How to get a Google internship

Getting an internship at Google is an extremely competitive and difficult process. Google has stated that its acceptance rate for internship programs at the company is around 3.75%. This means that Google's internship programs have a lower acceptance rate than Harvard University.

While it is extremely challenging, here are some helpful tips for getting an internship at Google:

Make sure your resume stands out

Because the competition to get an internship at Google is so fierce, you need to be sure you make yourself stand out in any way possible. This starts with creating a unique and tailored resume specific to Google.

Google suggests this for applicants not only in their internship programs but for candidates for permanent positions at the company as well.

In addition to all the usual information on your resume (job experiences, skills, achievements, education, volunteer work, etc.) try to imbue your personality into the document. Google has explicitly stated that it seeks candidates that are "Googley", which refers to the company's values of "Just be nice".

Because of this, you must highlight how your personality fits in with Google's ethos.

Make sure you also use the specific Google internship description when creating your resume, as this will help guide you and give you some intuition as to what you should include and the tone of your overall resume.

Network

Get connected to people working at Google or professionals that have worked at Google, or even ones that run in the same circles. Networking is critical in any industry, and it is no different in tech.

Use professional social media websites to try and accomplish this. Or if it can be done at in-person events you can attend, all the better. Establishing strong networking connections can be a way to leap over several hurdles at once when trying to get an internship at Google.

Send your application for a Google internship

Google has a job board listing its internship opportunities, and it is a fairly straightforward process to submit an application.

If you are asked to write a cover letter, take a similar approach to this as that of your Google-specific resume. Do not make a general cover letter, try to include unique and fresh perspectives on why you want to get an internship for Google and how you think it would benefit yourself and the company.

Avoid heaping too much praise on Google in your cover letter. Google knows the stature it has. This does not mean you shouldn't indicate the respect you have for the company, but just convey this in a personal and unique way. You could also cite specific data or projects the company is currently working on.

It is critical to make sure your online presence is professional and on the brand with Google. You can start by researching current Google employees' social media to get a good idea of what is acceptable.

Next, you can Google yourself and see what comes up. If you have posts on social media that wouldn't be considered professional or may seem controversial, it is a good idea to either remove them or hide them from public viewing.

This includes things like embarrassing photos, political rants of any persuasion, and anything else that might make Google think twice about granting you an internship.

Prepare for your interview with Google

Google's interview process for internships varies and depends on the specific program and role. However, you can expect a multi-stage and comprehensive process that may have you interfacing with many management or even senior employees at Google.

If you are being considered you are almost guaranteed to have at least one phone interview and several videos or in-person interviews.

Do your research on Google's interview process and try to find online postings of previous or current employees to give you an overall idea of how it works and some specific questions that you may be asked.