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The Google Résumé: How to Prepare for a Career and Land a Job at Apple, Microsoft, Google, or any Top Tech Company

Name: The Google Résumé: How to Prepare for a Career and Land a Job at Apple, Microsoft, Google, or any Top Tech Company
Author: Gayle Laakmann McDowell
ISBN: 9780470927625

by Gayle Laakmann McDowell

March 2011

Beginner

288 pages

5h 11m

English

Wiley

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Copyright
1. Introduction
1.1. Life at Infinite Loop and Microsoft Way1.1.1. Youthful1.1.2. Perks1.1.3. Work/Life Balance1.1.4. Moving Up: Individual Contributors1.1.5. The Differences1.2. Big vs. Little: Is a Start-up Right for You?1.2.1. The Good1.2.2. The Bad1.2.3. The Ugly1.3. The Job Title: What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?1.3.1. What Do You Need?1.3.2. How Do You Enjoy Working?1.3.3. What Are You Good At?1.4. And You're on Your Way . . .
2. Advanced Preparation
2.1. What Can You Do: An Overview2.2. Academics2.2.1. Elite Schools: What's in a Name?2.2.2. Picking Your Curriculum: Majors, Minors, and Other Courses2.2.2.1. Learn to Code2.2.2.2. What About a Minor?2.2.2.3. Get Project Experience2.2.3. Grade Point Average: Does It Matter and What Can You Do?2.2.4. Doctor Who? Getting to Know Professors2.3. Work Experience2.3.1. Make an Impact2.3.2. Become a Generalist2.3.3. Size Matters: Quantify Your Impact2.3.4. Part-Time Jobs and Internships2.4. Extracurriculars and the Checkbox People2.4.1. Volunteering2.4.2. Start Something2.5. Your Questions Answered2.5.1. Well, There Go the College Hires2.5.2. Will Code for Food2.5.3. The Un-Manager
3. Getting in the Door
3.1. The Black Hole: Online Job Submission3.1.1. Making the Best of the Black Hole3.2. Getting a Personal Referral3.2.1. Tell Your Friends3.2.2. Make Yourself Known3.2.3. The Informational Interview3.2.4. Reach Out to Recruiters3.2.5. Alumni Network and Beyond3.3. Career Fairs3.4. Professional Recruiters3.4.1. When Things Get Ugly: What to Watch Out For3.5. Additional Avenues3.5.1. Start Elsewhere3.5.2. Contract Roles3.5.3. Get Creative3.5.4. Official Groups3.6. Networking3.6.1. Quality, Not Quantity: How to Build a Network that Works3.6.1.1. Be Giving3.6.1.2. Be Open3.6.1.3. Be the Connector3.6.2. Where to Network3.6.2.1. Immerse Yourself in Start-ups3.6.2.2. Social Networking3.6.3. LinkedIn3.6.4. Facebook3.6.5. Twitter3.6.5.1. Contributing Online3.7. Your Questions Answered3.7.1. Applying from Afar3.7.2. Distant Relations3.7.3. Just Following Instructions
4. Résumés
4.1. Six Hallmarks of a Powerful Résumé4.2. The Structure4.2.1. The Objective4.2.2. Summary (or Key Accomplishments)4.2.3. Work Experience4.2.3.1. How Far Back Should It Go?4.3. Projects4.3.1. Education4.3.1.1. What about High School?4.3.1.2. Which Comes First?4.3.2. Skills4.3.3. Awards and Honors4.3.4. What Not to Include4.4. How Long Is Too Long?4.4.1. How Do I Shorten My Résumé?4.5. Your Questions Answered4.5.1. It's a Family Matter4.5.2. On the Up and Up4.5.3. But Seriously
5. Deconstructing the Résumé
5.1. Résumé A: Bill Jobs5.1.1. Assessment5.2. Résumé B: Steve Gates5.2.1. Assessment5.3. Résumé C: Geena Roberts5.3.1. Assessment5.4. Parting Words5.5. Additional Resources
6. Cover Letters and References
6.1. Why a Cover Letter?6.2. The Three Types of Cover Letter6.2.1. Solicited Cover Letter6.2.2. Unsolicited Cover Letter/Cold Call Letter6.2.3. Broadcast Letter6.3. The Structure6.4. Five Traits of a Strong Cover Letter6.4.1. 1. Tailored6.4.1.1. What If There Is No Job Description?6.4.2. 2. Supported with Evidence6.4.3. 3. Structured and Concise6.4.4. 4. Simple, Direct Writing6.4.5. 5. Professional6.5. An A+ Cover Letter6.6. References6.6.1. Who Makes a Strong Reference?6.6.2. How to Make Good References Great6.6.3. Problems with References: What Can Go Wrong6.6.3.1. What If Your Bad Reference Is Your Former Boss?6.7. Your Questions Answered6.7.1. New Form, Same Great Content6.7.2. Full Disclosure6.8. Additional Resources
