2012年5月26日 星期六

不同角度看世界


不同角度看世界

        2011年約莫六月中,我收到一封來自Google的信。信中寫到: Dear Roger, Congratulations for getting through the interviews at Google! We would like to invite you to help us to organize the world information. 收到的當下我很意外和興奮,歷經了長達三個月的面試,我成為了Google亞太總部印度辦公室第一個入選的台灣實習生



    大家好,我叫羅荷傑,大家都叫我Roger,目前就讀於清華大學經濟學系。從小的夢想是環遊世界,希望能Explore the world with openness; Experience the life with happiness。在過去五年中,因為參加的學生組織與工作關係,我有機會到世界約20個城市參訪,與體驗這些地方。足跡中國北京、越南胡自明市、日本東京、泰國曼谷、新加坡、馬來西亞吉隆坡、突尼西亞突尼斯、奧地利維也納、斯洛伐克巴提斯拉發、墨西哥、印度海德拉巴、美國紐約等。在不到23歲的年紀,就能有這樣的機會去看這個世界的各個角落,我覺得自己很幸運,也一直很感恩。也是因為如此,我希望能夠用文章的方式,分享給更多的人,尤其是比我更年輕的人(學生)。透過我的一點點經驗故事,也開始想想自己的未來規劃與夢想。這次,想先把我去年暑假在Google印度辦公室實習的經驗,與所見、所思、所聞,整理與分享給大家。

    去年的暑假,我從AIESEC台灣區總會長(2010-2011年度)卸任後,很幸運的同時拿到5份很不錯的暑期實習機會,有互聯網、快速民生消費品、科技顧問、化粧品、能源公司。產業雖然不盡相同,但相同的是,這些都是Fortune 500的跨國大公司。以一個學生來說,都是非常難得的機會,能夠去學習和挑戰自我的能力。在跟幾位學長姐的諮詢與自己的興趣傾向下,我最後選擇了在全球搜尋引擎使用者市占率最高的網路公司Google印度辦公室的實習機會。

聊聊你自己

    先跟大家聊聊Google的實習計畫和面試流程,相信有很多人在網路上,或是聽朋友說過,Google的面試題目很有創意與艱難,流程也很冗長。根據自己的經驗,發現這些確實都是正確的。每一年,Google全球的某一些辦公室,會提供實習機會給學生(大學部或是MBA) ,我所申請的辦公室是位於印度南部的海德拉巴(Hyderabad City)市,這是印度和亞洲的總部。每一年,他們會提供5~10個的實習機會,申請者都會是來自全球。而自己所參加的學生組織AIESEC,也成為他們在招收人才的其中一個管道。

    我所參與的項目,就是Google印度辦公室與AIESEC印度總會,所合作的國際實習計畫(Global Internship Program)Google的面試時程,會依照不同的職位與需求,費時三個月到一年半。因為我申請的是暑期實習,所以,面試時間為最短的三個月。第一關跟一般的公司一樣,就是履歷表審核。大約在二月底的時候,我投遞了履歷表。在過了兩周後,Google通知我有過審核標準,並且,要進行第二關的筆試。這項筆試很特別,人資部會在一個預定日期,郵寄題目給你,然後要在限時當中完成並寄回去給他們。當時,我拿到的兩個題目的其中一題是,請你申論領導和管理,一個其實不太好陳述的主題。每一個主題要在500(英文)以內,且兩篇必須要在40分鐘內完成。在我盡情的發揮下,總算在規定的時間內,寄回去給他。

    而在這之後,約莫又再兩個星期後(以為已經石沉大海) ,我接到通知,說要進行第三輪的面試。我心想好不容易得到了面試機會,當然要努力的準備。於是,我花了三天晚上,把Google公司的願景、商業策略一直到產品分類,都研讀了一次,準備好心情迎接面試。在某個微風徐徐的下午,我接到了來自印度辦公室的電話,但是,在我接起電話聽完第一句話後,原本信心滿滿的自信,就大減一半了。因為,我發現我聽不懂他在說甚麼,面試官的印度口音非常的重。    但是,心想總不能因為這樣就先放棄了。所以,我接下來的策略,就是每一個問題我聽完後,都再回問他一次,看看是否我的理解跟他想問的是一樣。Google面試有一個不錯的地方,就是通常在一開始的時候,面試官都會先有一個輕鬆的開場,會先介紹他自己的經驗,然後在聊聊你的經驗。我的第三輪面試官是個已經在Google服務5年的Manager,他主要負責印度、英國與北亞的商業分析。



