessing employee productivity at Google’s offices in all countries are the same. The differences relate only to those areas that are governed by the national legislation of the countries - for example, the duration of leave, the regularity of salary payments, work on national holidays.
To work at Google, you need not men or women, but professionals.
The Swiss office of Google specializes in programming and development. And the majority of the office staff (and there are about 700 of them) are men.
“But on the whole, the company is not looking for male employees or female employees, but specialists and individuals who stand out from the majority. The company makes efforts to achieve gender balance among employees. For example, to encourage IT girls to study, Google annually awards scholarships to the Anita Borg Foundation.
Google Traditions: Beer on Fridays and Dog Booths under the Table
About the originality of the interior offices of Google and the freedom of internal arrangements on the Internet are legends. And Igor confirms that all this is not fiction and not the work of Photoshop fans.
You can go down from the first floor to the zero floor in our office. In some places there are fire poles. There is a game room - there you can escape from work, playing table football, billiards, on the console. There is a rehearsal room for a musical group that was born inside the company (by the way, one Belarusian is included in its composition). And there is a massage room, - says Igor. However, it is recognized that it is possible to play during working hours well once a few months.
Igor spends his free time studying German.
Friday is another thing. Google honors the traditions of TGIF (Thanks God It's Friday - Thank God, today is Friday), and get together every week - they drink beer, wine, and exchange news. Sometimes cultural events are organized at the expense of the company - for example, going around the office to the opera.
In the company's cafeterias there is always free food and desserts for employees. Which is definitely very convenient. But when someone celebrates a birthday, the question often arises - what to treat colleagues with, because everything is in the office? An original solution was found in the Swiss office - employees bring the national dishes of their countries. Igor, for example, brings glazed curds from Belarus :)
By the way, you can go to the Google office with dogs. Some employees have booths under the tables. Some even interview candidates may come with dogs. But with cats it is impossible. Historically, the first Google employees had dogs. And since cats and dogs do not get along, in order to avoid conflicts, cats are not allowed to enter the office.
How much does the phrase "I work in Google" help me in meeting a girl?
- Inside the company there are jokes on this topic. And people, of course, have conflicting experiences on this issue. Most still want to find a soul mate who values him for his personal qualities, and not for his job and salary, ”says Igor.
The salary of an employee of a corporation allows you to support your family, and working at Google does not take up all your free time. According to Igor, the company takes family / work balance issues seriously. If the manager sees that the person spends too much time at work, he tries to understand the situation and correct it.
This year, Google will receive 6,200 new employees. The company plans to break the record for hiring employees set in 2007. Then, 4,500 people were hired by Google.
At the same time, Google pursues not so much quantity as quality, and wants to see among its employees the most talented people who can think outside the box and work independently. Belarusian Igor Makhanyok became one of them. Since 2007, Igor has been working as a programmer in the Google office in Zurich. He is currently engaged in the improvement of the Android Market application for mobile phones. Mojazarplata.by asked Igor to remember how his work at Google began.
')
Igor Makhanyok, 26 years old, a graduate of the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Informatics of the Belarusian State University, twice the winner of the Russian Yandex Search Cup on the Internet, the holder of the title “The Man Who Found Everything”. He took an active part in the inclusion of the Belarusian language in the Google Translator service, was engaged in checking translations into Belarusian for the Google Cartographer service.
Jobs at Google: where to start?
- Submit a resume and get into the number of candidates for work in Google is simple. To do this, first of all you need to go to google.com/jobs and see what employees are required by the company. Each person can respond to a job open in any office.
The system of recommendations works well in the company: any Google employee can suggest the candidacy of his friend. So it was in my case — an acquaintance recommended me, ”Igor recalls.
Then there was a telephone interview, and then an interview at the company's office in Zurich.
The whole process - from submitting a resume to employment took almost half a year.
- The most difficult was the interview in the company. It was necessary to show both the professional level and answer the unexpected questions of the interviewers.
In order to get a job at Google, you need to demonstrate that you can achieve goals yourself, without constant control by the manager.
For candidates who go to Google for an interview, Igor Makhanek advises to refresh basic knowledge in his professional field, and be kind and polite directly at the interview itself.
How to avoid common mistakes in a Google interview
Sometimes candidates make mistakes that deprive a chance to get into the Google team. To increase his chances of getting a job in the company, Igor Makhaniok advises:
• Remember that the most expensive thing in the hiring process is not paying the travel expenses of candidates, as many people think, but the time of Google employees themselves. Three to five interviewers talk to each candidate.
• If you are sick or for another reason cannot fully participate in the interview, ask to be moved to another day. Even if you have already flown to the city where the company office is located. It’s not worth wasting Google’s staff time in vain and loosing your job opportunity. You will be given a second chance.
• Look for the interviewer's problems on your own, without asking many additional questions. The company appreciates the ability to cope with the tasks on their own.
