How to get a Job at Google (Apprentice Version)

Getting a job at Google isn’t easy and the same goes to being an apprentice for Google. I applied for a job as a digital marketing apprentice where I would work in the agency team working closely with the large media agencies.

In total I had 6 interviews, a group assessment and a day’s assessment. Around 1000 people applied for 14 places and by the time we went to the day’s assessment there were 40 of us.

The first interview  I had was an interview for the contracting company because although I would be working for Google I technically wouldn’t get paid by Google. It was a very straight forward interview asking me why I was interested in marketing, what interested me, what I was doing at the moment and where I saw myself in the future. This was 6 months before the job was avaliable.

I then had a phone interview a couple of months later, which was quite similar to the first interview asking the basic interview questions. So far the interview process had been fairly straight forward, they aren’t looking to catch you out but they want to employ the best people to work for Google.

I had the group assessment next we were split into different groups and given some marketing strategies which we then had to come up with based around Google’s advertising. At this stage they were looking at how well you were in a group, how confident you were and how well you were at presenting. We then went and had an interview with the contracting company and a previous Google apprentice who asked basic questions, admittedly I found these difficult and I found this was my worst interview.

I then had a day’s assessment where 40 of us went to Google HQ. We had team building exercises to see how well we would participate in a team, we then had 3 separate interviews with different teams from Google these different interviews had different topics they were questioning us about. One person interviewed us about the knowledge of the company and products, I then had an interview with another person to find out what I was like as a person what I did in my spare time and to see where I would fit well in the company, finally I had an interview with someone who asked about general interview questions based around digital marketing.

They told us the would phone us within that week if we had got through, I was so nervous the whole week about what the future would hold for me! When the phone call rang and they asked how I think I had done I admitted I didn’t think I had done that well as I was so nervous throughout the whole thing.

If you are looking to get into Google just show that you are an easy going person, who works well with other people and on their own as you have to be very independent when you get any job there.

What is an Apprenticeship Agreement?

To take part in an apprenticeship you must sign an apprenticeship agreement. This is an agreement between the apprentice and the employer. Without it an Apprenticeship certificate cannot be issued.

It will need to include the following to comply:

• how long the apprenticeship is for
• the training you’ll give them
• their working conditions
• the qualifications they are working towards

Why is an Apprenticeship Agreement required?

The ASCLA introduced the requirement for an apprentice to be employed under an Apprenticeship Agreement as part of the standard completion conditions for an Apprenticeship. Every apprenticeship after 2012 in the UK must comply and have put an apprenticeship agreement in place.

Where can I find an Apprenticeship Agreement?

If you are an apprentice your employer or trainer will provide you with the agreement to read and sign. If you are an employer download the PDF here to get started. This document has been provided by the Skills Funding Agency.

 

 

 

What is an Apprenticeship?

It is a job with training. Being an apprentice means that you have a job that includes gaining recognised qualifications and essential skills whilst you are working and earning a wage.

There are three types of Apprenticeships:

• Foundation Apprenticeship
• Apprenticeship
• Higher Apprenticeship

There are three different types because different jobs need different levels of qualifications, some higher than others. When you look at the vacancies you will see the different levels and what they include.

How long does an Apprenticeship last for?

They normally last between 12 to 24 months. This can depend on the type of apprenticeship and the level of qualification you are working towards. So foundation would usually take 12 months which is equivalent to GCSE.

What would I learn?

This depends on the job you are training for. There are 150 different apprenticeship routes available. Every apprentice follows a programme of study that is approved. That means that you will gain a recognised qualification.

By the end of your apprenticeship you will have the qualifications, skills and experience which match exactly what your employer wants. It also makes you far more employable when you want or need to move on.

Where would I train?

This will depend on what you are doing. Your employer will decide how they want you to be trained to do their work. These are some of the ways apprentices are trained:

• On the job
• At college which could be full-time or part-time
• At a training centre which you could attend once a week or in blocks of a few days or weeks

What is certain is that you will have training but how, how often, when and where will be up to your new employer. You will be given information on this when you go through the application or you should ask for details at your interview.

What do I need to get to start an Apprenticeship?

You need to be aged 16 or over, there is no upper age limit. Employees will prefer you to have passed Maths and English GCSE (C grade or above) but this is not essential.

You have to apply like any other job. Apprenticeships are such a good way of getting into work and learning a job from scratch that they are really competitive. You must put together a really good application.

What will I get paid?

This is up to your employer but remember while you are learning you may not always be very productive for them and may spend lots of time out on training. There is a national minimum wage for apprentices which is £3.30.

For more information and find an apprenticeship click here.

What apprenticeship is right for me?

There’s plenty of stuff egging you on to do an apprenticeship, but barely anything on choosing the right apprenticeship for you.

How do you choose between apprenticeships? Are you better suited to a paralegal apprenticeship, plumbing apprenticeship or a support technician apprenticeship?
There are three main things to think about:
– The level of apprenticeship;
– The type of apprenticeship;
– The type of employer.

What level of apprenticeship?