    第三輪的面試,時間大概進行了40分鐘。其中,包含了自我介紹,情境題,與個案討論。Google在選人才時,很重視領導能力和國際觀,所以,面試官很多時候,都是在問我相關帶領團隊或是被帶領的經驗,以及與不同國家的人合作,所遇到的困難與學習,畢竟如果真的進去後,你的同事一定是跨國的。其中,比較特別的是,Google是一間科技公司,所以他們也很重是數理能力。大約有10分鐘左右,都是在算數學的題目。其實題目並不困難,但是挑戰的是,你必須要很清楚的了解他們問題,然後再去做推導的流程。

你會下甚麼關鍵字?中國茶的商業模式?

    又經過了幾個星期後,我被通知過了第三輪的面試,要進入最後一輪的面試流程,當時,心情是很開心,卻也很緊張。最後一輪的面試官一開始也是先聊聊她的背景,她是負責Google全球英語市場的特別專案管理,已經在公司服務6~7年了。最後一輪的面試時間比較久,大約進行了60~70分鐘,而問題也比較挑戰。在基本題(自我介紹與情境題)問完後,剩下65%的時間,都是數理推導與個案分析題目。譬如說,要我估計一年全球賣幾台iPhone,或是評估一間燈泡公司的利潤。其中個案分析的題目,會去衡量你的創新思考和解決問題的能力。其中一個Case,是問我如果我是可口可樂的全球行銷長,我會下甚麼關鍵字當作我的Google AdWords廣告?面試官看到我是來自於台灣,和念理工背景的大學,也問我對於台灣科技產業的發展與未來轉變的趨勢的看法 (這個時候,就很慶幸我周邊的是科技背景的朋友,和平時對科技產業的興趣) ?最後,在要結束面試時他看到我的履歷表上寫到我喜歡中國茶(因為我家人很喜歡中國茶和古董) ,就順勢的問了我中國茶的商業模式,當時,一聽到題目有點愣住。後來,就把高中歷史學到有關台灣高山茶的商業模式,說一遍給他聽。結果她居然回我說Sounds very interestingRoger讓我鬆了一口氣。就這樣結束了最後一輪的面試。

    約莫在六月中,有一天的晚上,我收到一封來自Google的信。信中寫到: Dear Roger, Congratulations for getting through the interviews at Google! We would like to invite you to help us to organize the world information(Google的企業願景是organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.).歷經了長達三個月的面試,我終於拿到Offer了!參加完在AIESEC的最後一個全國大會後,我花了兩天準備了行李,並且,在忘了打針的情況下(通常去印度都會打一些預防疾病的疫苗),踏上了我的第二次印度之旅(第一次是在2010年跟總會的幹部與分會會長前往參加AIESEC世界大會)



Noogler = New Googler



    經過了好幾小時的飛機航行後(Google資助來回飛機票),我到了有點熟悉的印度海德拉巴市國際機場。當時抵達時,也遇到一個來自於中國的實習生,之前也是個AIESECer。我們一起到了入境大廳等接待的人,不久在遠方,看到兩個人手上拿著兩張A4紙,寫著我們的英文名字,就一起高興的去跟他們打了招呼。司機將我們送到了下榻的旅館(後來三個月實習的住處),我們做了些梳洗,就趕緊入睡了。因為隔天就是新生Orientation的日子。