7. Interview Prep and Overview
7.1. What Are Tech Companies Looking For?7.2. How to Prepare7.2.1. RéSumé and Experience Prep7.2.1.1. Practice Your Pitch7.2.1.2. Review Your RéSumé7.2.1.3. Preparation Grid7.2.2. Do Your Homework7.2.2.1. Company7.2.2.2. Interviewer Research7.2.3. Prepare Questions7.3. Working with Your Recruiter7.3.1. Getting the Recruiter on Your Side7.4. Communication and Behavior7.4.1. Controlling the Interview7.4.2. Four Ways to Keep the Interviewer's Attention7.4.3. Projecting Confidence7.5. Special Interview Types7.5.1. The Phone Interview7.5.1.1. What to Bring7.5.1.2. How to Do Well7.5.2. The HR Screening Interview7.5.2.1. What Is It?7.5.2.2. What Happens?7.5.2.3. How to Do Well7.5.3. Lunch Interviews7.5.3.1. How to Do Well7.5.4. Follow-up Interviews7.6. After the Interview7.6.1. The "Thank You" Note7.6.2. Following Up with Your Recruiter7.6.3. Contacting Your References7.6.4. Dealing with Rejection7.7. Your Questions Answered7.7.1. Run for the Hills7.7.2. Too Much Information or Just Enough?7.7.3. Playing Hard to Get7.8. Additional Resources
8. Interview Questions
8.1. General Advice8.1.1. Communication8.1.2. When You Get Something Wrong8.2. Acing the Standard Questions8.3. Why Do You Want to Work Here?8.3.1. Why Are You Leaving Your Job?8.3.2. Why Should We Hire You?8.3.3. Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?8.3.4. What Are Your Strengths?8.3.5. What Are Your Weaknesses?8.4. Behavioral and Résumé Questions8.4.1. What They're Looking For8.4.2. How to Approach8.4.3. Five Example Questions8.5. Estimation Questions8.5.1. What They're Looking For8.5.2. How to Approach Them8.5.3. Five Example Questions8.6. Design Questions8.6.1. What They're Looking For8.6.2. How to Approach Them8.6.2.1. Step 1: Resolve Ambiguity8.6.2.2. Step 2: What Are the Basic Product Needs?8.6.2.3. Step 3: What Does the Customer Need? (And Who Is the Customer?)8.6.2.4. Step 4: What Features Will Meet These Needs?8.6.3. Five Example Questions8.7. Brainteasers: Why Are Manhole Covers Round?8.7.1. What They're Looking For8.7.2. How to Approach Them8.7.2.1. Solve a subproblem8.7.2.2. Develop a Rule or Equation8.7.2.3. Simplify the problem8.7.2.4. Examples8.8. Answering the Tough Questions8.8.1. Layoffs8.8.2. Being Fired8.8.3. Unemployment8.9. Your Questions Answered8.9.1. Barrier to Entry8.9.2. It's a Numbers Game8.9.3. The Great Unknown8.10. Additional Resources
9. The Programming Interview
9.1. How They Differ: Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Apple9.2. How to Prepare9.2.1. The Five-Step Approach to Effective Preparation9.2.2. What If I Hear a Question I Know?9.2.3. "Must Know" Topics9.3. Memory Usage9.4. Coding Questions9.4.1. Step 1: Ask Questions9.4.1.1. Example: "Design an Algorithm to Sort a List"9.4.2. Step 2: Design an Algorithm9.4.3. Step 3: Pseudo-Code9.4.4. Step 4: Code9.4.5. Step 5: Test9.5. Algorithm Questions: Five Ways to Create an Algorithm9.5.1. Approach 1: Examplify9.5.2. Approach 2: Pattern Matching9.5.3. Approach 3: Simplify and Generalize9.5.4. Approach 4: Base Case and Build9.5.5. Approach 5: Data Structure Brainstorm9.6. Object-Oriented Design9.7. Scalability Questions9.8. Testing Interviews9.8.1. Testing a Real-World Object9.8.2. Testing a Piece of Software9.8.3. Test a Method9.9. Example Problems9.10. Your Questions Answered9.10.1. Too Much Prep, Too Little Time9.10.2. Know It All9.10.3. Misleading Information9.11. Additional Resources

