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Brought to you from your @GoogleStudents friends. From pre-university to PhD (and beyond), we got you.
Launch & Iterate — a team cooperative card game coming to a campus near you
December 15, 2014
“What would be a fun way to show students what it’s like to work at Google, rather than just tell them about it?” My manager asked me this question a little over a year ago as we started planning for the upcoming campus recruiting season. Tech talks, career fairs, info sessions — these were our bread and butter events, and we knew there was a missed opportunity to come up with some more creative and innovative programs.
In typical Google fashion, my initial step was to get a few engineers in a room to brainstorm ideas. Some of the more obvious ideas were thrown out — host a hackathon, coding workshop, bring students to a Google office, etc. Then Eddie (the engineer who ended up leading this project) suggested, “Why not build a game that mimics what it’s like to launch a product at Google?” We all sort of laughed, then quickly realized this was a pretty genius (but daunting!) idea. We rallied a group of engineers to take this on as a 20% project, and the game took on a life of its own.
Building a card game 101
As we started working, we quickly discovered that quite a few of our coworkers had either built games like this before or were game aficionados (aka. the group of Googlers who meet up weekly to play board/card games). They provided guidance as we set out goals for the game (first and foremost, it had to be fun!) and general insight as to how long this whole process would take.
After a few months of developing the game dynamics (and building an automatic card generation pipeline, of course), we put an early version into the hands of interns to get some real feedback. Based on their comments, we continued to iterate (pun intended) and make changes to ensure that the game was still satisfying our initial set of goals. We introduced the game to more Googlers to continue collecting feedback, then took the game to the University of Texas at Austin for a true beta test. Feedback continued to remain positive, so we decided it was time to launch the game on a broader scale.
The team playing one of our earliest versions of the game (in black and white!).
So how do you play?
Launch & Iterate is a team cooperative card game with the goal of launching products in order to gain as many users as possible. In order to successfully launch products, players must develop the necessary infrastructure and features while keeping an eye on external events, which might help or hinder efforts. We created a
video tutorial
where you can learn more about how the game is played.
Celebrating after we beat the game for the first time. Launch ALL the products!
Launching and iterating (literally)
We’ll be bringing Launch & Iterate to university campuses globally over the next few months, so keep an eye out. You can learn more (and review the game if you get a chance to play it!) on our
Board Game Geek profile
.
Posted by Jessica Safir, University Programs
Google EMEA Intern Insights 一 Meet Michelangelo Marchiorello, an SMB Sales intern
December 15, 2014
Our interns have the opportunity to work on some of Google’s most cutting edge and innovative projects - not only in engineering, but across sales and other business functions, bringing a fresh perspective to the work done at Google. Interested in joining the Google team? Check out our
student positions
today and apply!
Meet Michelangelo Marchiorello, a Google intern on the SMB Sales team.
Where are you from?
I’m proud to be Italian!
Where and what did you study at University?
I received my bachelors degree in Business Administration at Bocconi University, in Milan. I recently finished my Masters in Management at ESCP Europe, a business school that gave me the opportunity to study each year in a different country and in a different language. I think that having a strong international profile is key nowadays.
What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
I’ve always been interested in working at Google. The company philosophy is what distinguished itself from the other players - placing customers and employees at the top of the company's priorities before investors and financial return.
What type of internship have you done? Give a brief description.
I interned for 6 months in the Italian Small and Medium Businesses (SMB) Sales team, at the Google Dublin headquarters for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). During that time, I worked with many Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in my home country. As an intern I had the opportunity to get involved in projects that had a direct impact on the business, on customers and on fellow colleagues!
My first Noogler selfie!
What did your workday look like?
Every workday looked different. On quiet days, I had the opportunity to work on my projects in a very chilled out way; on busy days, I couldn’t even find the time to read through all of my emails.
8:30 AM ‒ The day starts. I would meet with some of my fellow Nooglers (other Interns or Googlers who have recently joined Google) for breakfast.
9:00 AM ‒ After a quick catch up, I would be sitting at my desk. That said, at Google there is no need to be at your desk all the time.
50 : 50 ‒ I would spend 50% of my time on Team Support activities and 50% on my projects.
What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
My main project: “QBR@Scale,” is something I am very proud of. The project was a huge overall success, as it enabled a more strategic pitch for the sales representatives. I created more than 200 presentations with in-depth analysis on the past performance for many of our biggest clients. It didn’t just impact the Italian sales team, but throughout the whole of Europe, the Middle East and Africa!
At Google you have an opportunity to collaborate with people from many different backgrounds. What moment stood out to you, where diversity in the team made for better and more innovative work?
At the Google Dublin office there are more than 60 languages spoken and you can feel the international vibe all around you. The level of diversity found at Google is outstanding!
One recent moment that stood out to me was the amazing work done by the Brand Club. Every couple of weeks the Brand representatives from Europe, the Middle East and Africa meet up to discuss recent efforts on growing brand equity. It was through the diversity of the team that enabled our group to share different perspectives and points of views, tell our success stories, best practices etc.. And since the group is so diverse, in terms of needs and past experiences, everyone learned a multitude of new and better ways to do their jobs!
At Google, we say: “when you don’t find anything new to learn, it’s time to change your job”.
We all know Googler’s and interns love the food and the other perks. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
The best Google perk is being part of a group of pioneers (well ahead of early adopters) who are shaping the future of the Tech and Digital world.
We are entitled to try out the latest beta, work-in-progress software and hardware, and get to know all the latest internal and external news before anyone else. This is SO EXCITING! The apps on my phone ... my Gmail, my Google Maps, Project Cardboard ... everything gets updated on a daily basis and every update brings something new to test and give feedback on.
What does “being Googley” mean to you?
Being Googley means being available to help others, despite your schedule or level of knowledge. Being Googley means always being curious about new things and being open to learn. Being Googley means thriving in an ambiguous environment where creativity is the only compass available.
Enjoying the Dublin sun from the 11th floor terrace
What do you like most about your Google office and its locations?
Having been lucky to work in the European HQ, I really had the chance to fall in love with the facilities. Everything is designed to be functional to the employees happiness, creativity and teamwork.
Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
First of all, I am a travel addict. Since working at Google, I’ve had the chance to travel to Ibiza, Milan, Istanbul, Amsterdam and Berlin.
Beyond traveling, I love almost any water sport, from sailing to kite-surfing. At Google there are groups for almost all sports and a multitude of hobbies and interests. Despite the temperature, there are always those willing to take on the cold Irish waters.
What will you do after your internship?
After my internship I’ve taken some time off to travel for a few days to Milan, Kenya and London. Can’t wait to re-charge my cultural curiosity!
In mid-January, I’m excited to come back to Google. This time, as a full-time Google employee. Yayyyyyyy!
