Google, Microsoft In Epic Hiring War

natecochrane writes "Looking for a new job? Then Google and Microsoft have 6200 roles globally this quarter up for grabs, the first salvos in a costly war for talent. Google alone will hire 6200 engineers, executives and sales staff this year — its biggest intake ever. This story details where the biggest bucks and most fun jobs are to be had and how you can apply for them. There's even a job for an Xbox PR person — fancy being paid to play with toys all day?"

Comments

And what happens is this

[JamesP]

Google only hires people who lucks out on their broken hiring process (yes, it's not easy for them to come up with an alternative system). Also, internal politics and B.S. starts to take its toll.

Microsoft hires talented people, but it's then hampered by internal bureaucracy

End result, Google tries to go 'social' and fails again. MS releases their 'meh' Zune tablet that plays for sure until next year.

Re:And what happens is this

[Bozdune]

Hiring is hard, trust me, I've done it for years. However, I claim that silly little tests and so on are just that: silly. I have turned down senior management positions at companies that think they have some sort of Golden Test that candidates need to pass.

There are really only two things to evaluate: (1) Is the candidate smart? and (2) Can the candidate be effective in the position? The first is easy; anyone can tell within the first few minutes of talking to a person whether that person has the minimum IQ necessary to be successful. The second is tougher, and requires a holistic view of communication skills, motivation, and interest level. Skills are secondary; any competent programmer can learn something new, and my personal experience has been that experienced people who are given the chance to learn something new out-perform people who have been doing the same thing for years.

Epic?

[drej]

Is it really necessary to refer to EVERYTHING as "epic"?

Re:The Down Side

[ethanms]

You might get unlucky and get backwater projects that nobody cares about but nobody has the cajones to properly cancel.

One man's trash is another man's treasure...... you're describing my dream job! Low pressure, job security... yes please! :)

Slashdot article a year from now,

[circletimessquare]

after the social web stock market crash of 2012, aka, the twitpocalypse/ the facebpalm:

"Google, Microsoft announce record layoffs"

Re:Yea.. not a big deal

[Mongoose Disciple]

But not necessarily qualified people.

At least in my market, solid technical people aren't hurting for work. YMMV.

Don't do it

[aaaaaaargh!]

Look at Austin Meyers, he wrote the X-Plane flight simulator, beat Microsoft at it, and made millions of dollars. If you're smart, start your own business. It's not less work but you'll be your own boss and can choose your own work time and pace. In any case don't go for big stock market companies, they might sack you any time, managers will boss you around, the company gets all the copyright and credits, and it might get sold out at any time (see e.g. Sun).

Re:wrong way to think about it

[circletimessquare]

yes, you must actively work hard at enforcement with strong regulations to keep the market free and fair

the day you realize that is the day you reach intellectual maturity

if you never agree to that, you're just another among millions of morons, who speak freely and judgmentally on subject matters they don't even understand

and yet we defeated hitler

[decora]

by taking ordinary people, and asking them do extraordinary things

i wonder, if modern corporate douchebags had been in charge of wwii, would we have ever stormed the beach at normandy ? or would they sit around with their thumb up their ass for 5 years waiting for 'good soldiers' to apply to the army.