Written by: Angela McDonald | Manila Recruitment
When it was announced a few years back that Google was looking to hire local talents for its new Manila office, résumés stored in executive search firms and job recruitment agencies were promptly updated and revised. Many sought to highlight their innate “Googleyness” or attributes that the perfect applicant should supposedly possess.
Almost everyone wanted to be part of one of the most sought-after companies in the world, which is known for its enviable office perks and fun office atmosphere, but, getting in is no walk in the park. Laszlo Bock, Google’s SVP of People Operations, said that “hiring only several thousand of the 2 million applicants makes Google 25 times more selective than Harvard, Yale, or Princeton.”
It’s no secret that the search engine giant continues to attract and retain the most talented, hardworking people among its roster of employees. So, how does Google manage to choose the cream of the crop among millions of aspiring applicants? Here’s how.
Never Compromise on Quality
This is one of the cornerstones of a high-performing company that is populated with high-quality employees. Aside from establishing a high bar for quality, Bock makes sure that Google retains its high standards by taking the hiring decisions away from its managers. These decisions are placed squarely on the shoulders of an independent committee that has been trained to objectively review interview results.
Follow a Structured Interview
Most unstructured interviews are prone to confirmation bias in which snap decisions lead to hiring the wrong people despite the interviewer’s best intentions. A study conducted in 2000 by two psychology students at the University of Toledo confirmed that judgements made in the first ten seconds of an interview will predict the outcome, which are usually based on biases and beliefs that have nothing to do with the candidate’s competence.
To combat this tendency, Google asks the same set of questions on a consistent basis, and the quality of responses are assessed based on a particular, clear set of criteria.
Give Them a Reason to Work for You
The best candidates are not solely motivated by excellent perks or a fat paycheck. See to it that you can align your company mission with a candidate’s desire for meaningful work.
Bock says that “It comes down to meaning. Work for most people is a mediocre experience, but it doesn’t have to be. All of us want our work to mean something.”
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Focus on Making People Happy
Google encourages its employees to use a percentage of their time to pursue whatever they want. Bock says that “We put a lot of time and effort to work at Google into making this a place where you can be who you are; we give our people tremendous freedom. And we underpin our people practices with real science and data. We use science to figure out what makes teams work.”
Hire Those Who Will Thrive in Your Company Culture
Take the time to come up with a well-defined company culture, and communicate this clearly within the organization. Google has taken this a step further by putting a Chief of Culture as a C-suite role, a position held by Stacy Sullivan. Her main job is to see to it that “Google’s culture stays true to itself.”
As recruiters, you are expected to draw connections between the available job openings and the talent you want to fill those roles. At Manila Recruitment , we’ve pooled together the best talents in every industry, where you’re bound to find the perfect candidate to join your organization.