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Google May Try To Recruit You For a Job Based On Your Search Queries

HughPickens.com writes: If Google sees that you're searching for specific programming terms, they may ask you to apply for a job as Max Rossett writes that three months ago while working on a project, he Googled "python lambda function list comprehension." The familiar blue links appeared on the search page, and he started to look for the most relevant one. But then something unusual happened. The search results split and folded back to reveal a box that said "You're speaking our language. Up for a challenge?" Clicking on the link took Rossett to a page called "foo.bar" that outlined a programming challenge and gave instructions on how to submit his solution. "I had 48 hours to solve it, and the timer was ticking," writes Rossett. "I had the option to code in Python or Java. I set to work and solved the first problem in a couple hours. Each time I submitted a solution, foo.bar tested my code against five hidden test cases."

After solving another five problems the page gave Rossett the option to submit his contact information and much to his surprise, a recruiter emailed him a couple days later asking for a copy of his resume. Three months after the mysterious invitation appeared, Rossett started at Google. Apparently Google has been using this recruiting tactic for some time.

8 of 182 comments (clear)

  1. Time investment by mwehle · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I set to work and solved the first problem in a couple hours. Each time I submitted a solution, foo.bar tested my code against five hidden test cases." After solving another five problems the page gave Rossett the option to submit his contact information

    Curious: what prompted Max Rossett to spend hours solving programming puzzles before being even given the opportunity to submit contact information for a job consideration?

    --
    Wir sind geboren, um frei zu sein - Rio Reiser
    1. Re:Time investment by Kjella · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Curious: what prompted Max Rossett to spend hours solving programming puzzles before being even given the opportunity to submit contact information for a job consideration?

      This may be news to you, but many people will take on a challenge just because it's a challenge like climbing a mountain only to climb back down. Particularly if you think it would impress someone you'd like to impress. And unless you think Google has an odd way of providing entertainment, it should be pretty obvious they want to find someone who can solve those puzzles. If a company is looking for your competence, well then add 2+2 (no, that won't qualify you for a position at Google) about what might come next. And if not a job offer, then probably some kind of PR stunt price. Whatever it is, would it be rational to think at the end of it all they're going to say "Hope you enjoyed the challenge, have a nice day!" and nothing more?

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
  2. Re:Optimizing for technical over people skills by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    over time they will have tons of brilliant engineers that can solve puzzles but can't work with other people or understand user's problems.

    I have been an engineer for 30 years, have managed to meet only a handful that are actually brilliant, none of them have had any inkling of being bad at working with other people or understanding user's problem. In fact, their social skills were about where their engineering skills were. Smart is smart. Stop believing childish myths.

  3. Re:No Interest in me, either by hawguy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Since most of my queries regarding coding are Perl or Bash related. Sorry, Google, I'm old school. Perl and Bash are still my bread and butter, and Perl developers are still getting heaps of job offers. Some amazing stuff is being done with Perl (Fastmail and others), but it's no longer the flavour of the month for the kids, so it gets ignored. Perl, though, does not suffer the internal split that Python has with 2.x vs 3.x development. Python devs still overwhelmingly use 2.x. Perl just works.

    Perl would suffer the same split problem if Perl6 were ever released. 15 years in the making and it might (finally) be released by the end of this year.

  4. Wait for the lawsuit by viperidaenz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Recruitment companies are going to sue Google for using it's search monopoly to rob them of their commissions.

  5. Re:too cool for google by rubycodez · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Silly, you need to be hitting google.co.jp when you do that, and using kanji

  6. Time Management by PPH · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Person is researching python lambda function list comprehension for a programming project. Gets sidetracked for a couple of hours by popup puzzles.

    Yep. This is the employee we want.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  7. Re:Privacy by Tough+Love · · Score: 1, Insightful

    It's creepy either way. The want people to help make it creepier. The best way to find those is to see how they respond to a creepy opener.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.