I started my 12-year career at Google in 2006, where I held positions as chief of staff and executive business partner. Before that, I worked at Amazon as an executive business partner to Jeff Bezos.
After spending so much time with some of the world's most successful and influential leaders, I learned what to look for in new candidates. In fact, Bezos hired me>1. Tell unforgettable stories behind your hobbies and interests
The people I hired or worked with at Google were proudly quirky. They had interesting hobbies, depths of knowledge, and passions outside of their jobs.
But they did more than just say "I like to garden" or "I love building furniture." Instead, they would introduce how they came to love or develop interest in something through thoughtful and engaging ways.
For example, a candidate who was an avid rock climber talked about how it's a meaningful activity because her dad had always dreamed of climbing Mount Everest, but never got the chance to — so now it's>2. Talk about what you don't know, but are eager to learn
No>3. Use teamwork words like 'we' and 'my team'
It's easy to say that you work well with others. There's no way for a hiring manager to tell whether you really do have teamwork and collaboration skills.
But when you say "I" too much, it immediately indicates that you can get easily distracted with trying to keep score of your own wins and get individual credit.
Highlighting team successes, and not just personal>4. Talk about ideas that didn't work
Google is famous for being quick to scrap projects that don't work early>5. Go beyond the job description and have a vision of the future
The last thing a manager wants to hear is a repeat of the job description they wrote up.
I was three years into working at Google when I entered former CEO Eric Schmidt's office with the objective of taking the next step in my career. I told him I was ready to be chief of staff. I put together a roadmap of what the role could look like and how I could develop the skills to take the company to the next level.
I'm not saying you should go into the interview pitching a completely different job title. The point is to show that you have a vision of what your role could look like in a year or two.