10. Getting into Gaming
10.1. The Culture: Is It All Fun and Games?10.2. Job Positions: What Can You Do?10.2.1. Software Engineering10.2.2. Production10.2.3. Art10.2.4. Designers10.2.5. Other Roles10.3. Fresh Meat: Advice for College Candidates10.3.1. Don't Be Afraid of Entering Low10.3.2. Find Your Niche10.3.3. Create a Portfolio Web Site10.3.4. Get Out There10.4. Reaching Out and Getting In10.4.1. College and Professional Recruiting10.4.2. Online Networks10.4.3. Events10.5. Personality Fit10.5.1. Young at Heart10.5.2. Likable10.5.3. Creative/Imaginative10.5.4. Work Ethic10.5.5. Strong Communication Skills10.6. The Gaming Interview—Three Tips to Doing Well10.7. Your Questions Answered10.7.1. Making the Jump10.7.2. Value Added10.7.3. It's the Little Things that Count
11. The Offer
11.1. How to Evaluate an Offer11.2. Your Career Development11.2.1. Learning and Development11.2.2. Responsibilities and Decision Making11.2.3. Promotions11.2.4. Résumé and Prestige11.2.5. Company's Future and Stability11.2.6. Location11.3. The Financial Package11.3.1. Components of an Offer11.3.2. Location11.4. The Happiness Factor11.5. How Can You Negotiate an Offer?11.5.1. Should You Negotiate?11.5.2. What Can You Negotiate?11.5.3. Seven Tips to Winning Negotiations11.6. Tricky Issues: Deadlines, Extensions, and Declining Offers11.6.1. Deadlines and Extensions11.6.2. Reneging11.6.3. Declining an Offer (and Building a Connection)11.7. Your Questions Answered11.7.1. Au Revoir, Vacation Days11.7.2. Representative Representatives11.7.3. Big or Little
12. ON THE JOB
12.1. Your Career Path12.1.1. Define Your Career Path12.1.2. Make Your Successes Known12.1.3. Managing the Review Process12.1.3.1. 1. Track Your Accomplishments as You Go12.1.3.2. 2. Quantify the Results12.1.3.3. 3. Ask Early for Feedback—and Get It in Writing12.1.4. Play a Bit of Politics: Build Strong Relationships12.1.5. Identify a Mentor12.2. Promotions and Raises12.2.1. How to Get Promoted12.2.2. How to Negotiate a Raise12.2.2.1. Choose the Right Time12.2.2.2. Do Your Homework12.2.2.3. How to Ask12.2.3. How to Handle Rejection12.3. How and When to Quit12.3.1. Should You Quit?12.3.2. How to Not Burn Bridges12.3.3. Should I Find a New Job First?12.4. Going Back to School12.4.1. The True Cost of Graduate School12.4.2. Academic Graduate Degrees12.4.3. Preparing Now12.4.4. The MBA12.4.4.1. What's in a Name?12.4.4.2. Preparing Now12.4.4.3. Your "Story"12.5. Part-Time Schooling12.6. Your Questions Answered12.6.1. Shakespeare Can Write12.6.2. In Name Only12.6.3. Newbie Wants Out
13. Final Thoughts: Luck, Determination, And What You Can Do
A. 156 Action Words to Make Your Résumé Jump
B. Answers to Behavioral Interview Questions

Content preview from The Google Résumé: How to Prepare for a Career and Land a Job at Apple, Microsoft, Google, or any Top Tech Company

Chapter 5. Deconstructing the Résumé

In the previous chapter, we told you what makes a good résumé, and it was things like conciseness, structure, accomplishments, and so on. But seeing a bunch of A+ résumés does you only so much good.

In this chapter, I'll show you two mediocre résumés and one great one. We'll walk through what's good and bad about all three. You will develop a more trained eye to evaluate a résumé and will be better able to apply this thought process to your own résumé.

Though names and some identifying details have been changed, these are all real résumés from real candidates.

Please note: Due to limitations of page size, we will not review the length of the résumé or the formatting. Additionally, for brevity reasons, we have included only excerpts of résumé sections.

Résumé A: Bill Jobs

Objective

Seeking a full-time position as a software engineer where I can contribute to the success of the company.

1. This objective doesn't add anything. All it specifies is that the candidate is looking for a software engineering position, which should be obvious.

Education

University of Maryland: Aug. 2008 – Dec. 2010

Master of Science, Computer Science (GPA: 3.93/4.0)

India Institute of Technology: Aug. 2002 – Jun. 2006

Bachelor of Engineering, Computer Science (GPA: 3.7/4.0)

?Technical Skills

Technologies: Java, C, Visual Basic, SQL, REXX, COBOL, Shell Script

IDE/Editors: Netbeans, Eclipse, VIM

WEB Technology: Servlet, JSP, PHP, JavaScript, JQuery, Ajax, HTML, XML, CSS, Action ...

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The Google Résumé: How to Prepare for a Career and Land a Job at Apple, Microsoft, Google, or any Top Tech Company

by Gayle Laakmann McDowell

Chapter 5. Deconstructing the Résumé

Résumé A: Bill Jobs

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