What are your top 2 tips to potential student applicants?
Firstly, engage on as many extracurricular projects and activities as you can. These are the parts of your CV that are going to make a difference - your grades, not so much!
Secondly, don’t be scared of the interview process. If you are "a good fit" for this organization, any interview that you’ll have will turn into an engaging conversation about your life. It’s also your first opportunity to show how willing you are to learn from other people, even when under pressure. So, don’t waste the opportunity!
Interested to join the Google team? Check out our
student positions
today and apply!
Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs Team
Hack4Humanity: Students code for social good at Google’s first ever 48 hour hackathon!
December 12, 2014
While most college students were preparing for finals and eagerly awaiting winter break, 89 students from 10 universities on the East Coast spent the weekend at Google NYC’s Hack4Humanity. Over two sleep-deprived and caffeine-fueled days, these students used their computer science skills to build technologies for social good.
The hackathon opened with several inspirational talks from experts in the humanitarian world, including speakers from
UNICEF
, the
UN Foundation
and
Christopher Reeve
, a journalist working in conflict zones, including Egypt and Gaza. As the hackathon kicked off, members of the Google Ideas team spoke about several major humanitarian challenges facing the world today: online repression and censorship, gender-based violence, and risks facing vulnerable populations.
Google Ideas
is a team that uses technology to help people confront threats in the face of conflict, instability and repression. These topics informed the project tracks for the event.
After the formal kickoff, Google Ideas engineer
Baris Yuksel
led the groups in a brainstorming session where they scoped out potential projects. Once projects were drafted, students were set to work on their first major block of coding (with a break for midnight pizza, of course). Students worked with more than 25 Google engineer mentors throughout the event and had “brain breaks” for massages, cookies, gourmet coffee tasting and, of course, Taylor Swift dance parties.
On Sunday, students demonstrated their projects in front of our six judges (three Google Ideas judges and three UN judges). After many amazing demos, our judges deliberated and chose our top three prize winners. Awarded third place were the “Inverse Pandas” from Harvard University, who presented
Fire
, their SMS-based emergency contact app. In second place were “The Powershell Girls” from New York University, with their app
HIDR
, an easy to use file encryption tool for traveling with sensitive information, intended for use by journalists and others crossing conflict zone checkpoints. And winning the grand prize were “quickSorta” from Swarthmore University, with
Alli
, a community-based app for alerting your network if you feel you are in a threatening or uncomfortable situation - intended to help bring male and female students together to minimize sexual threats on college campuses.
Congratulations to all of our Hack4Humanity participants! The entire Google team commends all of our student hackers on their thoughtfulness, hardwork, and dedication to improving the lives of those in need. Google looks forward to continuing our partnership and supporting the next generation of developers doing social good!
Posted by Meggie Smith, Hack4Humanity team
Getting to Know a PhD
November 26, 2014
Google offers a variety of opportunities for PhD students who wish to gain industry experience. Through our Getting to Know a PhD series, we’ll provide a glimpse into some of these opportunities as well as the impactful projects PhD students at Google work on.
Today we’re featuring
Neil Houlsby
, a former
Google European Doctoral Fellowship recipient
who interned on the Natural Language Processing research team.
So Neil, tell us about yourself and your PhD topic ...
I took an engineering degree at the University of Cambridge. I stayed on at Cambridge to do a masters in machine learning and cognitive science in the
Computational and Biological Learning Lab
, supervised by
Máté Lengyel
, then a PhD in machine learning co-supervised by
Zoubin Ghahramani
and Máté.
My PhD topic was in statistical machine learning, covering broadly two themes, active learning and matrix modelling. Active learning, or experimental design, involves designing algorithms that automatically choose the best data to collect. This is important when data is scarce or expensive, so minimizing redundancy is essential. One interesting application that I looked at was quantum tomographical experiments. Here, one wishes to characterise a quantum state efficiently; the active learning algorithm adapts the configuration of the experimental apparatus on-the-fly to maximize knowledge about the unknown state. My work on matrices involved designing probabilistic models and scalable algorithms to learn from matrix data, such as online purchasing data, networks, or psychometric questionnaires. One can exploit learned patterns to predict future behaviour, or infer people’s personality traits. I was lucky enough to be involved in a number of other collaborations, and the unifying theme of my PhD was the application Bayesian machine learning and scalable learning algorithms.
Why did you apply for an internship at Google and how supportive was your PhD advisor?
Statistical machine learning is an exciting field because there is much interacting research between theory and applications. In Zoubin’s lab we had a fantastic exposure to the statistical aspects of machine learning. Industrial experience allowed me to work more on large scale applications, but using similar statistical learning techniques that I was working on at Cambridge. My advisor, Zoubin, was extremely encouraging of my internship and other academic visits to gain new experiences in machine learning - provided that I finished my degree on time!
What project was your internship focused on?
I worked on semantic understanding. The goal was to annotate text with its referent entities (anything with a Wikipedia article) e.g. ‘Croft scored a century’ is referring to Croft the cricket player, not the fictional character, and ‘century’ means 100 runs, not a period of time. The algorithm needs to learn how to use context to disambiguate the annotation. Unlike previous approaches, we framed this as an inference problem in a probabilistic model. As well as the modelling aspects, much of the research focussed on how to do learning with a ‘Google scale’ model and perform efficient reasoning over millions of possible entities.
Did you publish at Google during your internship?
Yes,
we published the project
at the
2014 European Conference on Information Retrieval
. This conference is not one that the Cambridge lab usually participated in, so attending and presenting my internship work here was useful to broaden the reach of my research.
How closely connected was the work you did during your internship to your PhD topic?
There was a substantial overlap in the machine learning methods used in my internship work and my PhD (topic modelling, variational Bayes, sampling), but my internship was a stand-alone project that did not overlap directly with my other research. For me, a novel (and fun) part of the internship was working with the Google infrastructure and computing clouds which, naturally, is harder to do outside the company.
What impact has this internship experience had on your PhD?
There were two main impacts. Firstly, I learned from my intern host,
Massimiliano Ciaramita
, and colleagues at Google a great deal about applied machine learning and more broadly, other topics in computer science. Some techniques I learned were directly applicable during my PhD, others added to my general academic education. Secondly, by broadening my view of machine learning, the internship fuelled my enthusiasm for the field, which motivated me during my PhD and beyond.
Has this internship experience impacted the way you think about your future career?
I always expected that I would pursue a career in computer science and research. I don’t think this has changed. However, the internship revealed the possibility of doing fascinating research in industry. It was only after my internship that I seriously considered a career in industry. Although I sometimes considered very different career paths, from my perspective academic research and research/engineering at Google have many similar challenges and possibilities.
You just recently started your job as a Research Scientist on the Pragmatics team in Zurich - What are you working on now?
