Oleg Dulin
Aug 8, 2017 · 2 min read

I am not the kind who buys into a cult, so may view point may not be the most accurate. I am skeptical of Google as I would be of any big company.

I have a Masters in Computer Science from NYU and I interviewed at Google twice and I’m pretty sure I didn’t get hired because I didn’t fawn all over Google when asked “Why do you want to work for Google?” I simply couldn’t answer that, because to me Google is a yet another big company for me to get lost in. I want to work somewhere where I can make a difference and a direct impact and I am simply not convinced that I would be able to do that at Google.

I have friends who work at Google and tell me that I didn’t pass the interview because I don’t have a “personality fit.” They apparently look for “Googleyness.” No wonder they come across as having an echo chamber and have a problem with women and minorities to the point where their own employees write anti-diversity manifestos. How did that idiot get hired in the first place?

Reality is that there is a ton of big successful companies and exciting start-ups who would love to have people like you (or me) as an engineer. In my career I had nothing but great things to say about all of my employers, including the current one. I love my job.

I continue to get inquires from Google recruiters and I stay in touch with them politely. They never offer any specific job opportunities at Google. That part hasn’t changed since I first interviewed there 10 years ago. You never know what job you are applying for when you go for an interview.

So, anyways, my point is — Google as an employer is not an end goal. The goal is to become a great engineer and be good at what you do and that’s that. You will be successful and marketable anywhere, and you will make an impact anywhere you want.

    Oleg Dulin

    Written by

    Software engineering, cloud computing, politics, photography. Husband, father, hobby photographer, armchair pundit. All opinions are mine.