    一大早叫醒我的是我的室友(昨晚我入睡後才抵達旅館),他是一名剛從印度最好的理工大學畢業的學生(比我年紀小一歲且以Top 10%的成績從電信工程系畢業),在簡單的自我介紹後,我們一起到了一樓準備,前往辦公室。一到樓下,才發現有好幾個新進員工都在等了(整棟旅館被Google包下來供員工短期入宿),來接我們的是,好幾台的計程車(Google特約的車隊且也是免費資助員工上下班的交通服務)。在抵達Google Campus(Google辦公室通常都稱為Campus,有學校或是研究院的感覺),我們大家在一樓大廳,等待人資部的同事來接待我們。

Google員工旅館

Google公司員工車隊

    GoogleOrientation,大約會進行一周左右,內容包含了,公司介紹、產品策略、員工福利與權義部門,及各部門訓練。每一個新進員工在第一堂Introduction課程,都會拿到一個Google背包,裡面有一件Google T-Shirt和一頂Noogler帽子。在Google我們統稱菜鳥為Noogler,在新訓的第一天中,你必須都要戴著這頂帽子(好讓大家認出你是名菜鳥,然後向你多多介紹Google,和偷偷笑你())

台政清交 = 頂尖大學?

    Google占全球營收比例最高的是廣告收益(Google AdWords關鍵字廣告)。全公司除了研發團隊以外,有很大一部分的員工是在所謂的業務和行銷部門,負責去接觸與開發新客戶,或是協助舊有客戶在關鍵字廣告的績效提升。我加入的團隊,在內部叫做Account Navigation and Performance,是隸屬於Online Sales and Operation部門。顧名思義,就是要協助我們關鍵字廣告的客戶,在使用Google服務時,所遇到的問題,並且解決。通常客戶會遇到最大的問題,不外乎就是投資報酬率的疑惑。譬如說:為什麼我的廣告瀏覽量這麼低?為什麼我投資了這麼多錢,卻沒有感覺到賺錢?而我們協助他們的方式,就是利用數據分析,來做一些報告(流量分析、關鍵字效益分析、廣告品質診斷),來解答他們的疑惑,並且,協助他們能夠更有效的使用Google關鍵字廣告服務。

Account Navigation and Performance團隊成員(平均年齡為22)

    Online Sales and Operation部門,總共有8個實習生,分別來自美國、中國、新加坡、印度和台灣()。大家背景都很不同,有美國哈佛大學英文系、賓州大學物理系(Google前在美國一間策略顧問公司實習)、中國科技大學文學與社會系、華中科技大學財務工程系、新加坡國立大學企管系(全校Top 10%)、印度管理學院(一名之前在Goldman Sachs的實習生)和台灣清華大學經濟系的我。

印度Google實習生


實習最後一天的通知

    在一次的中餐飯局中,彼此聊了許多關於自己和未來的計畫,雖然所學不同,但是,都有幾個共通點,就是每一個人都有許多不同的國際經驗(實習、志工服務或是留學生),也都有很不錯的團隊參與和領導經驗(有人還在20歲時創過業)。在和他們聊天的過程中,其實,我心裡一直在思考一件事情,就是為什麼同樣都是20出頭歲,但是,他們卻已經成就了這麼多的事情和經歷。在台灣,也許台政清交是大家口中所謂的頂尖大學,但是,我總覺得我們還是跟國外的頂尖學生,有一些差距在(當然大家都有擅長處與優勢)。雖然有點緊張自己能不能跟上大家的腳步,但也開心能有這樣的機會,讓自己看見不足的地方。

古文明與高科技的結合 - 印度
   
    印度是一個歷史非常悠久的國家,很多人可能對這個國家的刻板印象會是,開發中國家、落後、貧窮或是擁擠。可是,當我實地的體驗後,卻有另一種看法。在我眼中的印度是一個古文民與高科技結合的國度。有些人可能沒有注意到,印度現在已經成為全球第二大軟體出口國。有很多跨國的科技大廠如英特爾(Intel)、惠普(HP)、微軟(Microsoft)GoogleFacebook等,都已經在印度設立全球研發中心。在印度大學畢業生的期望進入公司前10名名單中,幾乎都是資訊科技公司,包含了GoogleIntelNextAppMicrosoft等。且大量的內需市場,帶動了全國勞動人口的就業率。在往市中心的路上,都可以看到外商科技公司,買下大看板進行徵才。在這一波全球軟體產業快速成長的趨勢下,印度似乎占有一席重要之地。在清華大學念書,緊臨著由半導體及製造業起家,現在扮演全球供應鏈重要角色的台灣矽谷新竹科學園區,來到了由軟體及互聯網起家的印度新矽谷海德拉巴城市,有種不一樣的感觸。

Dell研發中心

Oracle研發中心


你是一名國際移動人才嗎?