I continue working in Natural Language Processing, but I am in a new research team, focussing on pragmatics, discourse and dialogue. Our team consists of a mixture of researchers with backgrounds in linguistics, NLP and machine learning. This is a fun and new research area of for me, I am continuing to use machine learning in much of my work, and am enjoying applying it to this rich and rapidly developing field.
Looking back on your experiences now: Why should a PhD student apply for an internship at Google? Any advice to offer?
When doing research at a particular university you tend to get a single view of your field of interest. It is definitely worth visiting industry and other institutions to broaden your field of view. A Google internship provides a unique research experience: the opportunity to work on some of the hardest problems at the largest possible scales, not to mention the unique environment and culture. Whether you decide to go into industry, or continue in academia, you can learn a great deal during an internship, and have a lot of fun. I would advise applying early in your PhD, as it only gets harder later in your PhD to find the time for an internship. Also, take the opportunity to do something new - apply to work in a different country, or work in a different aspect of your field. A PhD is a unique time when you have the flexibility to explore future possibilities, so take the opportunity while you can.
Technical Programs Spotlight: Computer Science Summer Institute 2014
November 24, 2014
Google strives to increase
educational opportunities in computer science
and is committed to increasing the representation of underrepresented students in the broader field of technology. In order to do so,
Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI)
was created to help high potential students prepare for college, build confidence, and be inspired to pursue a career in tech. CSSI is a Google-hosted summer program that invites 90 rising college first-years to participate in a 3-week interactive curriculum and learn a practical introduction to computer science (HTML, CSS, Javascript, App Engine and more). Students partner in small teams to develop web applications, and ultimately present and demo their projects to Googlers who are enthusiastic to see their web apps come to life. Students designed and developed a wide variety of applications, from a strategic puzzle game called Nonograms to TaxiCop, an app which tracks and estimates taxi fares in Ghana.
The curriculum is built and maintained by Google engineers, with the intention of giving these students a head start in computer science concepts before heading off to college. With their new knowledge and skills, students are more confident, prepared for their first year of college, and inclined to graduate with a computer science degree. Randy (17), a past participant from Cambridge said;
“Career-wise [CSSI] was incredibly helpful. Even though it’s not technically an internship, it really helps set me up for future opportunities. I've met a lot of really cool people here that I was able to connect with. I learned a lot, and because of this program I want to continue pursuing CS in college. It has impacted me a lot.“
After completing CSSI, many of our participants have expressed an increase in readiness and confidence; Monica (17), a student from our Cambridge class said
“I did not have much CS experience except one CS class from high school. Now I feel prepared for my CS classes in college. I feel like I can do projects on my own, which is huge. The program very much strengthened my technical skill set.”
If you’re interested in learning more about CSSI, please visit
google.com/students/cssi
for more details and stay tuned for more information about the program in January 2015. In the meantime, please fill out this
interest form
if you'd like to be notified when our application opens.
Cross-posted from the
Google for Education blog
Posted by My-Linh Le, University Programs Team
Google EMEA Intern Insights 一 Meet Liana Saranga, a Turkish SMB Services Intern
November 20, 2014
Our interns have the opportunity to work on some of Google’s most cutting edge and innovative projects - not only in engineering, but across sales and other business functions, bringing a fresh perspective to the work done at Google. To show you just how much of an impact interns make and to highlight their unique experiences, we’re bringing you a special blog series: Google Intern Insights. Make sure to look out for the different interns being featured on the blog throughout the fall!
Where are you from?
I’m from Istanbul, Turkey
Where and what do/did you study at University?
I’m currently doing a double major in Business Administration and Economics at Koc University in Istanbul.
What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
I've always been a big Google fan! I’ve grown up being amazed by Google and its products. For me, Google is the best place I could ever ask to work. It has its own unique vibe, hence the word “Googleyness”. There couldn’t have been a better place to do my internship, than in Ireland at Google Dublin (EU HQ). I was 100% sure I would learn amazing things, and advance in many ways. All in all, I have to say: I’m blessed to have had this opportunity and cannot wait to come back!!
Noogler ― new Googler ― Orientation, wearing our Noogler hats
What type of internship are you doing?
I did my internship in the SMB (Small and Medium Business) Services Turkey team. My job was to sell AdWords features to eligible customers based on their needs and provide troubleshooting for any of the problems they may potentially experience while using AdWords.
It’s amazing! To begin with, I love working with AdWords - I think it’s a brilliant tool. And I genuinely like providing special assistance to advertisers from all over Turkey on their digital marketing strategies and showing them the do’s and don’ts of online advertising. So much fun!
What does your workday look like?
During the day we have workflow tables so that we know when we need to be on hand to talk with customers. During this time I would receive calls from customers and provide a variety of support, such as: troubleshooting and account optimization, etc.
What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
On top of my core job, I am most proud of my 50% project, which is to optimize the AdWords Turkey Education Channels, consisting of online platforms such as YouTube, AdWords Forum, Blog, Twitter and the G+ page. This required that I take a deep-dive into the various channels and analyze them based on their customer profile. For the final project outcome, I was able to successfully deliver a new targeting strategy.
Soaking up the Dublin sun
At Google you have an opportunity to collaborate with people from many different backgrounds. What moment stood out to you, where diversity in the team made for better and more innovative work?
I can say without a doubt that my team had people with a wide range of different backgrounds and personalities. I can’t even begin to tell you about the level of diversity at Google!
In my opinion, diversity on the team made for better and more innovative work every step of the way. I can definitely say that the Google atmosphere is created by all the different bits and pieces of these unique people.
It's time for Africa!
We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other perks. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
Besides the amazing perks (e.g. having massage appointments in the middle of the day!) I’d say that my favorite part was how valued I felt. While an intern, there wasn’t a single moment where I felt like “just an intern.” I was alway treated equally and respected by the people I worked with, no matter how senior they were ― which completely amazes me!
Also the level of liberty in this company is unbelievable. The company trusts its employees (‘us’) and does everything possible to remove obstacles that most companies have in place to ensure employee happiness and peace of mind.
What does “being Googley” mean to you?
It always rings a bell of a happy, positive, energetic person who’s in pursuit of doing something bigger and better. Always innovates, tries new things, steps out of boundaries and explores opportunities. Strives to be respectful and helpful to the people around them. Creative and open-minded! Can I go on...?!
What do you like most about your Google office and its locations?
The Google office is just unbelievable. It’s our own little utopia! It’s designed in a way to make employees happy, comfortable and peaceful. I’m so grateful for all the colorful sofas, massages and sleeping rooms!
Nugget, a Google office dog! Who say’s that love at first sight doesn’t exist?
Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
I’m currently building up my travel blog, where I post movie-like videos created of my trips throughout my university years. Really looking forward to it! Other than that, as obvious as it may seem, I’m a travel addict and I try to hop on the plane as much as I can during the year!
Amazing views of Dublin City
What will you do after your internship?
I’m back to studying for one more year at university, to get my bachelor’s degree. After that, I will try my best to join the Google community once again!
What are your top 2 tips to potential student applicants?
The Google environment, the people, and the Google soul is what makes Google the unique company it is today. Therefore, learn more about Google’s culture and try to find out for yourself, not just whether you are a good fit for the company but also if the company fits you back.
Be open to new challenges and step outside your comfort zone. If you want to stand out, and be different, definitely push your boundaries and test your limits.
Interested to join the Google team? Check out our
student positions
today and apply!
EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.
Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs Team
Laura in the “Lime”light - profile of a 2013 Google Lime Scholar
November 12, 2014
The Google Lime Scholarship was established in 2009 in partnership with
Lime Connect
, a nonprofit organization that supports students with disabilities working toward their academic and professional goals in all fields, including computer science.
Today we’re featuring Laura D’Aquila, a senior at MIT and 2013 recipient of the Google Lime Scholarship for Students with Disabilities. Laura is studying Computer Science/Electrical Engineering and Math enjoys playing the viola in MIT’s Symphony Orchestra and playing tennis. We recently caught up with Laura to learn more about her experience as a Google Scholar and intern.
Tell us one fun, outlandish fact about yourself.
I recently took up running as a hobby and ran in the Boston Half Marathon this year for the first time. I had a blast!
In what way(s) has the scholarship had an impact on your studies?
Google recognizing me with the scholarship meant a lot to me. It increased my confidence in my ability to be successful in the computer science field, and the awesome experiences I had at the Google Scholar’s Retreat reinforced the notion that software engineering is the career path for me. I left the Google Scholar’s Retreat feeling very motivated to continue to dedicate myself in my studies so that I can ultimately have a positive impact on others through my work.
What tips would you give to someone when it comes to applying for the scholarship?
I think that the most important thing to get across in your application is that you're passionate about computer science and that you both have used it and plan on continuing to use it to have a real, positive impact on the world. Show some specific examples about how you've taken on leadership positions on a team project, research project, summer internship, etc. and how you’ve worked towards building something useful. The reviewers will give the scholarship to students who’ve been putting their computer science education to good use and have tangible plans to continue to do so. As for your letter writers, choose people who know you well and can attest to both your personal qualities and your technical abilities.
Besides the financial benefit, what else did you gain from the scholarship and Scholars' Retreat?
The Google Scholar’s Retreat excited me about the company, and by the end of an awesome few days I knew I wanted to come back to Google as an intern the following summer. The retreat provided me with some of the resources that helped make this possible – from the resume reviews to technical interview trainings to general tips for getting through the hiring process.
Another highlight of the Google Scholar’s Retreat was the opportunity to participate in my first hackathon – 24 Hours of Good, a hackathon to benefit various not-for-profit organizations. It was cool to be working alongside the other scholarship recipients on projects that had the potential to have a large impact on other people’s lives. There were plenty of activities, such as yoga and lots of food, to get us through the night, and I got to know other people better while working with them throughout the night.
You also interned at Google this summer. What was the best part of your internship experience? The most challenging?
I had an amazing internship at Google that exceeded even the high expectations I had for it! I woke up every morning excited to begin the day and come to work. Everyone at Google clearly loves what they do, and the environment is very open and collaborative. It’s neat to be working on the cutting edge projects that Google has to offer that are used by people all over the world.
Google places the happiness of its employees first. There’s a lot of fun things to do when you want a break, and breaks are definitely encouraged in order to maximize your overall productivity throughout the day. And you’ll certainly never go hungry working at Google with three delicious meals per day plus snacks!
The most challenging part of working at Google for me was trying to stand out among many other highly intelligent and creative individuals. Google may not be the place to work at if you want to be the best one there. But I ended up loving Google’s environment since it pushed my boundaries and helped me grow. I learned so much being surrounded by some the brightest people in the world, and other Googlers were always willing to impart their knowledge on me.
Do you have any advice for students who are just getting started in computer science?
Follow your dreams and don’t be intimidated! There are a lot of large-scale problems in the world that still need to be solved, and as a computer scientist you’ll have the tools at your disposal to truly have an impact. Always ask yourself if things can be done better, and before you know it you’ll be working towards making that happen.
If you’re interested in learning more about the
Google Lime Scholarship
and other scholarship opportunities, check them out on our
Google for Education
page.
Posted by Sarah Safir, Student Development Programs
Google Intern Insights - EMEA Intern Exchange to Mountain View
October 31, 2014
This past August, the EMEA Intern team challenged their 2014 intern class to create a video about a product they would launch if they had an unlimited budget and resources in the spirit of moonshots and 10x ideas. They needed to include their concept, resources required, potential impact and the problem it would solve.
The video was to be a maximum of 2 minutes in length, and points were awarded by a panel of engineers for product idea, feasibility, technology, innovation and impact. The prize was a fully paid week at our Headquarters in Mountain View soaking up the culture, lifestyle and general life as a software engineer in Google Mountain View.
Jakub Czarnowicz, an SRE intern in Zurich, was our winner this year, with his entry tackling how to help visually impaired people navigate everyday activities using “Google Assistance Dog” on a mobile device. We asked Jakub about his inspiration and experience:
Of all of the tech companies to apply to, why did you want to work at Google?
Google is one of the few places that allows you to grow and develop your skills as well as spend some marvelous time in awesome places. It's famous for being innovative and open for new, cool ideas. If you want to affect lives of millions of users - Google is the place to do that.
Due to that choice, my whole summer was one big series of coding, hiking, designing, sightseeing, learning and having fun. One big adventure!
In what way has Google impacted you and how have you left an impact at Google?
Surprisingly, I have learned many new things here. From coffee making and juggling to networking, software design and Go language. There are many talented, brilliant people working at Google and they are all open to sharing ideas and explaining bleeding edge technology. Just a few discussions during coffee time can teach you more than a month at the university.
It is difficult for an intern to have a big impact on such a company but I hope that my product idea from the Intern Competition would be introduced and one day I would see it running. That would be a really big achievement.
What is the most interesting/exciting thing that you have been able to do as a Google intern?
It's not that simple to decide what was the most interesting. As a "nerd" I was delighted to have an impact on Google-scale applications - thousands of instances running in data centers all over the world, millions of users, unbelievable performance and stability of services ... It's just amazing.
And then, after work, there was another kind of excitement. I fulfilled one of my biggest dreams - paragliding in the Alps. It's totally breathtaking!
How was working in Google HQ (MTV) different from working in a European office? Is there an added benefit to either?
