According to HR Magazine’s SHRM 2009 HR Trend Book, Google, known for its innovative culture, is putting a new twist on the interview process. They are using a technique known as crowd sourcing, which is based on James Surowiecki’s work and his belief that any given group of people is always smarter than any given expert. Here’s what happens to a job applicant’s resume behind the scenes. Google uses its applicant tracking system (ATS) to ask employees to review information on applicants who have submitted their resumes online. Information about where they worked or went to school is parsed and stored in the ATS and the system matches that information to data about existing Google employees. Following a match, an email automatically asks employees for internal references. This system enables recruiters to leverage the knowledge of employees who best understand the demands of the jobs and the nature of the culture in assessing the fit of potential hires. It also allows employees to build the community, even if they are not part of the formal interview process. So if you are planning on applying to Google, you can expect a very thorough and democratic process, but also a more time consuming one.