    最近一本出版的書名為"不為老闆,我為全世界工作"!書中描述一群新興的族群,他們稱為游牧工作者,原文的定義是They do not have a "home location". Instead, they move from assignment A to assignment B, C, and D over a period of years. 強調這群人才的國際移動力。而這群人口集中在亞太地區,具有跨文化、多語言能力、年輕、具專業能力等多項特質。

    根據聯合國2005年的統計資料,全球共有一億九千一百萬人離開自己的母國,在其他國家生活與工作。面對全球化競爭,「全球移動力」Global Mobility成為重要能力。研究顯示,台灣教育強調的外語只是「全球移動力」中的一項基本能力,「全球移動力」還包括主動融入當地社會、認同多元文化、心態開放、情緒穩定、保有彈性等隱性能力。哈佛商學院更在2010年的一項研究發現,擁有國際經驗,或認同多國國籍的人,較會解決問題,而且展現更多的創造力。

    我在過去的所有國際經驗心得感想是,在這個全球化的時代,我們應該要積極培養語文能力(尤其是英文),增加團隊參與和領導與實習經驗(最好是跨國的環境) ,讓自己成為一個格局不只是放眼在台灣,同時準備隨時都能上戰場(國際戰場)的國際移動人才。我很慶幸與感謝,在過去大學的生活中有了很多不同的挑戰(尤其是AIESEC四年的經驗),讓我在要畢業時,能夠受到很多知名與敬佩的大公司實習機會。但是,我更希望藉由我自己的故事,能讓更多的台灣學生能夠去挑戰自我,多出去看看這世界,和培養自己。因為,台灣未來的競爭力,是需要我們這一批年輕人上第一陣線作戰,並且讓世界看到台灣!

我是台灣人,台灣人在印度Google

    最近回到台灣後,一直在思考一件事情,如果要在這趟3個月的印度Google實習經驗中,選一個最為深刻的感想會是甚麼?後來在整理照片時,發現了一張我覺得最有感觸的照片,那是一張我在要離開Google前一天在我的辦公桌上留下的一段話分別用中文英文和印度語寫下的我是台灣人,台灣人在印度Google,並且排上了我準備要分送給同事的台灣明信片。

    我是個台灣人,我表現愛台灣的方式是,身處在一個幾乎沒有台灣人的海外工作環境,介紹台灣給他們聽,然後喜歡上台灣,更讓他們知道台灣培養出來的年輕人是能在國際舞台上站有一席之地





2011年7月13日 星期三

On the way to the top - Noogler Orientations Day 3

Here comes the third day of Noogler's life

Today was a really relaxing day compare to the first two days. Since we don't need to attend the employee training in the morning, so basically we have a whole free morning again.


I seized the time to review most of the material we have from yesterday's session, which was really a big loading for me. However in Google, we have a culture of team work, which I just asked my teammates, Pooja to share the notes via Google doc :) Since she is an English majors in Harvard, so the notes are really comprehensive and detail. While the same time, i was reading and searching in moma, our intranet to find some learning material about Google AdWords and etc.


Something interests me was recently Google MTV(Mountain view, global HQ) was launching the Q2 review and Q3 preview. So i was watching the video from the review which was really exciting and interesting.


After we finished our lunch, getting the informed from our trainer that our training will be postponed

due to we have a team lunch and hang out together. That was really exciting yet shitty, since we both have finished our lunch just now.