Google HQ is different in every way. It's not an office - it's a whole district of buildings including over 30 cafes, tennis courts, swimming pools, bowling alleys and so on. There are ten times more engineers than in any other office. You need a bike to travel from one building to another. The Zurich office is a lot smaller and there are incomparably fewer places to spend your free time. On the other hand, it feels a lot more homely, it's less crowded and as quiet and peaceful as a Swiss facility can be.
Do teams work differently in different offices? Is the culture different?
Each team is different, each can work in any way the members prefer. There were two most noticeable differences between my team and the team I've spent my time in Mountain View with. First is working hours. In Zurich, many people prefer to stay up late. The office is far from being empty even at 9pm while Googlers I've met in MTV leave much, much earlier.
Another thing is the coffee culture. My team spends a lot of time chatting over a cup of a latte prepared with all the proper rituals. As a coffee lover - I really enjoy this way of spending a break.
What types of lessons/skills have you learned at Google, especially in your exchange office, that you will take back to school after this summer ends?
For me, the most important skills were independence and self-confidence. At Google, if you have an idea - you should introduce it and try to make it happen without any hesitation. Even if it's criticized and rejected, you will learn a lot and draw conclusions that will help you in the future.
During my exchange, I continued to work on my main project even though I was separated from my team. In my opinion, this was the best way to learn how to solve problems on my own and work on even the most difficult problems without any supervision.
After spending time in your exchange office, do you think differently about other office locations? Would you consider working in a different office?
Nothing changed in my way of thinking about different places - I always loved traveling and experiencing new cultures. This exchange just confirmed my beliefs that I should make full use of my youth before finishing my studies and starting work as a full time employee.
Each office is different and I would love to visit as many as possible.
You had to create a video to enter into this exchange competition. Tell us a little bit about yours and where your idea came from.
My idea was to create an app that would help visually impaired people deal with everyday activities. Even ordinary actions are challenging if you have problems with your sight. Shopping? Using public transportation? Crossing a road? If you think those are simple operations - try doing them with your eyes closed.
That is where the most marvelous ideas came from - just putting yourself in someone's else shoes and try to solve their problem in the most Googley way.
After this summer, what comes next for you?
It's hard to say. I still have two years of my masters degree so I want to come back to Poland and finish my studies. In terms of Google - my biggest dream for now is to come back as an intern to work awesome offices, such as New York or Sydney.
If you’re passionate and excited by working on cool things that matter, enjoy tackling the toughest problems in information technology and developing innovative products that make a positive difference in tens of millions of lives every day, Google might just be for you!
As an intern, you come here to build, lead, break, create, improve, shi, and shoot for the moon. Our career paths are varied. Google gives you tons of options to develop yourself, and then get out of the way and let you choose what’s best for you.
If you’re inspired by Jakub and other #googleintern stories, we encourage you to apply to our 2015 internship program. Applications are open now - apply today! We’re hiring for 2015 internships right now, click
here
to apply!
Posted by Raquel Inacio, University Programs Recruiting Specialist
EMEA 2014 Android Camp: A reflection
October 29, 2014
In early August, 20 students from 10 countries and 15 universities had the opportunity to attend Google’s European Android Camp in the London office. Students were invited to a jam-packed week of Android learning and development, career panels, tech talks and social activities. The goal of the event was to give students a chance to learn, practice and have fun while developing applications for the Android operating system with the support of Google engineers. The theme for the week was
Create the Good in Your Community
, with the winning team designing a carpooling app for ride sharing.
We asked the winning team to tell us about their experience at Android Camp:
What was the highlight of Android Camp for you?
Andreea
: Android Camp was a mix of intensive programming, having fun and making new friends.
Hanna
: My highlight was looking at my sleep deprived, zombie-like teammates in disbelief after the judges announced us as winners.
Raquel
: I’d choose the last day of Hack-a-thon. Creating a fully functioning app from scratch within 24 hours is a blast! But the most important thing: we learned a lot while having a lot of fun.
Brit
: The best part for me was the moment we solved the main problem in our code and got it to work.
Do you think Android Camp helped you build or develop any skills?
Andreea
: Android Camp helped me understand the best way to be successful when developing apps (your app should do one thing and do it good).
Hanna
: I went from knowing nothing about Android development to developing an app in just a matter of days - so that should serve as proof. I also learned a thing or two about teamwork.
Raquel
: I learned a lot about Android development, how to develop user-friendly apps, and how to adapt to real users’ requirements.
What was your favorite session?
Hanna
: The hack-a-thon was my favorite part of Android Camp. To go from an idea to a functional app in 24 hours was really cool, and the level of focus and determination in the room was truly inspiring.
Raquel
: I’d choose two: the development of real-world applications session and the presentation skills session. Those tips will help me during my whole career.
Brit
: My favorite studying session was the animation class. We learned how to create short animations for our apps, and it’s amazing how pretty and professional you can make it look with just a little effort. And the great sushi class!
How do you think Android Camp will help you further your academic career?
Andreea
: I am thinking about creating an android application as my bachelor's thesis so all the work I did during that week will be helpful.
Raquel
: It has reminded me that as an engineer, I can contribute to creating things to improve the lives of millions of people. Moreover, I feel more confident with my technical skills, and it has encouraged me to continue improving my software engineering skills.
Brit
: When I arrived at Android Camp I knew absolutely nothing about Android development, and by the end of the week I built a whole app from scratch.
What are your next steps?
Andreea
: I want to develop as many Android Applications as time allows to practice the skills I have gathered during my week in London, and also apply for the Google Internship next summer.
Hanna
: I’m continuing my Masters in Computer Graphics, and developing a game in my spare time.
Raquel
: I am doing a research internship at the University of Southern California as a part of my PhD. After attending Android Camp, I am really motivated to apply for the next Google summer internships.
Brit
: I’m starting my Masters in Computer Science, but I hope to reapply for an internship at Google in a year of two!
Read more student testimonials in our ‘Live from London Android Camp’
G+ series
.For more information on opportunities at Google, please visit
Google Students
. For more updates please stay tuned on the Google Students Blog.
Posted by Maya Tudor & Karine Karpati, EMEA University Programs Team
Google Intern Insights 2014一Meet Vlad Muntean, an EMEA SMB Services Intern
October 28, 2014
Our interns have the opportunity to work on some of Google’s most cutting edge and innovative projects - not only in engineering, but across sales and other business functions, bringing a fresh perspective to the work done at Google. To show you just how much of an impact interns make and to highlight their unique experiences, we’re bringing you a special blog series: Google Intern Insights. Make sure to look out for the different interns being featured on the blog throughout the fall!
Where are you from?
I'm from the amazing
Moldova
!
Where and what do/did you study at University?
I am currently pursuing my Bachelors Degree in Business Administration at the American University in Bulgaria.
