4 Tips on How to Land a Job at a Top Company (from Google People Ops Head)

Laszlo Bock led People Operations at Google for 11 years and oversaw exponential growth. In a recent LinkedIn video Q&A, he gives 4 tips on how to land a job at a top company. My summary below so you don’t have to watch the video:

1. Your resume must clearly state: (i) what you did, (ii) how you did it, and (iii) how you measured it. Following this structure gives clear metrics on your accomplishments, so you stand out. Here are some examples of bullet points for legal resumes: “Built company’s award-winning IP program; patent portfolio grew %X, and valuation increased from $A to $B” or “Created commercial team’s templates/playbooks and automated company’s contract process, which decreased time spent negotiating contracts by X% and saved $Y.” Pro tip: you can also prep sound bites in your interview that include some stories/metrics.
2. Assess a company’s culture by asking what gets rewarded there. From this one question you learn exactly what behavior/traits the company recognizes and promotes on.
3. Assume confident body language. Studies show you are assessed (likely unfairly) in the first 10 seconds of a meeting. You need to project confidence from initial contact: stand straight, project your voice, sit forward in your chair, etc.
4. Practice your answers. Some companies ask curveball questions. The only way to do well is to practice, so research what questions are likely, and go through answers beforehand.