Anyway, we went to the basement and meet with all our team and future teammates. I realized that we have such a big team of 20 people, this recall my memory that taipei office has only 40~50 people. Yet one of the team in Hyd office has already half of the percentage in comparsion. We had the team lunch at one of the mall in Hyd city, and which is the biggest mall in Sounth Asia! Cannot believe, right!? During the lunch I found something nice was that our team just like a family where people will chilling together and making jokes on each other, either our manager! Through out the lunch, I found myself more connect to the team, and made me feel more excitement about the future work with them.

Finished the lunch, we went back to office and have the training(shorter version). Today, we were introduced the system which we used to track our client's Ads campaign performance. We call it "ICS, Internal Control System". The system is really cool yet complicated, we can find every detail about the performance by each keywords our client setted. Through out this, we can do some analysis for them. The conclsion from the training was, I have to do more homework....


Anyway, today I have 2 things which were really excited me are, first I finally got more understanding of my work in the team. And secondly, I had a really exciting conversation with my roommate about the discussion of Google+ project and Facebook. For the first thing, I found my work in the ANP team is really similar to consulting job. Our role is mainly review all the performance of our client's performance of Ads campaign and see where is going wrong anf how to improve. For example, there is one of our client, and he found his Ads performance has decline from a certain period of time. And we have to review their metric of each keywords in that period time. Maybe is because the keyword was setted in a wrong way or not in a users' friendly way, thus they will not be conversed into the buying process. So we have based on those data, and provide the recommdation for our clients. Usually, we can only solve 3~5 cases per day. Sounds challenge, right? Yes, i have found it really challenge yet exciting, since I can start to practice my problem solving skill and analytical thinking.






Playing pool game with my teammates after work

2011年7月12日 星期二

On the way to the top - Noogler Orientations Day 2

Here comes to the second day of Noogler's induction day

Today was started with a conversation with one of my teammates who was now working as online sales manager at Google. His was received the MBA degree from Cambridge and had working experience with IBM, Nokia and now Google. We talked about the difference about MBA students between Asian and Westerners. It was a really interesting conversation, especially at the beginning of starting working day.

Since I am an intern, so three of us didn't need to join the morning session which was for new recruits. Which means we have a whole morning free time that we can do everything we want :) So I just choosing a sofa and randomly sitting and using my laptop, surfing Google training material.


About the time before our lunch time, Pooja, my teammates who is from

Harvard, just asked me if I want to go to the TechStop, where you can find some interesting things. We walked into the techstop, and found there were several technique stuff, such as high class headset, mouse and some other Mac stuff. Yet the most interesting thing was that all the stuff you can take it "for free". So I picked up a nice headset and mouse which was all brand new with a excitied mood :P


During the lunch time, me and judy(Another intern from china, who was AIESECer, too) meet up with 2 others Indian interns who has worked here for more than 7 weeks. We talked a lots about the life here and also some culture stuff. Something interets me, was that this year, Google Hyd office only recruits 8 interns, including AIESEC interns. Which means AIESEC interns has contributes 50% of the internship, where I am so proud of being an AIESECer :P


After the full and nice lunch, we are excited to attend the first team traing, which is delivered by our senior team members from ANP team. Our team's full name is AdWords Navigation and Performance, we are maining support the clients from all the English market around the globe. We help our clients to evalute their Ads' performance and provide recommandation for them to see if we can improve their performance via strategy forming.


Anyway, our training session was started from 13:00 till 17:30, yes! 4 hours in a roll.... We have went through from the overview of Google Adwords, how Google connecting business, account structure, types of matching the Ads and also the account setting guide. Something interesting was I just foundout that all the keywords which advertisers put and the place where the ads will put in the website all has the computing meth. in behind. For example, if we have a clients who is a owner of flower store, and they try to use the Google Ads. So we have to help them(Actually there are lots of guide for clients) to form the marketing strategy about which campaign they have to form, what Ads group, Ads text and keywords they have to put. Every step will affect the result of the performance of Ads.