What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
I got introduced to Google as a potential employer when I was a freshman at university. At that point, I realized that working at Google would be a DREAM job. In the summer of 2013 I received an email with the call for applications for
Google AdCamp EMEA
, so I decided to give it a shot and amazingly, I got in. Through AdCamp, I got the chance to take a deep dive into Google’s culture and explore Google’s career opportunities, while spending four days at Google Dublin (EU HQ).
What type of internship are you doing?
I did a Business Associate Internship at the
Google Wroclaw office
in Poland. Half of my time was spent working with Small and Medium Business (SMB) Services for the Russian Market and the other half was spent working on my project: AdWords Policies optimization.
What does your workday look like?
Typically I would use the morning to do all of my SMB Services tasks and after lunch, I would mostly work on my project, which involved analyzing data, getting in touch with Googlers in other offices and developing supporting materials for my findings.
What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
Besides working on the core job related to SMB Services for the Russian Market, I completed an analysis of all of the major issues related to AdWords Policies in this Market. Based on my research, I was able to provide Google employees solutions and implementations related to providing a better user experience when it came to dealing with AdWords policies. Additionally, I managed to host two Webinars related to AdWords for the Russian speaking market. Finally, I delivered three trainings for Nooglers (New Googlers) and Full-time employees of the Russian SMB Services Team.
At Google you have an opportunity to collaborate with people from many different backgrounds. What moment stood out to you, where diversity in the team made for better and more innovative work?
I was able to work with Googlers who had deep knowledge on the subjects related to my core work and received support from the people around me, on any questions that arose during my project. Additionally, the team diversity made every working day unique, starting from people playing on the guitar when they wanted to relax and finishing with amazing travel stories from Mount Kilimanjaro.
We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other perks. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
The perk that I loved the most was the ability to work from any Google office. This option gave me the chance to travel around the region and explore some amazing cities like Berlin, Prague and Warsaw.
What does “being Googley” mean to you?
“Being Googley” is about being open to everyday awesomeness and collaboration. It’s about having a unique hobby and sharing it with other people. It's also about giving support whenever needed and loving all of the things that you do.
What do you like most about your Google office and its locations?
I simply fell in love with Wroclaw. Google was wise to place its office there. It is a super lively and a large beautiful city, while still providing you with a sense of coziness. It had anything a person needed for his or her free time, like: kayaking, aqua park, football, great pubs and restaurants, beautiful architecture and the friendliest people.
What will you do after your internship?
I’m back at university completing my senior year. Soon, I will start a part-time internship at a Marketing company in Bulgaria. I'll also be pursuing my hobby in theatrical acting.
What are your top 2 tips to potential student applicants?
First, be honest in your application. Everything you write should express who you actually are.
Secondly, be active during your student years by participating with different clubs and activities, and develop yourself through an interesting hobby.
Interested in joining the Google team? Check out our
student positions
today and apply!
EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.
Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs Team
Google Intern Insights 2014 一 Meet Megan Killion an EMEA SMB Sales Intern
October 27, 2014
Our interns have the opportunity to work on some of Google’s most cutting edge and innovative projects - not only in engineering, but across sales and other business functions, bringing a fresh perspective to the work done at Google. To show you just how much of an impact interns make and to highlight their unique experiences, we’re bringing you a special blog series: Google Intern Insights. Make sure to look out for the different interns being featured on the blog throughout the fall!
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland!
Where and what do/did you study at University?
I’m about to begin my fourth year of Marketing and Innovation Technology at Dublin City University, which is going to be pretty hard after spending a Summer at Google! After high school, it was my dream to go to art school, but when I was offered this course I decided to give it a try. Lucky for me, I absolutely love it! It’s an awesome and super modern course that covers basic marketing practices, but also explores the cutting edge technology and design skills that are needed to become a 21st century marketeer!
What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
My Google story actually started about a year ago, when I was asked to participate in
Google Adcamp EMEA
(read my article about the experience
here
). If you haven't heard of AdCamp before, it’s 3 days of pure awesomeness! You get to spend those 3 days in the Google office, meet other students from across EMEA, attend product talks from seasoned Google employees, and explore Dublin.
I have always had an obsession with technology. More recently my focus has been on mobile and developing my mobile marketing skill set. Google is at the forefront of everything that is “mobile” and “connected” so it became apparent very quickly that this was where I needed to be.
Disclaimer: The free food, killer gym and massages did NOT play any part in my wanting to join Google (I swear) ;)
What type of internship are you doing?
I am a Business Associate Intern and am on the UK SMB Sales team for Google AdWords! I count myself so lucky to be on this team, because I am SO passionate about the product we sell. My role is to help small and medium businesses across the UK scale and grow through the use of Google's advertising solutions (it sounds amazing, I know).
The businesses that I work with come in all shapes and sizes, and no one Google advertising solution works for all of them. Adapting and developing unique online marketing strategies for each client is what makes my role so awesome! Every day is different and that is really important to me.
I am also working on Customer Education and have formed a Hangout on Air program for my team. We actually had our first live broadcast last week, which went down a storm. The customers loved it!
What does your workday look like?
Every day is different at Google, it’s what makes this such an amazing place to work. But here is what my average day could look like:
9:00 Breakfast with the Interns (Google has the best omelettes, so I usually opt for one of these!)
9.30 Work through emails
10:00 Consultation with an Advertiser
11:00 Intern events committee meeting
12:00 Lunch (Yes, it is free - all you can eat)
13.30 Consultation with an Advertiser
14.15 Consultation with an Advertiser
15:00 Training (this could be anything from Youtube, Google Shopping or Remarketing trainings)
15.30 Grab a coffee with one of my mentors
16:00 Shadow a different team (I try to spent at least two hours a week shadowing other teams)
17.00 Meeting with marketing team in Mountain View (The mountain view marketing team played a huge part in my customer education project, so I have a lot of evening meetings with them!)
18:30 TRX & Kettle Bell Class in the Google gym with my buddies
What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
My biggest accomplishment was being able to plan, execute and report on our hangout on air series from start to finish. We targeted the Hangout on Air at 5000 customers, so it was a pretty big project. There were so many stakeholders and being able to manage all is something I am super proud of. My team had never done anything of this scale before and I was delighted that I successfully launched the biggest one yet! I was also able to convince other teams (such as marketing) to support us with various assets, which felt pretty awesome too!
At Google you have an opportunity to collaborate with people from many different backgrounds. What moment stood out to you, where diversity in the team made for better and more innovative work?
Diversity is one of the best things about working at Google. The ability to work with people from different places and backgrounds, gives amazing opportunities to learn from one another.
