In this follow up to Thomas Friedman's first article, How to Get a Job at Google, Part 2 is yet another interview with Laszlo Bock, the man in charge of hiring for Google. The buzz that was created after the first interview, in which Bock asserted that bosses these days care less about what you know or where you learned it and care more about what you can do with the knowledge you have, motivated Friedman to ask some follow-up questions. In the exchange, Bock explains that he doesn't believe college is worthless but he does think that many young people go to college without a sense of direction or an expectation as to what purpose college should be serving for them. Bock goes on to say that people shouldn't go to college just because they think it's the necessary next step. The decision to attend college should be extremely deliberate and purposeful.
From that point, Bock transitions into the notion that college students should be acquiring skills and traits that are marketable and relevant to the modern workplace. One such trait businesses are looking for, according to Bock, is grit, which is why he believes that it's more advantageous to graduate with Bs as a Computer Science major than it is to graduate with A+s as an English major. People like Bock are looking for graduates who challenged themselves and were able to succeed despite heavy workloads. This kind of grit through rigorous studies also shows one's cognitive ability. Google wants employees who can work through difficult problems and not simply take the easiest path. This is not to say, however, that the liberal arts and subjects that emphasize creativity are not important. But in the current economic system, those types of fields are more applicable and useful when combined with something else, most notably when a logic-centered field is combined with a creative one. The interview concludes with some advice about building a Resumé and interviewing for jobs. Bock says that a good Resumé will say "I accomplished X, relative to Y, by doing Z." In other words, it highlights an accomplishment, points out how it is different and/or better than others' accomplishments, and explains the process by which it was done. His recommendation for interviews was similar. Bock stresses the importance of stating you purpose or value and illustrating that with a clear example or method. First and foremost, I appreciate Bock's advice and I'll be keeping it in mind when I'm updating my Resumé and and going in for interviews. Secondly, I couldn't agree more with Bock that college should not be the default next step after High School. I would recommend college to all of my students, not to mention my own children, but I would explain that college should only be considered if there's an intended purpose in mind. A degree no longer guarantees a good job so students need to be thinking about how college will help them reach their goals specifically. Also, I've heard a lot of teachers talk about how students these days lack the kind of grit that Bock is talking about. I plan to not only challenge my students with a rigorous curriculum, but also explain to them the value of hard work, determination, and grit. It may even be worth it to show students the perks of working at Google and then have them read Friedman's article. Friedman, T. (2014, April 19). How to get a job at Google, Part 2. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/20/opinion/sunday/friedman-how-to-get-a-job-at-google-part-2.html
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorGeorge Porter, English Teacher at Sage Creek Archives
May 2016
Categories |