civilwarnovels Chapter 182 The Job Fair That Shook the World
Chapter 182 The Job Fair That Shook the World
Chapter 182 The Job Fair That Shook the World
Google, a company that has become a giant in the Internet field but has not yet achieved dominance, is at a critical juncture of rapid development.
Regarding Google's future development, Wall Street, individual investors, and elites alike are confident that Google can become a dominant company in the internet industry, like ExxonMobil or Enron.
So when the news broke that Google planned to hire a large number of management personnel, the entire professional circle was instantly abuzz, causing a huge stir.
This is undoubtedly a rare opportunity for many professionals who are eager to make a breakthrough in their careers.
The job seekers came in droves, most of them senior executives from well-known companies. They were graduates of prestigious universities and had the ability, but because they were too young or lacked connections, they were frustrated that they could not get ahead in their original companies and all wanted to show their talents at Google.
Among the many job openings, the competition for the C00 Chief Operating Officer, C10 Chief Information Officer, and C0 Chief Human Resources Officer positions is the most intense.
These three positions are all core senior management roles within Google, directly related to the company's operations management, information security, and talent strategy.
Successfully landing a job in any of these positions not only signifies a new height in one's career, offering the opportunity to showcase one's management skills in a more important role, but also means achieving financial freedom.
Stock options are mandatory for employees who stay in the position for three to five years; this is a common workplace rule in the United States.
On June 3, the selection process for Google's CEO officially began.
As a core position in Google's talent strategy, the selection process for the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHO) is closely watched.
The first round of interviews was conducted by an interview panel consisting of several core engineers and product managers from Google.
The chief people officer's main responsibility is recruitment. The philosophy behind this is crucial, as is whether the recruited personnel can integrate into Google's current culture.
Who is most affected? Not the company's top management, but the frontline employees.
They need to become colleagues with these new employees and even form a team with them, so their opinions are crucial.
This is why, after discussing it with Ernst and Hamilton, the first round of interviews was conducted by engineers and product managers.
Engineers are the core of Google, while product managers need to coordinate with various departments and are the ones who know the employees best.
Ernst and Hamilton took a look when they had a spare moment and reaffirmed their decision.
These people don't care how famous the applicant was before, and they immediately throw out a series of sharp questions.
"If you were to assemble a brand new project team for Google, with members from different countries and cultural backgrounds, how would you ensure their efficient collaboration?"
"If you had a very outstanding candidate, but they were somewhat introverted and not very good at team communication, would you choose to hire them?"
Listening to the questions one after another, Ernst smiled and said to Hamilton beside him, "For a moment I felt that we didn't need to hire a CHO at all, these people are capable of doing the job."
These questions, though seemingly simple, actually contain hidden complexities.
Many job applicants fall into a fixed mindset when faced with these questions.
They talked at length about how things are done in traditional companies, emphasizing hierarchical management and standardized processes, but ignored Google's unique genes of freedom, equality, and innovation.
Hamilton looked at the group of people sitting in the interviewer's seat, looking quite professional, and shook his head. "Although these questions are designed to assess the applicants' understanding of Google's diverse culture and innovative atmosphere, as well as their ability to think outside the box, the angles chosen are good. But Google needs more than just these things; it also needs a large number of administrative staff."
"This is their limitation; they only think about basic issues that relate to themselves, without considering the overall picture."
Inside the meeting room, interviewees came and went. Several people answered well, but Ernst felt something was missing.
It wasn't until a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties shared his thoughts that the two of them found it somewhat interesting.
"Then we need to establish an open and transparent communication mechanism so that every member can speak freely and enhance mutual understanding and trust through regular cultural exchange activities."
"As for the applicant you mentioned who has an introverted personality, I think we can tailor a work arrangement for him to leverage his professional strengths, and at the same time, gradually guide him to integrate into the team through teamwork projects."
His answer was like a clear spring.
Especially on the second question, these applicants are usually eliminated on the first one. The prevailing sentiment on the second question is that one bad apple shouldn't spoil the whole bunch.
The man in front of me not only accepted the offer but also provided a concrete solution, perfectly embodying Google's spirit of diversity.
"What's his background?" Ernst asked in a low voice with interest. Hamilton flipped through the documents in his hand and quickly found the other party's resume.
"It's got quite a background, it's from Heidrick & Struggles."
"No wonder," Ernst muttered.
Heidrick & Struggles, Korn Ferry, Spencer Spencer, Egon Zehnder, and Russell Reynolds—these are the future top five executive search firms in the world.
"That's something we should keep an eye on," Ernst and Hamilton said, exchanging a glance before leaving.
They also need to look at other places. This recruitment is not only for the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHO) position, but also for a large number of subsidiary positions. However, the Chief Human Resources Officer position is the most important one.
In the conference room, László Bock, who had passed the first round of testing, was unaware that he had already gained the appreciation of important figures. After politely shaking hands with everyone, he went back to prepare for the second round of interviews in the afternoon.
At 1 p.m., the second round of interviews began, and László Bock faced an even greater challenge.
This time, he will be facing a simulated recruitment scenario.
"This contains all of Google's job requirements. You need to develop a detailed recruitment strategy within a specified timeframe, including how to screen resumes, design interview questions, and evaluate candidates."
Most of these applicants had impressive resumes, and many worked in human resources.
Google is selecting talent, and Ernst has no reason to leave these free laborers unused.
So this round is both an interview and a way to help Google apply for a job.
While the other interviewees were busy writing their answers, László Bock didn't rush to start writing; these requirements were a piece of cake for him.
With a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from Pomona College and an MBA from Yale University, he has worked at McKinsey & Company and Heidrick & Struggles, providing strategic consulting services to clients in various industries.
But are these useful? He felt they couldn't become his advantage.
Which of my competitors didn't graduate from a prestigious university and work for a large company?
Many of them have been working in the human resources industry for two or three decades and have more experience than him.
László knew he had to win by surprise.
He thought about the content of the first round of interviews. Clearly, Google didn't need a routine recruitment process, but rather a method that could truly uncover the potential of talent.
He carefully studied the various positions and job functions that needed to be filled and began to design independent and personalized interview questions.
Education level was the first requirement he rejected.
Google needs candidates whose skills match the job requirements, not those whose education matches the job requirements.
Then there's management. Recruitment and turnover are very serious issues for companies. For a large company, employees leave every day. Stabilizing this aspect is equivalent to stabilizing the basic human resources base.
The company cannot be driven by demand; it cannot be forced to hire another employee every time a new demand arises after an employee leaves.
Instead, the demand should follow the company's needs. If the company feels that an employee's abilities are no longer suitable for the position, they should be dismissed or reassigned, and suitable talent should be added.
László wrote a lot, and his report appeared in Ernst and Hamilton's offices that very evening.
"That's interesting. This guy has abandoned the traditional single evaluation standard and introduced a multi-faceted evaluation system. Moreover, his recruitment strategy is logically rigorous and methodologically innovative, which can be said to be a reform of the human resources industry."
Hamilton spoke highly of László Bock, and Ernst was delighted to have discovered such a talented individual.
"Let's meet this guy tomorrow. If he's a good fit, we'll finalize the deal. If not, we'll meet with other applicants."
Hamilton joked, "I think you just want to quit and leave, don't you?"
Ernst will definitely personally oversee the appointment of the CHO.
As for the other positions, with a trustworthy Chief Human Resources Officer (CHO), there's no need for him to personally oversee them; he only needs to make the final decisions.