During my Internship, I was lucky enough to be elected onto the “Intern social committee” which was a small group of interns who ran internal events! The group was made up of Irish, English, Russian, Dutch and Croatian members. A moment that stood out to me, was a brainstorming session when we spoke about the events that we could potentially run! Everyones ideas were so VERY different, but all equally wonderful! I guess it was just interesting to hear about what everyone considered a “normal” or a "frequent" event in their hometown!"
We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other perks. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
When you don't work at Google, you think the perks are the best part. Speaking from experience, I can say that the best part about working here is the unique people. Being surrounded by such smart, enthusiastic and outgoing people, everyday, is incredibly inspiring. There is something fantastically interesting about every person you talk to here. You learn so much from your peers, it’s insane. Being around people like that everyday makes you the best possible version of yourself and it opens your eyes to so many different cultures, mind sets and ways of doing things.
What does “being Googley” mean to you?
I love this question! It’s something I get asked all the time! I honestly think that everyone has a different idea on what Googliness or what being Googley is, but it doesn't matter what it is or whether it's work related or not. It’s a passion that they bring to work and want to share, and use to help their work, their team, or all of Google itself.
What do you like most about your Google office and its locations?
The Google Dublin (EU HQ) is ridiculously cool! I just love it!
It spans 4 buildings and there is something totally unique about each one!
We have a gym, a swimming pool, dozens of kitchens, a bar, games room, karaoke rooms, nail bars, massage chair ... literally, you name it and it’s probably here!
My favourite area is in the Gasworks building. It has an old fashioned library, with hundreds of books and big, comfy armchairs. I get most of my blogging done there. Its just the perfect spot to plug in your earphones and get stuck into some work!
What will you do after your internship?
After my internship I am returning to college, for my final year of Marketing and Innovation Technology at Dublin City University! As much as I’ll miss Google, I’m looking forward to seeing all of my old classmates and getting stuck into some project work.
What are your top 2 tips to potential student applicants?
1.) BE UNIQUE ― Do you have any idea how many people apply for these internships? No? Well, neither do I, but I’m guessing in the thousands. So it’s important to spend some time thinking about how you're going to stand out from the crowd. Be creative when it comes to your resume, add as many links as you can to your college assignments, any project work you’ve done, videos, slideshows ... you name it! I also think having a nicely formatted resume can do wonders!
2.) GAIN EXPERIENCE ― I know first hand, that it can be tough to get good work experience as a student. Remember that experience doesn't always mean “work” experience. There are a lot of things you can do to make yourself a more appealing candidate, such as:
Enter the Google Online Marketing Challenge: this will show that you have first hand experience with AdWords and running online marketing campaigns.
Become a blogger and have your own website: blogging is a great way to raise your personal profile and share your ideas. It also shows recruiters that you are dedicated and hardworking (if you post frequently). If you set up advertising on the blog (Via Google Adsense) and tracking (Via Google Analytics) it instantly shows recruiters you have first hand product knowledge.
Interested in joining the Google team? Check out our
student positions
today and apply!
EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.
Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs Team
Google Intern Insights 2014 一 Meet Kendra Ibsen an EMEA SMB Service Intern
October 24, 2014
Our interns have the opportunity to work on some of Google’s most cutting edge and innovative projects - not only in engineering, but across sales and other business functions, bringing a fresh perspective to the work done at Google. To show you just how much of an impact interns make and to highlight their unique experiences, we’re bringing you a special blog series: Google Intern Insights. Make sure to look out for the different interns being featured on the blog throughout the fall!
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in
Helsingborg
, a small town located in the beautiful southern part of Sweden, only 4 KM from Denmark. The geographical location enabled my mother and father to meet each other, and hence I am half Danish. For the last five years, I have lived in Stockholm. Feel welcome to visit!
Where and what do/did you study at University?
I hold a bachelor degree from Stockholm School of Economics in Business Administration and Economics and I'm currently enrolled in their Business and Management Masters Program. I’m also super excited to be going on an exchange semester at the Tsinghua University in Beijing, China in the fall of 2014.
What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
Google has always been a dream employer for me due to its innovative corporate culture, diverse employees and the fast-moving business. My infinite interest in Google developed when I read “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg, who held a high managerial position at Google. Sheryl Sandberg is my role model in business related manners, due to her interest in female empowerment. The fact that Google prioritizes diversity in its corporate climate made me even more interested in joining the organization. Furthermore, to be part of a successful tech company with corporate values that are aligned with my values played a significant factor in my motivation to apply. Since I had one year left at university, the best choice for me was to apply for an internship. Luckily for me, I got the fantastic opportunity to be part of Google team for three months.
What type of internship are you doing?
I was an intern at the SMB (small and medium size businesses) Services team for the Nordic countries. In my opinion, as an intern in the SMB Services department at Google you get the best possible internship. In services, half your time is spent working on a business development project and the other half with AdWords and customer support. As a result of this setup, I quickly learned the ins and outs of AdWords and how to troubleshoot and provide excellent solutions to our customers. I strongly developed my customer-oriented mindset, problem-solving skills and my ability to multitask.
For my business development project I was accountable for a revenue related project that required an extensive quantitative analysis. I structured, analyzed and created recommendations for how SMB Services can work more efficiently with revenue performance. I truly loved my project and all of the challenges I faced during the project path. I also got the opportunity to work closely with senior revenue Googlers on our team and across markets. From this project, I developed my quantitative analysis skills, learned how to break down a complex business issue to operational recommendations and how to structure and prioritize a project.
What does your workday look like?
I spend half of my day working on the core business giving AdWords customer support and the other half working on my project.
During my project time, I often chose to work elsewhere than at my desk, i.e. at the 13th floor which had the most beautiful view. This definitely gave me creative stimulation during working hours.
The team spirit was fantastic. We ate lunch together every single day and would regularly have fun playing ping-pong or pool.
What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
I am mainly proud of two accomplishments.
Firstly, I exceeded expectations when I passed the AdWords exam after only two training days. This resulted in a very fast ramp-up and enabled me to do customer face-time after only one week (normally this takes four weeks).
Secondly, I am very proud of my project analysis and recommendations. I was successful in communicating my key findings and recommendations to my team in a very concrete way and hence, grasped their attention and execution mode. The result of my project was appreciated and the recommendations are already being implemented as part of the core strategy in the SMB Services Nordics team and will soon be launched to the entire EMEA market.
At Google you have an opportunity to collaborate with people from many different backgrounds. What moment stood out to you, where diversity in the team made for better and more innovative work?
The diverse mindset is a fact at Google. You positively face it everyday. You meet people from all countries in the world - men, women, the LGBT community, different cultures and backgrounds, engineers, business people, etc. Before coming to Google, I had never experienced such a diverse environment and I am quite sure that nothing can compare with Google’s workplace diversity. This is totally fantastic and admirable!
