My impression of interviewing generally, and Google was not much of an exception, is that companies are looking for two things: skills they can use RIGHT NOW, and the ability to grow and adapt, and learn new things.
If you lack the former, but your skills are not inappropriate, you can still compete with the latter.
This was certainly true with my experience in interviewing at Google, and at other "equivalent cutting edge" places. Mostly they liked to know you have some basic skills, and then they throw puzzles and questions at you, designed to elicit your intelligence, and to see if you can usefully integrate new ideas and knowledge into the conversation.
I know that when I interview people here, I try to do the same thing. Part of that is our consulting-based charter means that no matter your expertise, you'll be asked to inculcate new expertise all the time.
Mental flexibility and adaptability do tend to fade with age, especially when not constantly challenged. I certainly agree with you that the older people get, the less mental agility and skill-acquisition they demand of themselves.
But that doesn't mean Google "age discriminates". It means that what they look for (and what I look for) is more rare in older applicants. Age discrimination means "you would be perfect: but too old". (I recognize that you haven't made the claim that they do discriminate...)
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Date: 2015-04-29 04:53 pm (UTC)If you lack the former, but your skills are not inappropriate, you can still compete with the latter.
This was certainly true with my experience in interviewing at Google, and at other "equivalent cutting edge" places. Mostly they liked to know you have some basic skills, and then they throw puzzles and questions at you, designed to elicit your intelligence, and to see if you can usefully integrate new ideas and knowledge into the conversation.
I know that when I interview people here, I try to do the same thing. Part of that is our consulting-based charter means that no matter your expertise, you'll be asked to inculcate new expertise all the time.
Mental flexibility and adaptability do tend to fade with age, especially when not constantly challenged. I certainly agree with you that the older people get, the less mental agility and skill-acquisition they demand of themselves.
But that doesn't mean Google "age discriminates". It means that what they look for (and what I look for) is more rare in older applicants. Age discrimination means "you would be perfect: but too old". (I recognize that you haven't made the claim that they do discriminate...)