Since you are looking for ways to answer why you want to work for Google, you’ve probably landed an interview with Google. Congratulations on that! We understand that preparing for interviews can be stressful, and not knowing where to start can be quite the situation. And if you’re preparing for an interview for Google, well, then you probably want the job badly and want to prepare the best you can. Here in this article, we try and understand how to answer one of the most common interview questions in the context of Google so that you can really impress the interviewer.
Almost everyone interviewing for a job, any job, will be asked why they wish to work for the company they have applied to. Any interviewer would want to know why is to understand if the candidate in front of them has the right sort of motivation. To put it simply, the interviewer needs to know whether the candidate knows enough about the company to have made an informed decision in joining it and whether their values align with its broader goals and vision. A good answer to such a question should first begin with some aspects of the company the candidate admires and why followed by what part about the role they have applied to make them find it attractive. The candidate should also include how they came to know about the company and what immediately caught their attention. To answer this question, a candidate needs to do some basic research about the company, including going through their website and talking to their current employees to get a good idea of the work environment. A good answer to this question will tell the interviewer that the candidate is diligent enough to have done their research, and therefore takes the job seriously. Let’s take a look at some of the things to keep in mind while answering this question in the context of google:
- Start with what you like about Google. Google, being Google, takes itself very seriously. This is why they like to have employees who take the company seriously too. Therefore, you should start by listing the things you like specifically about Google and why. For example, Google allows its employees to use about 20% of their time on personal projects, which further the company’s goals. Talk about why you feel that is such an amazing idea and how such a provision allows employees to feel involved with the company’s progress and contribute in a way that excited them personally. Compare this with other companies where they do not have this provision, and how having this would have been helpful for their employees. You can also talk about some typical stuff, such as vacation time and insurance coverage. Still, since you are interviewing for a company like Google, it would be best to show that you are aware of the specific characteristics of the company that make it what it is. This will tell the interviewer that you want the job well enough to have asked around about it.
- Then move on to the Google services you use and like personally. A good candidate is a motivated candidate. This is why it is always better to include small personal details about yourself in the context of answering questions on motivations to really sell yourself. However, it is important, to be honest as well. You could talk about the Google products that you like using and why you prefer them over their competitors. If you are talking about Gmail, say why you think it offers the most seamless e-mail service that you have experienced. If you use Meet for virtual meetings, say why you find it to be the most user-friendly among all others. After this, talk about how being a part of a company that has produced such amazing products would be like a dream come true for you. Finally, you would like to contribute to the next projects that Google is working on in whatever capacity you have applied.
- Talk about yourself and show how you would be a great fit at Google. After you are done talking about the company for some time, you should say a few things about yourself to show the interviewer that your interests and preferences would be right at place in Google. For example, talk about how you love conceptualizing new projects and working hard to realize something you feel would be encouraged at Google. You may add experiences from your previous job to emphasize your skills and talents. Furthermore, talk about the work culture at Google to display your knowledge about the company and then tell the interviewer why you think you would fit in perfectly. You may start with Google’s deep technical culture and how your degree would allow you to contribute further to it. You need to convince the interviewer that everything about you is would be beneficial for Google and that working there would be a fun, enriching, and meaningful experience for you.
- Briefly mention some people you know who already work at Google and how they motivate you. You don’t need to tell the interviewer the names of the people you know at Google, but it would be nice to show that there are people who have personally recommended the company to you or that you have understood that you would find a job at the company good for you. For example, say, if you have seniors from college working at the company, talk about how they have told you all nice things about Google and encouraged you to apply. This will tell the interviewer that you have taken time out to take to some current employees, which means you have gone that extra mile to prepare for the interview. Trust us. They will like that.
Conclusion
It’s okay to take a Google interview more seriously than an interview with another company and thus prepare more for it. We prepared this guide to help you with one of the fundamental questions that you will have to face at Google, and we believe that after going through it, you shall be able to come up with a satisfactory answer easily. Apart from that, you will be asked many behavioral, situational, and technical questions, too, which you need to prepare separately. However, since you have the zeal and motivation to work at Google, we believe you would do well at the interview. So just keep preparing like this, and you’ll be telling people about your job at Google soon enough. All the best!
Frequently Asked Questions
- What sort of salary does Google offer? That depends on the role you are working in. Other than that, it’s Google! They’ll probably pay you so much you wouldn’t know how to spend your earnings at first.
- Is it necessary to have an Ivy League degree to work at Google? While an Ivy League degree is definitely a plus, you can also get a job at Google without one. You’ll need to convince them that you know your stuff and have otherwise sufficient experience and skills. Remember, Google looks for talent in their employees, and a degree might be a good indicator of it. But, of course, it’s not the only one out there.
