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From Stanford to Switzerland: How one Googler arrived at his dream job
October 11, 2011
Tell us about yourself.
Red Daly:
I was born and raised in the U.S., in Vienna, Virginia, but I have been living down the road from Google’s Mountain View headquarters for the last five years, studying at Stanford University, where I received both my B.S. and M.S. in computer science.
How did you end up at Google?
RD:
I wanted to live outside the United States for a little while, and I would feel pretty silly moving out of Silicon Valley to join or create a startup. I decided to search for a company with offices in both the U.S. and cool European cities, so I could work abroad for awhile and eventually come back home. Google was the first company to come to mind. A map of all the Google offices revealed the possibility of relocating to a new part of the world. Europe was beckoning me to work there, and after looking at the photos of Google’s Swiss office, I knew it was the place I wanted to be.
What were you most looking forward before you started? Any concerns or fears?
RD:
I was looking forward to seeing how Google performs all its engineering feats. It's like learning how a magician performs his tricks. My only concern was what I perceived to be a lack of beards among the Googlers I witnessed when I came in for my interviews. Perhaps it is during the winter months that the beards grow in thickest, and I came out of season. In any case I intend to remain vigilant.
Tell us what you’re working on at Google.
RD:
I am applying my machine learning background to improve the advertising experience for users, and, in turn, advertisers. Officially, I’m working on the product ads quality team, which works on improving ad formats for commercial products, like sweater dresses and motherboards.
How do you like living in Zurich? Do you miss anything about California?
RD:
My first few months have been super. The superiority of Swiss citizens’ English to my own has surprised me the most. Somehow, people around here speak three to five languages with exceptional fluency. Also, I knew the Alps were beautiful, but I didn't realize until moving here how easy it is to hop on a train and be on a mountaintop two hours later.
Zurich is an amazing city--do you want a laundry list of awesome? This summer, the weather was fantastic enough for impromptu lake swims and plenty of alpine hikes. The public transport here ranks among the best in the world: Not only is it easy to get around this city, but a train will hustle me back to work on Monday morning no matter what corner of Switzerland I’m in the night before. We are only a hop away from Germany, a skip away from France, and a jump away from Italy, so weekend getaway options abound.
Of course, I miss California. The Pacific Coast Highway, bike rides to Pescadero, the redwoods, and the fluid life of a university student all come to mind every now and again. But on the whole, life in Zurich is living up to expectations and then some.
What do you like most about working at Google?
RD:
An idea that starts off in a single Googler’s head can have a massive global impact. I appreciate that Google can propel good ideas into reality in a way that affects a lot of lives.
What’s the most challenging part of working at Google?
RD:
Choice is the killer challenge for me. There is so much buzz in the office every day, and my job, like most here, comes with a high level of freedom. It can be overwhelming deciding which Tech Talks to attend, how to choose my
20% project
, or which flavor of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to try next in the cafe.
The way you accepted your job offer was very "Googley" acceptance. Can you share the story?
RD:
After graduation I spent two months traveling around Europe and southeast Asia. For the first month, I walked the
Camino de Santiago
, a seven-hundred kilometer pilgrimage from the Spanish-French border to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. I accepted the offer from Google on the same day that I crossed the highest point of the whole walk. It seemed logical to snap a photo capturing the moment.
Any tips for students on the job hunt or advice for students still in school?
RD:
Most of my peers did not consider working abroad after school, so I would encourage more graduates to consider broadening their horizons. My tip for current students: study computer science, or another highly technical discipline. I have not encountered a field where scientific skills are not extremely valuable.
How about a fun fact—what's your favorite cheese?
RD:
It's hard to globally maximize such a high dimensional and delicious space! Parmigiano Reggiano might be my favorite, though.
Posted by Marni Merksamer, EMEA People Programs Specialist
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