One man's Google Interview Experience

[kyrathaba]

Google has simply shown, in my opinion, an extreme lack of respect for the interviewee. Massively delayed or non-existent communications, sloppy bookkeeping, canned responses, pandering for applicants, etc. My interviews only consisted of a barrage of highly technical questions. Not once was my resume brought up. Not once was I asked about me in an interview.

http://symbo1ics.com/blog/?p=2055

[Renegade]

It's called human "resources" for a reason. You are a thing. A resource to be consumed.

[40hz]

Some companies seem to confuse "technical interview" with an excuse to be rude to the applicant. I've seen this happen in big and small companies although the worst offenders seem to be the giant corporations, many of whom won't even notify interviewees when they're not selected. I've seen the phrase "only successful applicants will be notified" on more than a few job listings. I guess if you don't hear from them in a reasonable amount of time after an interview you're left to assume they aren't going to make you an offer. That is flat out rude - and becoming increasingly common.

Some have argued that companies are so afraid of litigation that they're minimizing contact with applicants during the hiring process. From what I've seen however, I think it's more due to the increased number of "new generation" employees they have working for them that have spent much of their lives hiding behind a computer screen and have now grown up to be acutely uncomfortable in one-on-one or F2F situations. Especially with strangers. And even more so in situations where they would be the bearer of bad news.

And it's not confined to hiring. I know two people who have been "let go" that were notified of their company's decision by mail. And to add to the insult, their subsequent "exit" interviews were handled by outside service firms that specialize in employee terminations and layoffs. Just like George Clooney's character Ryan Bingham in the movie Up in the Air. There are such people.

I think Renegade hit on it with the comment about human resources. Resources are things to be consumed. Human or otherwise.

[Stoic Joker]

From what I've seen however, I think it's more due to the increased number of "new generation" employees they have working for them that have spent much of their lives hiding behind a computer screen and have now grown up to be acutely uncomfortable in one-on-one or F2F situations.

-40hz (August 21, 2013, 02:57 PM)

One step closer to the Matrix - People are more "comfortable" away from each other ... They should be storing us in pods in no time..

[TaoPhoenix]

Since the article gives us excuse to be cynical about Google, I'll go at it from another slant.

If it were "something important", like a request from the NSA for a Prism algorithm, you bet they would have just drilled it out. I'm glad the guy had another job and did this process "in the background". It almost makes me think of "outsourcing the interview" and then a year later when "he" is actually hired, then he just goes to work and a year's worth of his life could be saved!

[Renegade]

I guess if you don't hear from them in a reasonable amount of time after an interview you're left to assume they aren't going to make you an offer.

-40hz (August 21, 2013, 02:57 PM)

This also happens in the sick-care industry. If you go for some test, they will only notify you if they can get more money from you, i.e. You've tested positive for some condition that they can "treat". Otherwise, if you're healthy, they'll just look at the test results, realise that they can't milk you for anything, and throw them out or file them without contacting you. Never mind that you actually PAID for the results that they never give to you...

Can you imagine being paid to create a web site (or anything) for someone, creating it, but never delivering it to them?

That is flat out rude - and becoming increasingly common.

-40hz (August 21, 2013, 02:57 PM)

Why is it rude?
Would you thank your toaster for nicely toasting your bread?
Would you inform your car that it's low on fuel and you'll be taking it to the gas station on your next trip?
Why do people feel entitled to not being treated like an object?
Why do people get offended when they are relegated to the status of a commodity?
What does being polite have to do with the bottom line?
Do stock holders care?
Does a company have any fiduciary duty other than to maximise profit?

Hopefully I've asked some uncomfortable questions.