• Even if you think that you were asked a question not of your level and you are too qualified to deal with such tasks - approach the task seriously - your reaction is also important for the interviewer.
• If a question, on the contrary, seemed too complicated to you, do not give up and do not immediately ask for another task or question.
• Do not be nervous.
• And, of course, do not be late.
Adapt to Google
- Newbies on Google (they are also called “nugglers”, from the words new + googler) are greeted friendly. Companies always need employees, and new colleagues who take on some of the work are always welcome, Igor smiles. - Most of our office staff are foreigners. Of these, eight are Belarusians. And everyone understands new colleagues well, because he himself went through a period of adaptation. Personally, it was difficult for me only in the first two weeks, because of the language barrier. In the company, everyone speaks English. But very quickly I adapted.
- The hardest thing to adapt to a developed wage market. For example, in Belarusian IT companies a sharp salary increase is possible immediately by 50, or even 100 percent, and rapid career growth. In Google, there is no rabid growth rate of salaries and career advancement. A salary increase of 10% is already considered large, Igor shares. - On the other hand, the company has a developed system of bonuses for successful employees.
In Belarus, rapid career growth in IT is possible due to the fact that you stand out against the background of other employees. Here, initially, strong employees are selected in the team, and there are practically no less qualified employees.
Salary in Google: not for the time, but for the result
However, this does not mean that a Google employee has little chance of a salary increase.
“You just need to work better than others,” Igor advises. - And it will definitely notice. Working in Google, it is difficult to become a billionaire. But to make money on everything you need for life - completely.
Working at Google implies a focus on results. Managers do not write specific plans and instructions for employees, but formulate general tasks. At the end of each quarter, the performance of each employee is evaluated. If the work results coincide with the company's expectations, the employee receives a bonus.
The company has no hard work schedule. There are hours standards established by an indefinite labor contract (in Switzerland it is 40 hours). But the company does not pay overtime. The company is not important how much time you spent at work, and what results achieved. That is why every Google employee is interested in doing their job faster and better.
Igor explains such traditions of the company to the fact that Google is a company with American roots. And in the USA it is customary to negotiate an annual salary, not an hourly rate. Of course, there are exceptions - for example, the work of technical support staff, who need to be on duty at the office around the clock, is paid differently.
In general, the standards of work and approaches to assessing employee productivity at Google’s offices in all countries are the same. The differences relate only to those areas that are governed by the national legislation of the countries - for example, the duration of leave, the regularity of salary payments, work on national holidays.
To work at Google, you need not men or women, but professionals.
The Swiss office of Google specializes in programming and development. And the majority of the office staff (and there are about 700 of them) are men.
“But on the whole, the company is not looking for male employees or female employees, but specialists and individuals who stand out from the majority. The company makes efforts to achieve gender balance among employees. For example, to encourage IT girls to study, Google annually awards scholarships to the Anita Borg Foundation.
Google Traditions: Beer on Fridays and Dog Booths under the Table
About the originality of the interior offices of Google and the freedom of internal arrangements on the Internet are legends. And Igor confirms that all this is not fiction and not the work of Photoshop fans.
You can go down from the first floor to the zero floor in our office. In some places there are fire poles. There is a game room - there you can escape from work, playing table football, billiards, on the console. There is a rehearsal room for a musical group that was born inside the company (by the way, one Belarusian is included in its composition). And there is a massage room, - says Igor. However, it is recognized that it is possible to play during working hours well once a few months.
Igor spends his free time studying German.
Friday is another thing. Google honors the traditions of TGIF (Thanks God It's Friday - Thank God, today is Friday), and get together every week - they drink beer, wine, and exchange news. Sometimes cultural events are organized at the expense of the company - for example, going around the office to the opera.
In the company's cafeterias there is always free food and desserts for employees. Which is definitely very convenient. But when someone celebrates a birthday, the question often arises - what to treat colleagues with, because everything is in the office? An original solution was found in the Swiss office - employees bring the national dishes of their countries. Igor, for example, brings glazed curds from Belarus :)
By the way, you can go to the Google office with dogs. Some employees have booths under the tables. Some even interview candidates may come with dogs. But with cats it is impossible. Historically, the first Google employees had dogs. And since cats and dogs do not get along, in order to avoid conflicts, cats are not allowed to enter the office.
How much does the phrase "I work in Google" help me in meeting a girl?
- Inside the company there are jokes on this topic. And people, of course, have conflicting experiences on this issue. Most still want to find a soul mate who values him for his personal qualities, and not for his job and salary, ”says Igor.
The salary of an employee of a corporation allows you to support your family, and working at Google does not take up all your free time. According to Igor, the company takes family / work balance issues seriously. If the manager sees that the person spends too much time at work, he tries to understand the situation and correct it.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/113978/
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