Google is by far the best-known search engine in the world, so much so that ‘Google it’ simply means to search something up on the internet.
Even though there are many other search engines out there including Bing, Yahoo, and Baidu but, none of them can compete with Google giant.
The American company was founded in 1998 and today is considered one of the tech giants alongside Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook.
Because of this, it is no surprise that many people want to get their foot in the Google door and apply for an internship.
This will tell you how to get an internship at Google, including the steps that you should take before applying, the different roles that they have within their departments, and what it’s like to work at Google.
Table of Contents
Applying For An Internship Role
Research
Before you get stuck into applying for a Google internship, for the best chance of success there are some steps that you will have to take first.
Doing this research will already give you an advantage over those who went blind so make the most of this preparation stage.
The first thing you should do is do some detailed research on the company and what its core values are.
Fortunately for you, the ten important values that the hiring managers at Google see as fundamental can be found through online resources.
Some of these values include the sayings; ‘Great just isn’t good enough, ‘focus on the user and all else will follow, and ‘you can be serious without a suit’.
Just these three sentences can tell you a lot about Google and how they operate, they take their work seriously, they know what they’re doing, and they are progressive.
If these values are ones that you can get behind, then it is time to make your resume or refine it if you already have one. As well as an updated resume, Google also requires you to provide a copy of your school transcripts.
Resume
To get your resume Google ready, there are a few things that you will have to do.
First, focus on how your previous roles and skills can be carried over to the job at Google so that your resume is full of relevant experience.
Even if the role is very different, there are always ways that you can carry skills over such as working to deadlines and using your initiative.
You will also want to be detailed when describing your previous projects, then talk about how the work that you contributed made them more successful.
This is a great way to show how you will be a very valuable member of the team.
List your GPA on the resume as well and add school coursework or projects that you did that are relevant to the role that you are applying for.
After including all of this, it may seem hard, but you must try and keep the resume short and sweet and do your best not to make it exceed one page.
You should bear in mind that since Google is one of the five tech giants, you will be competing against a lot of people, so they won’t have the time or incentive to sit down and read your resume carefully all the way through.
This is why it is important that you grab their attention and keep it for a few seconds, which is more than what a lot of applications get.
Interview
If you have made it this far, congratulations! Allow yourself to have a boost in confidence and feel proud that you have made it to the interview stage.
The way that the interview is structured will vary a bit depending on the role or internship program, but the same format will still be followed.
There is a chance that you will be asked to complete an assessment online so that you can move forward with the application process and will be relevant to the internship role that you applied for.
After you have done the online application, they will likely invite you for either a phone interview or a video chat.
They may ask you back for another phone interview after the initial one and they will ask questions that you can try your best to prepare for but are usually hard to predict.
However, there are a lot of examples on the internet of people who went through this same process documenting what questions they were asked.
You can use this to create a list of the most common ones and go from there so that you are prepared for what they throw at you.
In-depth interviews are done face to face and are more comprehensive and extensive than the ones over the phone usually are.
Because of how much detail they go into, do not be surprised when the in-depth interview takes the whole day and be expected to meet numerous hiring managers.
Sometimes they will ask you to complete a small project that is relevant to the role that you applied for, but this is not as common for internship roles.
Google Internship Programs
Now that you know how the application process works, let’s have a closer look at the internships that you can apply for.
Getting an internship at Google will give you lots of valuable experience as to what it means to be part of a big company.
This will make the transition from university to the office much smoother and your confidence will make you feel right at home.
The first one is one of the most popular Google internship programs and is called the STEP Program (Student Training in Engineering).
Engineering students flock to this program since Google is such an innovative tech giant that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for many.
The STEP Program is designed for first and second-year undergraduate students who are working towards a career in engineering.
This program will place you in a role that allows you to work on software projects with other interns in the same program as well as full-time Google employees.
This is a great opportunity for getting practical, hands-on engineering experience which would do wonders for your resume.
Another Google internship program is aimed at those who want to work in the business side of the company and is called the BOLD Program (Build Opportunities for Leadership & Development).
This internship gives you the opportunity to work in a range of different teams such as marketing, sales, and the People Operations department just to name a few.
Those who work in the BOLD Program are just as important as the engineers because they keep the company running by facing challenges that are critical to the company.
The tasks that you will be expected to complete will range from a full workload to little projects, but you will be kept busy and engaged either way.
This program is a great stepping stone to other mentorship opportunities such as team-building exercises, and leadership talks.
These options allow you to build relationships with the rest of the Google team and if you wish to come back and work at the company.
There will be familiar faces waiting for you which can make the transformation much less daunting.
The final internship program at Google that may be the right fit for you is the APM Program, which stands for the Associate Product Marketing Manager program.
This role allows students to work on Google’s brand with the Product Marketing Managers that work their full time.
The main role that the intern will have to fulfill is to show how the products made by Google provide solutions to common problems we come across today.
The program is aimed at students who are studying subjects such as English literature and art history but still requires potential interns to have a strong interest in technology.
Under the engineering and technology category at Google, there are other internship roles that you can apply for which include user experience, software engineering, mechanical engineers, associate product manager, and hardware engineering.
As well as engineering and technology, business is a vital part of Google, and since it is a publicly-traded for-profit corporation, there are a lot of roles that you can choose from that are all equally important to the smooth running of Google.
These roles consist of Business, MBA, Legal, and gCareer.
What It’s Like Working At Google
Google has been rated as one of the best tech companies to work for and that’s not just because of the average paycheck of $140,000 a year.
Other benefits you can expect when working at Google are paid for skiing trips and other holiday parties and Q&A panels held regularly by the CEOs that allow you to ask any question about the company that you desire.
This lets you get to know them more personally and get more in touch with the running of the company.
You are also able to move between departments, projects, and teams much easier than you would in other companies as Google likes to prioritize flexibility and use your skills to the best of your ability.
As well as this, you will have access to one of the coolest work campuses that take wellness to a whole new level.
Google campus has gyms, bowling alleys, volleyball courts, and a sports park that you are allowed to use whenever you want.
The campus also has an indoor climbing wall and slides which makes getting from A to B a lot more exciting.
If you work at the Mountain View Google campus, you don’t have to worry about paying for the commute because Google will provide a free shuttle bus that you can catch every day to get you to work.
These buses also come with Wi-Fi that you can use to get a head start on work or to get up to date on social media.
Summary
There are different paths that you can take when choosing what Google internship to apply to but the process at the beginning remains.
More or less the same with the steps you should take before applying so that you are going to be prepared for what they are expecting from you.
Getting an internship at Google brings lots of positive things and if you are lucky and skilled enough to be offered one, it is within your best interests that you grab the opportunity and show them what you are capable of!
This company and community is renowned for its commitment to continuous learning and development. As an intern myself, I have access to training and mentorship from some of the brightest minds in the field.
Google’s vast network of employees, partners, and alumni can be a significant asset for your future career. Building relationships during the internship can lead to valuable connections which sounds good!
I secured an internship at Google and I am so excited since it is highly competitive, so it’s essential to prepare well before and during the internship. I am ready to showcase my skills to everyone there.