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The secret to Google's recruiting success

Who knew that Google's hiring was based on such a primal urge?

Matt Asay Contributing Writer
Matt Asay is a veteran technology columnist who has written for CNET, ReadWrite, and other tech media. Asay has also held a variety of executive roles with leading mobile and big data software companies.
Matt Asay

Much has been written about Google's intensive hiring process (including its mind-vaporizing interview questions), and how it manages to land the cream of the engineering crop. But yesterday some friends of mine got to see it firsthand.

I was in downtown San Jose for a company event and was waiting for some colleagues over at the Marriott. They were a bit late and apologized, indicating that they would have been on time but had run into a swarm of beautiful young girls pouring out of the Fairmont Hotel. My CEO asked what they were doing and were told,

We work for Google.

Intrigued by the uniformity of their good looks and what role at Google would require such Darwinian selection of the most Vogue-like kind, he asked what, exactly, they did for Google:

We're recruiters! Do you know Python?

No, I'm not making this up.

When sheer brand power fails Google, a hot-looking 18-year old may well do the trick. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that even Google at times resorts to primal urges to sell its wares. Eliot Spitzer would be proud.