In the article, “How to Get a Job at Google,” we learn that Google’s hiring manager is blasé when it comes to GPA, or which prestigious school the applicant went to. He is more concerned with 5 traits that a Harvard education doesn’t necessarily provide you. The five traits are: humility, leadership, collaboration, adaptability, and a strong desire towards learning.
I appreciate the fact that Google looks deeper and wants their employees to be able to think on their feet, problem solve, and not have an ego getting in the way of the overall success of the team. I agree with this philosophy. I lean towards the side of experience over grade point average. I want to not only teach my students content but also strong character traits that employers will be looking for.
They are going to need to know how to work on a team, and not take it personally if someone doesn’t automatically agree with their idea. This combines humility with collaboration. I want to teach a student that instead of getting upset or resentful if their idea is not accepted right away, think about the overall goal and what’s best for the team. The best skills to teach in school for the development of these traits are listening, and communication.
Adaptability is an important trait that some students are somehow able to avoid for a long time. Having kids realize that you can plan, prepare, and practice as much as you want, but things are still going to occur that are beyond your control. You cannot control these things, but you do control how you react to them. If you’re relying on technology and it goes out, "what do you do?” This is a way to get your students to think on their feet and not overreact. Employers want to know that you can handle unforeseen events, and still have the ability to adjust.
Being a leader can be an important thing for students to learn early in their high school careers. Having them realize that it doesn’t mean they are a dictator, and simply tell others “what to do,” but rather they are there to help others do the best work they can. Teaching students who want to be leaders, important qualities that make up a strong leader can really motivate them. This leads into a strong desire to learn. By giving students more responsibility around the classroom, the hope is that they want to continue to learn, improve , and it sets them up for success in the future.
Incorporating activities that exemplify all of these traits would be extraordinarily beneficial for anyone’s class.
Friedman, T. (2014, February, 22). How to get a Job at Google. The New York Times.
Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/opinion/sunday/friedman-how-to-get-a-job-at-google.html?_r=3