Since Google is a search company, so everything including Ads have to do with search and relevance. Let's say if we are searching a Harvard Business School website, then all the Ads which will appears on the website will be something related to management, MBA or business education..etc. And all the search results are compute by the system which was created by the Googlers!


During the session, we have also went through lots of business modeling where Google determine the result of Ads and also we have done a auction theory modeling, since the cost per click of the AdWords was actually decided by the auction. Sounds crazy, right? Yet the true is if you want to work in Google and for AdWords function, you better prepare yourseif with a strong analytic and logical skill..... That's why I am planning myself have to do lots of home work afterward. BTW, I just signed up for the online class about "Think like an Analyst", delieved by the Dublin office.


Anyway, today was a really tough day for me, not only because the session context was heavy, yet also I can foresee that my work here at Google will very exciting and challenge. I am keep looking forward to the following days coming up! Hope when I go back to taiwan, I can be a expert of Google AdWords and online sales :P



Now, I really need to crab some food before the food station closed! Stay tune for the next day :D



Me with my buddy, Swetha and having the lunch together :D


2011年7月11日 星期一

On the way to the top - Noogler Orientations Day 1

On the way to top - Noogler Orientations Day 1

Noogler - New Googler: New recruit google employee

July 11th, 2011 afternoon, I was about to took the flight to Hyderabed in India. This is actually the second time there, since last time was attending IC 2010 with my lovely MC team and LCP team. Yet this time is for an exciting journey at Google.


Soon I have arrived at the international airport in Hyd. The first thing shocks me was there were 2 people to pick me and Judy(my teammate). And they drive 2 cars for picking us and our stuff seperately! Before we got on the cub, someone from Google even gave us a call to confirm everything was alright, and it was 00:00 in the midnight. From here, I can see the importance of employee for Google, even we are just a Summer intern.

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Wake up at 7:00, we gathered at the first floor of hotel lobby with several other new recruits and ready for the first day of our google life.


After we arrived at google office, we were all just standing outside of the lobby and waiting for the HR to come to pick us up. Since this month is the peak for the campus recruitment, so we total have around 40 people gonna join the induction day which is exciting for me.


At around 8:00, I was starving and waiting for the breakfast so badly, soon our HR buddy, Sonia, who helped me with all the visa and flight stuff guide us to the place where we can have the food together. That was a really big place with lots indian food and drink. This is really excits me!


After the full and nice breakfast, we started the first day of "Noogler Induction Day".


Before we start our induction, there were lots of Googlers standing in front of us. They are ourNoogler buddy who will take care of us

during the priod and ensure we will not get lost...


Anyway, HR team has arrange lots of sessions for us, inculding the Google ovewview, culture and staffing process..etc. Something I found interesting was the session about Google recruiting process. Detail I cannot share here due to the company intelligence guideline. Yet you can learn thatacceptence rate of Google offerring was even lower that Harvard admission!!! Which means we all have the similar competitiveness in a way. And second thing I found interesting was, in order to make employee feel comfortable for work, company gave you some option for your personal laptop. You can either choose a Mac pro, air or ThinkPad. All the version is enterprise level with higher quality.


During the lunch time, our buddy having the happy hour with us. Something interest me again was there have some big screen TV shows the latest campaign which Google is running. They use the lunch for promotion and communication internally. Recently we are running a Googler rotation and career development program which you will have the chance to relocate around the global office. This is really excits me, since I am just looking for such a company who can provide the global rotation experience.


Arround 16:00 in the afternoon, we have the last activity for the first day induction. Which was team challenge, and this recalled my memory in AIESEC :P Anyway, we have to form a team of 4 people and you have a list of tasks have to be fullfill. Tasks were various from get the signature from the team leads to finding some interesting place in Google office. The purpose for the activity was let us understand the office and also bonding with other Nooglers.


Soon, we almostly finish the first day of Noogler Induction. And in order to keep my memory and share my Googler experience to more people, I have setting a goal that I have to write notes everyday about what is happening here in India.

Catch up with you guys soon. And stay tune for the second day of Google!

The last thing I want to say is that: I am feeling lucky to become a Googler!!!!!!!!!