Google Answer to Filling Jobs Is an Algorithm - New York Times
David Farber <[email protected]> Wed, 3 Jan 2007 06:00:50 -0500
| Newsgroups | gmane.culture.people.interesting-people |
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--Apple-Mail-3-536289671 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; delsp=yes; format=flowed http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/03/technology/03google.html?=20 ei=3D5094&en=3D4d3171ddca1dab7d&hp=3D&ex=3D1167886800&partner=3Dhomepage&pa= gewante=20 d=3Dall Google Answer to Filling Jobs Is an Algorithm By SAUL HANSELL MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. =97 Have you ever made a profit from a catering=20=20 business or dog walking? Do you prefer to work alone or in groups?=20=20 Have you ever set a world record in anything? The right answers could help get you a job at Google. Google has always wanted to hire people with straight-A report cards=20=20 and double 800s on their SATs. Now, like an Ivy League school, it is=20=20 starting to look for more well-rounded candidates, like those who=20=20 have published books or started their own clubs. Desperate to hire more engineers and sales representatives to staff=20=20 its rapidly growing search and advertising business, Google =97 in=20=20 typical eccentric fashion =97 has created an automated way to search=20=20 for talent among the more than 100,000 job applications it receives=20=20 each month. It is starting to ask job applicants to fill out an=20=20 elaborate online survey that explores their attitudes, behavior,=20=20 personality and biographical details going back to high school. The questions range from the age when applicants first got excited=20=20 about computers to whether they have ever tutored or ever established=20=20 a nonprofit organization. The answers are fed into a series of formulas created by Google=92s=20=20 mathematicians that calculate a score =97 from zero to 100 =97 meant to=20= =20 predict how well a person will fit into its chaotic and competitive=20=20 culture. =93As we get bigger, we find it harder and harder to find enough=20=20 people,=94 said Laszlo Bock, Google=92s vice president for people=20=20 operations. =93With traditional hiring methods, we were worried we will=20= =20 overlook some of the best candidates.=94 Google is certainly not alone in the search for quantitative ways to=20=20 find good employees. Employers use a wide range of tests meant to=20=20 assess skills, intelligence, personality and honesty. And the use of=20=20 biographical surveys similar to Google=92s new system is on the rise. Such tools, however, have mainly been the trademark of large=20=20 corporations recruiting armies of similar workers, like telephone=20=20 service representatives or insurance sales agents. They are rarely=20=20 used in Silicon Valley, which is built on a belief in idiosyncratic=20=20 talent. =93 Yahoo does not use tests, puzzles or tricks, etc., when=20=20 interviewing candidates,=94 Jessie Wixon, a spokeswoman for Yahoo,=20=20 said. (Google is known for hazing prospects in interviews with=20=20 intractable brain teasers. And it once tried to attract candidates by=20=20 placing some particularly difficult problems on billboards.) <sip> ------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- You are subscribed as [email protected] To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=3Dip Archives at:=20=20 Archives: http://archives.listbox.com/247/ Modify Your Subscription: http://v2.listbox.com/member/?member_id=3D124739&= user_secret=3Da069132e Unsubscribe: http://v2.listbox.com/unsubscribe/?id=3D124739-a069132e-9om6s1= wu Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com --Apple-Mail-3-536289671 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=WINDOWS-1252 <HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml= -line-break: after-white-space; "><BASE href=3D"data:"><DIV style=3D"font-f= amily: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><BR cl= ass=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><A href=3D"http://www.nytimes.com/200= 7/01/03/technology/03google.html?ei=3D5094&en=3D4d3171ddca1dab7d&hp=3D&ex= =3D1167886800&partner=3Dhomepage&pagewanted=3Dall">http://www.nytimes.com/2= 007/01/03/technology/03google.html?ei=3D5094&en=3D4d3171ddca1dab7d&= hp=3D&ex=3D1167886800&partner=3Dhomepage&pagewanted=3Dall</A><D= IV><BR class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class=3D"khtml-bloc= k-placeholder"></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; marg= in-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 13.3px/normal = Georgia; min-height: 15px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margi= n-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal nor= mal 13.4px/normal Georgia; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); min-height: 15px; "><= FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" color=3D"#666666"><BR></FONT></DIV><P style= =3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face= =3D"Georgia" size=3D"6"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size= : 24px;"><B>Google Answer to Filling Jobs Is an Algorithm</B></SPAN></FONT>= </P><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; m= argin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size= =3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13.3px;"><B>By = </B></SPAN></FONT><A href=3D"http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timest= opics/people/h/saul_hansell/index.html?inline=3Dnyt-per"><FONT class=3D"App= le-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span"= style=3D"font-size: 13.3px;"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" color=3D"#00= 0065"><B>SAUL HANSELL</B></FONT></SPAN></FONT></A></DIV><P style=3D"margin:= 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-= span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D= "font-size: 16px;">MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. =97 Have you ever made a profit fr= om a catering business or dog walking? Do you prefer to work alone or in gr= oups? Have you ever set a world record in anything?</SPAN></FONT></P><P sty= le=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D= "Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-s= pan" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">The right answers could help get you a job = at </SPAN></FONT><A href=3D"http://www.nytimes.com/mem/MWredirect.html?MW= =3Dhttp://custom.marketwatch.com/custom/nyt-com/html-companyprofile.asp&sym= b=3DGOOG"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPA= N class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;"><FONT class=3D"Appl= e-style-span" color=3D"#000065">Google</FONT></SPAN></FONT></A><FONT class= =3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-styl= e-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">.