Cracking the Tech Career: Insider Advice on Landing a Job at Google, Microsoft, Apple, or any Top Tech Company

Cracking the Tech Career: Insider Advice on Landing a Job at Google, Microsoft, Apple, or any Top Tech Company

by Gayle Laakmann McDowell
Released September 2014
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9781118968086

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Book description

Become the applicant Google can't turn down

Cracking the Tech Career is the job seeker's guide to landing a coveted position at one of the top tech firms. A follow-up to The Google Resume, this book provides new information on what these companies want, and how to show them you have what it takes to succeed in the role. Early planners will learn what to study, and established professionals will discover how to make their skillset and experience set them apart from the crowd. Author Gayle Laakmann McDowell worked in engineering at Google, and interviewed over 120 candidates as a member of the hiring committee — in this book, she shares her perspectives on what works and what doesn't, what makes you desirable, and what gets your resume saved or deleted.

Apple, Microsoft, and Google are the coveted companies in the current job market. They field hundreds of resumes every day, and have their pick of the cream of the crop when it comes to selecting new hires. If you think the right alma mater is all it takes, you need to update your thinking. Top companies, especially in the tech sector, are looking for more. This book is the complete guide to becoming the candidate they just cannot turn away.

  • Discover the career paths that run through the top tech firms

  • Learn how to craft the prefect resume and prepare for the interview

  • Find ways to make yourself stand out from the hordes of other applicants

  • Understand what the top companies are looking for, and how to demonstrate that you're it

    • These companies need certain skillsets, but they also want a great culture fit. Grades aren't everything, experience matters, and a certain type of applicant tends to succeed. Cracking the Tech Career reveals what the hiring committee wants, and shows you how to get it.

    Table of contents

    1. Cover
    2. Title Page
    3. Copyright
    4. Chapter 1: Life at the World's Greatest Tech Companies
      1. Life at Infinite Loop and Microsoft Way
      2. The Differences
      3. Big versus Little: Is a Start-Up Right for You?
      4. The Job Title: What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
      5. It's Not for Everyone
    5. Chapter 2: Advanced Positioning and Preparation
      1. A Positioning Framework
      2. University
      3. Graduate School
      4. Career Graduate Degrees
      5. The MBA
      6. Part-Time Graduate Programs
      7. Work Experience
      8. Extracurriculars
      9. Questions and Answers
    6. Chapter 3: Getting in the Door
      1. The Black Hole: Online Job Submission
      2. Getting a Personal Referral
      3. Career Fairs
      4. Professional Recruiters
      5. Additional Avenues
      6. Networking
      7. Social Networking
      8. Questions and Answers
    7. Chapter 4: Resumes
      1. How Resumes Are Read
      2. Nine Hallmarks of a Powerful Resume
      3. The Structure
      4. How Do I Shorten My Resume?
      5. Resume Action Words
      6. Questions and Answers
    8. Chapter 5: Deconstructing the Resume
      1. Resume #1
      2. Resume #2
      3. Resume #3
      4. Resume #4
    9. Chapter 6: Cover Letters
      1. Why a Cover Letter?
      2. The Three Types of Cover Letter
      3. The Structure
      4. Five Traits of a Strong Cover Letter
      5. The Daring A+ Cover Letter
      6. The Traditional A+ Cover Letter
      7. The So-So Cover Letter
      8. Questions and Answers
      9. Additional Resources
    10. Chapter 7: References
      1. How References Are Used
      2. Whom You Should Select as a Reference
      3. Make a Good Reference Great
      4. When Things Go Wrong
      5. What If Your Bad Reference Is Your Former Boss?
      6. Questions and Answers
    11. Chapter 8: Interview Prep and Overview
      1. Interview Questions
      2. The Tech Interview Culture
      3. Do Your Homework
      4. Working with Your Recruiter
      5. Communication and Behavior
      6. Special Interview Types
      7. After the Interview
      8. Following Up with Your Recruiter
      9. Dealing with Rejection
      10. Questions and Answers
      11. Additional Resources
    12. Chapter 9: Define Yourself
      1. The Pitch
      2. Why Should We Hire You?
      3. Why Shouldn't We Hire You?
      4. Why Do You Want to Work Here?
      5. Why Are You Leaving Your Job?
      6. Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?
      7. What Are Your Strengths?
      8. What Are Your Weaknesses?
      9. Layoffs, Firing, and Unemployment
      10. Questions and Answers
    13. Chapter 10: Behavioral Questions
      1. Evaluation
      2. Mastering the Content
      3. Mastering the Communication
      4. Common Mistakes
      5. Five Example Questions
      6. Questions and Answers
    14. Chapter 11: Problem Solving
      1. Types of Problem-Solving Questions
      2. Estimation Questions
      3. Design Questions
      4. Brainteasers
      5. Questions and Answers
      6. Additional Resources
    15. Chapter 12: The Programming Interview
      1. What's the Point?
      2. What's Expected—And What's Not
      3. How They Differ: Microsoft, Facebook, Google, Amazon, Yahoo, and Apple
      4. How to Prepare
      5. Must-Know Data Structures, Algorithms, and Topics
      6. Coding Questions
      7. Algorithm Questions: Four Ways to Create an Algorithm
      8. Object-Oriented Design
      9. Scalability Questions
      10. Testing Interviews
      11. Questions and Answers
      12. Additional Resources
    16. Chapter 13: Getting into Gaming
      1. The Culture: Is It All Fun and Games?
      2. Job Positions: What Can You Do?
      3. College Candidates
      4. Reaching Out and Getting In
      5. Personality Fit
      6. The Gaming Interview—Three Tips to Doing Well
      7. Questions and Answers
    17. Chapter 14: Women in Tech
      1. On Men and Allies
      2. The Harsh(ish) Reality of Being a Woman in Tech
      3. Advice for Women from Women (and Allies)
      4. It's Friction, Not Obstacles
      5. Questions and Answers
    18. Chapter 15: The Offer
      1. How to Evaluate an Offer
      2. How Can You Negotiate an Offer?
      3. Tricky Issues: Deadlines, Extensions, and Declining Offers
      4. Questions and Answers
    19. Chapter 16: Crafting Your Career
      1. Define Your Career Path
      2. Being Great
      3. Manage the Review Process
      4. Play a Bit of Politics: Build Strong Relationships
      5. Identify a Mentor
      6. Promotions and Raises
      7. How and When to Quit
      8. Questions and Answers
    20. Chapter 17: On Luck, Leverage, and You
    21. Index
    22. End User License Agreement

    Product information

    • Title: Cracking the Tech Career: Insider Advice on Landing a Job at Google, Microsoft, Apple, or any Top Tech Company
    • Author(s): Gayle Laakmann McDowell
    • Release date: September 2014
    • Publisher(s): Wiley
    • ISBN: 9781118968086