The most outstanding moment was when I met one of my colleagues who is blind. Despite her impairment, she conducted her work with excellence ― talking with customers, guiding them through to find different features of the product. Google facilitated her work, by providing her with special resources so she can deliver without clear obstacles.
We all know Googlers and interns love the food and the other perks. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
It's definitely the people. A company can provide as many perks as possible, but the thing that impresses me the most are the people. The people you meet at Google are intelligent, helpful, humble, have a high level of social intelligence and have fantastic energy. This naturally affects the atmosphere in the office landscape in an extremely positive way.
At Google many different communities exist and as a feminist and as a person with a high interest in female empowerment, I attended different female events and talked to many successful women at Google. This provided me with insights into how I, as a woman, can potentially reach my goal to become an executive in the future. As a young woman, it was extremely interested in talking to women in senior-level positions and I appreciate and admire how much time these women invests in collaborating and chatting with us.
What does “being Googley” mean to you?
For me, it means being innovative, humble, open and to have positive energy.
What do you like most about your Google office and its locations?
That’s a difficult question since the
Google Dublin (EU HQ) office
in Ireland is totally amazing. If I am forced to choose, it would have to be the different relaxing/creative areas, where you can work or just have a coffee with your colleagues.
Being a Googler means being a part of a big and lovely family. I spent all my spare-time with other Googlers. We explored the beautiful nature of Ireland, the fun nightlife and partook in the delicious food.
What will you do after your internship?
I will complete my masters degree and try to handle all of the recruiters that are contacting me after joining Google :)
What are your top 2 tips to potential student applicants?
(1) Be personal but professional; and
(2) Keep it simple, with a very results-oriented mindset.
Interested in joining the Google team? Check out our
student positions
today and apply!
EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.
Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs Team
Google Intern Insights 2014 一 Meet Martin Zaborowski, an EMEA SMB Services Intern
October 23, 2014
Our interns have the opportunity to work on some of Google’s most cutting edge and innovative projects - not only in engineering, but across sales and other business functions, bringing a fresh perspective to the work done at Google. To show you just how much of an impact interns make and to highlight their unique experiences, we’re bringing you a special blog series: Google Intern Insights. Make sure to look out for the different interns being featured on the blog throughout the fall!
Where are you from?
I’m from
Lübeck, Germany
- a lovely little city north of Hamburg. If you haven’t been there: GO, it’s beautiful! :)
Where and what do/did you study at University?
I did my Bachelors in ‘International Business Administration’ at Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), The Netherlands. I’m currently enrolled in a Masters program in Business Information Management.
What inspired you to apply for this internship, and what made Google appealing to you as a potential intern?
At Google, you can truly be yourself. You can dress however you like and express yourself freely, without having to worry about being judged. Everyone I’ve met at Google has been nothing but welcoming and open-minded. The people at Google are really amazing!
What type of internship are you doing? Give a brief description.
I’m doing a 3 month Business Associate Internship in the SMB Services team at
Google’s Wroclaw, Poland office
. As a native German speaker, I joined the DACH team, which means that I work with customers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. We support small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) in their marketing activities using Google AdWords. At its core, this entails understanding their business environment, discussing the goals of their online efforts, setting up AdWords campaigns and analyzing their results.
At my workstation, chatting to a client
What does your workday look like?
It starts with an awesome breakfast! After my morning glass of fresh orange juice and some fruit, I would usually support our customers either by calling, emailing or having a chat. When I don’t know the answers, I can always consult with my colleagues, which is important to really understand all underlying issues and learn. On average, I would also have a couple of hours a day to work on my intern project, which in my case was focused on increasing our customer satisfaction. I looked into past data, found patterns, interviewed people from different offices and departments, and had meetings to keep all stakeholders updated.
What’s something you’ve accomplished during your internship (thus far) that you’re most proud of? Or something you’re looking forward to working on?
It would have to be when I presented my project findings to my team and management at the end of my internship. It was really exciting to share what I had been working on over the past few months ― knowing that the work I’ve put into my project was really insightful to them.
Motivational Message
What moment stood out to you, where diversity in the team made for better and more innovative work?
Time for balloons!
This would have to be planning a TGIF (Thank Google It's Friday!) with the other interns. We were a group of students from all over Europe with different backgrounds and experiences. The input from so many diverse people certainly made the planning a very creative process, with many different ideas and thoughts being picked thrown on the table in making the 'Intern TGIF' a summer highlight.
For me it’s really important that a workplace is international and has diversity. I greatly appreciate that Google provides me with just that. It’s really awesome!
We all know Googler’s and interns love the food and the other perks. Outside of some of the well-known perks, what’s your favorite part about working at Google?
Assuming that you, as the reader, already know all about the amazing food, gym and massages, my favorite part of Google is how amazing the people are. I’ve made so many friends and have had such amazing times. Speaking of time, time flies when you’re at Google. Really, it’s that much FUN!
Enjoying the Google swings has also been one of my favorite parts.
What does “being Googley” mean to you?
It's kind of hard to define. But ultimately, what it comes down to is: being an open-minded, social and caring individual (perhaps mixed with a little bit of craziness).
What do you like most about your Google office and its locations?
When I found out that Google imports German products like "Club Mate" or "Fritz Cola" for us, I couldn't quite believe it. This was just the cherry on the cake. Or more like the softly baked Oreo cookie on my cake, as I'm not actually a big fan of cherries. Anyhow, the office is amazing! I remember how on my first day when I was given an office tour, I was just walking around with my mouth wide open, not quite believing this is where I'd be working over the next months.
Highlights: the relaxing room with its massage chair, the fact that we have an office dog, and the central location of the office with a view over the city.
Outside of being a Google intern, what are some fun things you do outside the classroom/office throughout the year?
This year I have dedicated myself to music by joining the 'Acapella Project' at my university and starting piano lessons. It's my goal to be able to play a couple of my favorite songs on piano and sing along to them, by the end of the year.
What will you do after your internship?
I’m going on exchange for my Masters in Canada, for about half a year. As sad as I am that my internship is over, I’m super excited about living in North America for a while. And who knows, maybe I’ll return to Google faster than I think ;)
What are your top 2 tips to potential student applicants?
1. Believe in yourself! It sounds cheesy, but it’s really important. Once you’re in the recruitment process, you must believe that you have the ‘googleyness’ they are looking to see in you (because you do!), show them what an engaged and caring person you are. Google isn’t all about having the best grades; it’s much more about being an engaged worker with ambition.
2. This might sound a bit dull, but prepare well. Depending on what internship you’re applying for, the questions might vary of course, e.g. if you’re applying for SMB Services/Sales, you should familiarize yourself with the relevant products, be clear about your motivation, your aspirations ,etc.
I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for you! :)
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Posted by Nicole Zwaaneveld, University Programs Team
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