One of the easier decisions you’ll have to make is choosing the right level of apprenticeship. The first level is intermediate apprenticeships and these are great for those just starting out.
However, if you’ve got five GCSEs (grade A*-C), you might want to think about skipping the intermediate apprenticeship stage and applying for an advanced apprenticeship instead. After all, your GCSEs mean that you don’t have to do an intermediate apprenticeship.
Likewise, if you’ve got two A-level passes, you might want to jump straight into applying for higher apprenticeships, which are a step above advanced apprenticeships.
Alternatively, you might find that an advanced apprenticeship is better suited to your needs. At the moment, advanced apprenticeships tend to outnumber higher apprenticeships, so that’s something worth considering.

Choosing a type of apprenticeship

A tougher task will be settling on a type of apprenticeship. Some people will have a clear idea about what they want to do, others won’t have a clue. There are hundreds of apprenticeships in a myriad of different areas, from engineering and construction to business and media.
If you’re unsure about what kind of job you want, have a look at our Types of Apprenticeship article to get a sense of the different apprenticeships out there.
You can even use our Career Test and Career Exploration Tool to explore what industry sectors best suit your personality and find out about the different career options available.
It’s also worth thinking about your own interests and skills. What are you good at? Are you more interested in a hands-on apprenticeship or do you want something more desk-based?
Keep an open mind and explore apprenticeships that you might not have considered. You never know, even the supposedly ‘boring’ careers might be just right for you.
Of course, your apprenticeship choice might also be restricted by the opportunities in your local area. If you don’t want to move, you’ll need to have a look at what kind of apprenticeships are available near you and base your choice on those.
The key thing to remember is that an apprenticeship is the first stepping stone in your career. Consequently, you’ll want to choose an apprenticeship that is relevant to your career aims.

Choosing an employer

Who you are working for is just as important as the apprenticeship itself. Workplaces vary hugely, from large companies with offices dotted around the country to small local companies where everybody knows everybody.
The big employers are likely to hire more apprentices in one go and have a larger apprenticeship programme. They might even have their own training academy and compress the required off-the-job apprenticeship training into fortnightly blocks.
For the smaller employers, you might be the only apprentice, or one of a few, and work three or four days a week for the employer, whilst attending a further education college or training provider for the rest of the working week.
They will also have very different working environments. Some people will prefer the intimate working environment of a small company; others will relish the buzz of working for a top UK company.
Then there is the issue of pay and competition for places. Apprenticeship opportunities at the top companies might pay more or might have clearer career progression routes, but equally there will be stiffer competition for roles.

Your future career

Apprenticeships are a leg up onto a career path, not an end in themselves. So whilst you might only be thinking of getting on an apprenticeship programme, it’s worth looking a little bit further ahead.
When choosing an apprenticeship, it’s worth thinking about your career aspirations. Realistically, where do you want to be in five years? Will that apprenticeship help you get there?
Consider the long term career prospects for certain apprenticeships and assess the value of the skills you will gain. You might look to get an apprenticeship in a growing industry, such as the environmental sector or certain areas of IT.
Alternatively, you might want to consider industries that are witnessing a skills shortage, such as engineering.
Phew! There’s a whole bunch of things you’ll need to consider. There’s only one thing for it: start researching your options, hunting down apprenticeship vacancies and firing off those applications.

For more information click here.

How to become an Apprentice

Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study.

As an apprentice you’ll:

• work alongside experienced staff
• gain job-specific skills
• earn a wage and get holiday pay
• study towards a related qualification (usually one day a week)

Apprenticeships take 1 to 4 years to complete depending on their level.

Levels of apprenticeship

Apprenticeships have equivalent educational levels.

Name	Level	Equivalent educational level
Intermediate	2	5 GCSE passes at grades A* to C
Advanced	3	2 A level passes
Higher	4,5,6 and 7	Foundation degree and above
Degree	6 and 7	Bachelor’s or master’s degree

Who can apply

You can apply for an apprenticeship while you’re still at school. To start one, you’ll need to be:

• 16 or over
• living in England
• not in full-time education

How to apply

There are 3 steps to applying for an apprenticeship.

1. Search for an apprenticeship.
2. Sign in or create an account.
3. Complete and submit your application.

The National Careers Service has advice on writing applications and what to do at interviews.

If you’re unsuccessful

You can ask for feedback if you don’t get selected for an interview or for the apprenticeship.

You can complain if you think you weren’t successful because you were discriminated against, or your treatment in the interview or application process was unfair.

Apprenticeship helpline
nationalhelpdesk@apprenticeships.gov.uk
Telephone: 0800 015 0400
8am to 10pm, 7 days a week

A degree without debt

Now a days having a full honours degree, without debt and earning money at the same time sounds too good to be true; however under a new scheme backed by the government this is now possible.

18-25 year old that have achieved a levels or equivalent and have not been to university are being offered the chance to choose from a range of outstanding opportunities.

The aim of a higher level apprenticeship course is to integrate academic learning at degree level and on-the-job practical training. This is ideal for both employers and employees, as it enables apprentices to learn and earn at the same time. Employers are able to get enthusiastic young people as well as a sum of money from the government to help with funding.

The qualifications gained from a higher level apprenticeship so far include; social media and digital marketing, software development, web and game development, cyber security and software testing, telecoms and Network installation, and support and design. This means that at the end the apprenticeship you will have a qualification equivalent to a foundation degree.

However this option is only available in the IT sector at present, but the government hopes that if the programme is successful, it could be extended to other industries in the future.

More than 100,000 employers are offering quality apprenticeships in more than 220,000 locations, why not talk to us today and see how you could benefit.