Google’s ‘secret’ recruitment technique

A new employee at Google has revealed that he landed the job accidentally, after typing a combination of words into the search engine.

Searching the words “python lambda function list comprehension” transported Max Rosett to an invitation to take part in a “challenge” – Google’s “secret” recruitment tool.

When Rosett – who was researching for a university project – clicked ‘search’, he was presented with a pop-up message that read: “You’re speaking our language. Up for a challenge?”

Rosett clicked on the “I want to play” option, which took him on to a series of challenges.

The tasks included locating a file in a special interface, and undertaking a programming challenge.

Upon successfully completing all of the problems, Rosett was asked to submit his contact information.

“Much to my surprise, a recruiter emailed me a couple days later asking for a copy of my resume,” he wrote in a blog. “I emailed it to him, and we set up a phone call.”

After passing the traditional interview stage, Rosett was offered a job, and started at Google three months after completing the online test.

The search that Rosett used no longer activates the challenges; but there are reports of other pages that are still active.