</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0= .0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-sp= an" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"f= ont-size: 16px;">Google has always wanted to hire people with straight-A re= port cards and double 800s on their SATs. Now, like an </SPAN></FONT><A hre= f=3D"http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/i/iv= y_league/index.html?inline=3Dnyt-org"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face= =3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size= : 16px;"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" color=3D"#000065">Ivy League</FON= T></SPAN></FONT></A><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size= =3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;"> school,= it is starting to look for more well-rounded candidates, like those who ha= ve published books or started their own clubs.</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D= "margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Appl= e-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" = style=3D"font-size: 16px;">Desperate to hire more engineers and sales repre= sentatives to staff its rapidly growing search and advertising business, Go= ogle =97 in typical eccentric fashion =97 has created an automated way to s= earch for talent among the more than 100,000 job applications it receives e= ach month. It is starting to ask job applicants to fill out an elaborate on= line survey that explores their attitudes, behavior, personality and biogra= phical details going back to high school.</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"marg= in: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-sty= le-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style= =3D"font-size: 16px;">The questions range from the age when applicants firs= t got excited about computers to whether they have ever tutored or ever est= ablished a nonprofit organization.</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0= px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span= " face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"fon= t-size: 16px;">The answers are fed into a series of formulas created by Goo= gle=92s mathematicians that calculate a score =97 from zero to 100 =97 mean= t to predict how well a person will fit into its chaotic and competitive cu= lture.</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-= height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4= "><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">=93As we get = bigger, we find it harder and harder to find enough people,=94 said Laszlo = Bock, Google=92s vice president for people operations. =93With traditional = hiring methods, we were worried we will overlook some of the best candidate= s.=94</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-h= eight: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"= ><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">Google is cert= ainly not alone in the search for quantitative ways to find good employees.= Employers use a wide range of tests meant to assess skills, intelligence, = personality and honesty. And the use of biographical surveys similar to Goo= gle=92s new system is on the rise.</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0= px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span= " face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"fon= t-size: 16px;">Such tools, however, have mainly been the trademark of large= corporations recruiting armies of similar workers, like telephone service = representatives or insurance sales agents. They are rarely used in Silicon = Valley, which is built on a belief in idiosyncratic talent.</SPAN></FONT></= P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT = class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple= -style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">=93 </SPAN></FONT><A href=3D"http:/= /www.nytimes.com/mem/MWredirect.html?MW=3Dhttp://custom.marketwatch.com/cus= tom/nyt-com/html-companyprofile.asp&symb=3DYHOO"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style= -span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style= =3D"font-size: 16px;"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" color=3D"#000065">Ya= hoo</FONT></SPAN></FONT></A><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgi= a" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;"> = does not use tests, puzzles or tricks, etc., when interviewing candidates,= =94 Jessie Wixon, a spokeswoman for Yahoo, said. (Google is known for hazin= g prospects in interviews with intractable brain teasers. And it once tried= to attract candidates by placing some particularly difficult problems on b= illboards.)</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; = line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size= =3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;"><BR clas= s=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0= .0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" fa= ce=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-si= ze: 16px;"><sip></SPAN></FONT></P><div style=3D"padding:0 4px 4px 4px= ;" bgcolor=3D"#ffffff" color=3D"#000000"> <hr> <p><HR>=0D You are subscribed as [email protected]<BR>To manage your subscription= , go to<BR> <A HREF=3D"http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=3Dip">http:/= /v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=3Dip</A><P>Archives at: <A HREF=3D"http://= www.interesting-people.org/archives/intere</p> <table border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" width=3D"100%"> <tr> <td padding=3D"4px"> <font size=3D"1" face=3D"helvetica, sans-serif;"> <a style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:#669933;border-bottom: 1px sol= id #444444" href=3D"http://archives.listbox.com/247/" title=3D"Go to archives for ip">A= rchives</a> | <a style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:#669933;border-bottom: 1px solid = #444444" href=3D"http://v2.listbox.com/member/?member_id=3D124739&user_secret=3Da069= 132e" title=3D"">Modify</a> Your Subscription | <a style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:#669933;border-= bottom: 1px solid #444444" href=3D"http://v2.listbox.com/unsubscribe/?id=3D124739-a069132e-9om6s1wu" t= itle=3D"">Unsubscribe</a> <td valign=3D"top" align=3D"right"><a style=3D"border-bottom:none;" href=3D= "http://www.listbox.com"> <img src=3D"http://www.listbox.com/images/listbox-logo-small.jpg" title=3D"Listbox Email Marketing" border=3D"0" /></a></td> </font> </td> </tr> </table> </div> </BODY></HTML>= --Apple-Mail-3-536289671--