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Inside ITRP - Victor
November 28, 2011
Introduction: This is the second post in our series about current residents in Google’s
Internal Technology Residency Program
. Today, we highlight Victor Escobedo, who joined the ITR Program in August of 2010.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you go to school? What did you study?
Victor Escobedo:
I was born and raised in Southern California and attended
Cal State Fullerton
where I studied and earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Throughout college I worked full-time at an engineering company as a systems administrator as well as taking on personal projects in web design and IT deployments. After graduating, I joined Google through the
Internal Technology Residency Program
(ITRP) in August of 2010 and have loved every second of it.
How did you find out about the ITR Program?
VE:
Unlike many of my colleagues who found out about the Program through Google sponsored college events, I happened to stumble across the ITR Program while I was job hunting after graduation. I had always been impressed with the principles that Google seemed to exude, as well as stories I heard about the work environment. I figured that if there were any large enterprise in which I could happily work, it would have to be Google. I decided to apply and, to my delight, was invited to begin the interview process.
On rotation in the beautiful Swiss Alps
Tell us about the office rotation component of the ITR Program.
VE:
I honestly believe that the office rotation component of this Program is the greatest component of any program at Google; with all the great programs offered here, that’s saying a lot. ITRP has a built-in component that requires you (as if you wouldn’t want to go) to spend a quarter outside of the Mountain View office in one of Google’s many global offices. For a three month period, I had the opportunity to experience the role of a field tech working out of the
Zurich office
. Not only was this my first time living outside of the U.S., but it was also my first time in Switzerland. From the first day to the last, the local team was amazing; they went out of their way to make me feel right at home by taking me around the city and showing me all the best sights, as well as teaching me an enormous amount of what it takes to offer great support at Google. In my spare time, I hiked the Swiss Alps, had steak on a sword (yeah you read that right) and had some of the best chocolate I’ve ever tasted; overall, I had a once in a lifetime experience as a result of ITRP.
What have you enjoyed most about the ITR Program?
VE:
It’s incredibly difficult to pinpoint a single component that I have enjoyed most about the Program (the people, the projects, etc.), but if I had to choose one, it would be the travel opportunities. In the short time that I have been here, I have been lucky enough to visit and work out of the Mountain View, New York, Madrid and Zurich offices (yes, all of them were amazing). While in these offices, I met and worked with people who were incredibly talented, and I learned first-hand what it meant to support and work for a company with a truly global presence. While in Europe, I had the opportunity to support offices oceans away while at the same time collaborating with teammates who were still back in Mountain View.
In addition to the international opportunities, I’ve learned that this company fosters an environment which encourages people to try and fail. Instead of squashing ideas, you are encouraged to challenge the status quo and can make changes that can affect thousands; it’s unlike anything I’ve heard of in any large organization. The fact that this company is so large and yet I constantly feel that I am working for a startup—granted, one with with massive resources—is a testament to the unique nature and culture in which Google operates.
Did I mention that the team is pretty crazy?
What surprised you most about the ITR Program?
VE:
From the beginning, I was surprised at how everyone inside the organization is so willing to share. No, I don’t mean I get to use everyone’s toys, I mean sharing knowledge. Most other IT organizations I have encountered have a common problem, which I have dubbed as the “that guy” problem. It’s when there is one person who has been on the team for so long that he is the only one that knows how anything works and has become “that guy” with all the answers. The problem is that “that guy” usually doesn’t like to share his knowledge because he feels that it’s a type of job security. At Google, and within ITRP especially, we take the exact opposite approach: We over share information so that no matter who is available at any given time, there’s a good chance he or she will have the skills and information needed to solve any problem. It’s liberating, and allows us to provide a level of support that I think is unrivaled by any organization of our size.
Got any good technical tips?
VE:
Well to answer that I first want to pose some questions of my own: How much sensitive information do you store in your Gmail account? Do you have bank information, credit card numbers, passwords, your social security number in some message from years ago? Have you ever thought about how much personal and sensitive information you store in your email? If you feel at all worried about the idea of a hacker having access to your Gmail and all the information that goes along with it, I highly recommend that you configure
2-Factor Verification
for your account. What this does is add a second layer of security to your account. When you visit Gmail.com, you are presented with the normal username and password screen that you know and love, but once you get passed that, you are asked for a special 6 digit number. This number is a pseudo random number that is generated for you and either sent to your phone via SMS or accessed from the
Google Authenticator
app on your phone. This adds a mere few seconds to your login process but it makes it impossible for anyone else to access your account even if they somehow managed to get your username and password. Be proactive about security!
Posted by Victor Escobedo, Internal Technology Resident
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