This article left me feeling a little unsettled because I cannot simply agree or disagree with the philosophy at hand. According to the article, Google completely disregards GPA and looks for the soft skills- “leadership, humility, collaboration, adaptability, and loving to learn and relearn”. I agree that we are not, and should not be, defined by numerical statistics like SAT’s, GRE’s, GPA, etc. As Mr. Bock said, “talent can come in so many different forms and be built in so many nontraditional ways today, hiring officers have to be alive to everyone”. I agree. Hiring officers need to interview carefully in order to get an accurate assessment of the individual. A 4.0 GPA from a prestigious university does not necessarily make someone the most qualified candidate for a position.The next candidate may have 10 times more real-world skills and field experience. So scores alone do not show the whole picture.
While Google’s egalitarian hiring philosophy works for their firm, in reality most employers are not like this.This hiring philosophy is not universal. The job market that our students today will face is not one-size-fits-all. Many employers will look at GPA because it shows something. It demonstrates the ability to manage a college career, dedication to the task at hand, diligence, consistency and willingness to learn.These qualities mean something to most employers.
So I guess my point is this, I neither agree nor disagree with Google’s philosophy. It is a successful hiring method for them but not representative of the job market as a whole. So in my opinion the question is not am I preparing my students to get a job at Google? It’s am I preparing them to get a job wherever they desire? I need to challenge them in ways that develop both their soft skills and prove their effort academically. I will end with my favorite quote from the article, “the world only cares about- and pays off on- what you can do with what you know.”
Friedman, T. (2014, February 22). How to Get a Job at Google. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
While Google’s egalitarian hiring philosophy works for their firm, in reality most employers are not like this.This hiring philosophy is not universal. The job market that our students today will face is not one-size-fits-all. Many employers will look at GPA because it shows something. It demonstrates the ability to manage a college career, dedication to the task at hand, diligence, consistency and willingness to learn.These qualities mean something to most employers.
So I guess my point is this, I neither agree nor disagree with Google’s philosophy. It is a successful hiring method for them but not representative of the job market as a whole. So in my opinion the question is not am I preparing my students to get a job at Google? It’s am I preparing them to get a job wherever they desire? I need to challenge them in ways that develop both their soft skills and prove their effort academically. I will end with my favorite quote from the article, “the world only cares about- and pays off on- what you can do with what you know.”
Friedman, T. (2014, February 22). How to Get a Job at Google. Retrieved September 16, 2015.