The hiring processes in many organizations are aimed at making sure that the best hands for the task at hand are hired. This is done in a bid to improve the efficiency of the labor force. There are different hiring processes in different organizations; some complex, others basic. The bottom line is that the process must deliver the best candidate for the job. Below is a discussion on how Google goes about the process.
Google’s Hiring Process
The hiring process is aimed at making sure that the best hands are gathered to handle a particular task in an organization. As such, the position must be well defined so that the process of looking for a professional to fill it can be initiated (Anon, 2011). Once this is done, the hiring process, which involves different steps, is initiated. Some companies adopt a more vigorous process than others. One of the companies with such a process is Google.
According to Google (2012) their hiring process is aimed at hiring people who will benefit the company on the short-run and in the long run. That is, there is the need for visionary talents. The process is quite long with every step having a reason behind. First of all, there is a conversation interview with the recruiter followed by a phone interview and then an onsite interview at one of their regional offices. There are four basic things that the recruiters look for. There is the leadership function, role-related knowledge, an individual’s way of thinking and the adaptability of the individual to working in Google. More often than not, the recruiters look for the talent in the individuals.
The hiring process in Google has come under fire from some critics. VenderMey (2012) observes that the process, besides being long, is also bureaucratic. It is based on the need for talent. Some people argue that the company often hires people not because there is an opening, but mainly because they have the talent. The criticism comes from the perspectives of complexity, longevity and objective of the hiring process.
Well, in as much as the Google hiring process is quite lengthy, it cannot be denied that it has led to the talent acquisition in the company, which has propelled it to great heights. As such, this could be the way to go for blue-chip companies in the world. It is better to invest a lot in the hiring process. This ensures that the people hired are qualified for the job, have a talent and a passion to work for the company. The focus should be shifted from looking only at the academic qualifications, since actual job performance goes way beyond what is in the papers.
The advantages in the Google hiring process is its ability to deliver the exact candidates needed for the task at hand. It also ensures that besides the academic qualification, the recruits have talent and passion for work (Google, 2012). This makes it easy for these people to integrate into the team and deliver the expected results. This is a leaf that other companies should borrow from this company. It is a rewarding process. It might be lengthy and more costly, but the ultimate result is that the recruits have what it takes to bring in much more to the company. The output of the recruits ends up outweighing the initial cost of hiring. This is a good investment and an appealing idea for business minded companies; the benefits outweigh the costs. In a nutshell, it can be said that the hiring process at Google is a wise investment. It takes time, money and dedication but the reward is so great that the pains of going through the process are forgotten. Such an interview is a small price to pay for getting a motivated, talented and passionate team.
References
Anon. (2011). Personnel Planning and Recruiting. Prentice Hall. (Attached)
Google. (2012). How We Hire. Retrieved on 13th Sept. 2012 from http://www.google.com/about/jobs/lifeatgoogle/hiringprocess/
VanderMey, A. (2012). Inside Google’s Recruiting Machine. Retrieved on 13th Sept. 2012 from http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/02/24/google-recruiting/
