October 13, 2010

How to get a foot in the door at Google and other Puget Sound tech giants

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By Kristen Fife
NWjobs

Q: Is the job market picking up in the Seattle-Tacoma-Everett area? If so, what is the best way for an experienced professional to get a foot in the door, particularly at companies such as Google and other IT companies?

Kristen says: Yes, the Puget Sound job market is picking up, especially in the tech sector. Companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Clearwire, T-Mobile and Google have increased their hiring during the last six months or so. Microsoft, in particular, is a large employer of contract staff, which is a big help to the local job market.

Gaining entrée into any company is going to depend on a few factors. In the case of Google, its two greater-Seattle offices are largely development and sales offices.

Google has a very high bar for technical expertise, and one of the company's main criteria in recruiting in all disciplines is a high grade point average in your collegiate career. So, if you were in the top 2 to 5 percent of your class, it's worth highlighting that on your resume near the top.

As with any other type of industry, the single best way into any organization is through an employee referral, preferably someone with whom you have worked in the past who can actually recommend you from both a functional and cultural fit. Companies rely heavily on employee referrals because, in essence, these are pre-qualified candidates, to a degree. Microsoft has a policy of following up all employee referrals with contact from a recruiter and a pre-screen for those fitting open positions.

The second most efficient way into a company is related to a referral, and that is through networking. Networking can consist of joining professional organizations, gaining introductions to hiring managers and recruiters and attending a plethora of networking events in this area. (NWjobs Hire Ground blogger Paul Anderson holds monthly career mixers through his company, ProLango.)

LinkedIn is going to be invaluable for networking, especially in the "groups" section. Check Linked:Seattle, Seattle Job Social and the East Side Networking groups on LinkedIn for information on general events.

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Recruiter's Inbox, networking, technology

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