Derek Pierce, Staffing Services Associate - My Path to Google

Welcome to the thirteenth installment of our blog series “My Path to Google.” These are real stories from Googlers, interns, and alumni highlighting how they got to Google, what their roles are like, and even some tips on how to prepare for interviews.

Today’s post is all about Derek Pierce. Read on!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm from the suburbs of Philadelphia (specifically Doylestown, for anyone familiar). I attended James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and received degrees in Quantitative Finance and Mathematics. When I'm not working, I love to keep active, and I also enjoy a good brunch! I’ve recently gotten back into surfing, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming snowboarding season.

What’s your role at Google?

I am a Staffing Services Associate (SSA) on the College Staffing Services Team. I primarily engage with software engineers who are about to graduate from an undergraduate, masters, or PhD program. I also specialize in scheduling research scientist candidates and internal Googlers. I like working on the specialty candidates the most because they come from extremely diverse backgrounds and are usually being brought on to develop the next Google product.

Currently, I’m working on a project to grow our interviewer pool by gathering more complete information about our interviewers, so we can properly match their expertise with our candidates. 

What inspires you to come in every day?

It’s very exciting to be with a company that’s motivated to make an impact on a global scale every single day. I feel very fortunate to be here and want to play my part in finding the next generation of Googlers.

Can you tell us about your decision to enter the process?

I was interested in working for Google ever since I was a sophomore in high school. I kept hearing that Google was the paradise version of work, where you could change the world for the better and have fun doing it. I applied for every program that I thought I was qualified for, and was very determined to work here one day. I was ultimately given an interview during my senior year of college, and although I had a different background than most people entering the staffing industry, I was optimistic about my chances. 

How did the recruitment process go for you?

I first applied to be a Data Scientist through an alumni of JMU and was redirected to interview for the Staffing Services Associate position. I instantly took them up on the offer to interview. After passing through the phone interview stage, I remember flying out the next day to interview onsite, then flying back just in time to take my fall semester finals. 

Can you tell us about the resources you used to prepare for your interview or role?

I used the provided resources from the recruiter, as well as anything I could find on the internet, specifically YouTube. I reviewed the "How We Hire" page and the job posting about 20 times before the interview.

Do you have any tips you’d like to share with aspiring Googlers?

Talk to anyone you know who has been through the process. Use resources such as YouTube, and brainstorm possible questions based on the job posting.

See yourself at Google as a Staffing Services Associate? Apply now!