My Summer Internship with Google: The Good, The Googly, and The Unforgettable!
- 10 mins
This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at Google. In this blog, I’ll share a recount of my experiences.
A heads-up: I won’t be covering the interview process, so if that’s what you’re keen on, you might want to look elsewhere. With that said, let’s delve into my Google journey.
Getting the Google Offer
On a seemingly ordinary September 14th last year, I committed the timeless ritual of college students worldwide: missing that darn 9am class. Yup, 10 o’clock rolled around, and there I was, cocooned in my blankets, blissfully unaware.
A week had passed since my interviews, and I was gearing up to nudge my recruiter with a follow-up email. But as I peeked at my tab, a new message caught my eye: “Congratulations on your Google summer internship offer!”. My brain went from 0 to 100, from “Did I just dream that?” to “Wait, this is real!”
The news spread like wildfire - family, friends, that neighbor I only nod at (he had to know!).
Then?
Well, the universe decided I needed a crash course in patience. A 9-month-long wait, if you will, before I join Google. But hey, all good things happen to those who wait (and snooze)!
First impressions of the Google Bangalore office: The colors! The people! The food!
I went in with some fairly high expectations, built on hours of binge-watching “Day in a life of a Google engineer” videos. But Google exceeded all of them in reality!
Google has four offices in Bangalore. I landed in Google’s RMZ office. Even though it’s smaller in size, believe me, it makes a big impression! And, let’s just say, the “Which is the best Google office?” debate among us interns is more heated than “tabs vs. spaces” among coders.
Though our work setup was hybrid, requiring only three days a week in the office and the rest from home, only few could resist the temptation to head into the office daily.
The “office” never truly felt like one. At first, I assumed this fresh vibe was because everything was new to us. But, interestingly, that buzz persisted, right up until my final intern day. It was an environment like no other!
The Team
I was part of a team within Google’s search division.
Upon sharing this with my mom, she candidly asked, “Can you see what I’m searching for on Google?”
Little did she know that even getting printer access as an intern required director-level sign-off. My initial two weeks were mostly spent with my host trying to get all the necessary permissions and solve access issues for my project.
All kidding aside, Google’s commitment to privacy is unparalleled. Their stringent access controls reaffirm my trust as a frequent user of Google apps.
I’ve never felt more confident about the security of my data.
The Project
The nature of a project an intern would get often relied heavily on the specific team they were paired with.
However, there were a few consistent aspects across the board:
- The project setup was relatively autonomous. The primary stakeholders typically consists of an intern, the Host (Manager), and the Cohost (Buddy).
- The scope of the project was decided in a manner that ensured tangible results by the end of the internship period.
My team was responsible for deploying a critical component (let’s call it ‘groot’) of Google Search.
The problem - If a developer who contributed to Groot wanted to see if their work was in the production environment, they had a tool. But if they wanted to know WHEN it would reach production, that’s where things got tough.
My task was to build a new internal tool to help developers get an estimate on when their change will reach production.
But, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Think of it as trying to predict when your online order will arrive, but the delivery process has loads of random stops. So, lots of thinking and re-thinking!
The best bit? My Host and Cohost were the real MVPs. They had my back, making everything fun and giving me the captain’s hat for our project journey!
Beyond the Desk
My time at Google was so much more than just about work. From intern getaways to team retreats, the experience was brimming with opportunities for fun and bonding.
One particular adventure stood out.
Teaming up with four fellow interns, we collaborated with the Talent Engagement team to create a video that would showcase a day in the life of a Google intern.
Our mission? To capture those unscripted moments that make internships memorable.
I roped in several other interns to help document our escapades around the office.
The outcome? A collection of over 30 clips! 90% of them were just us laughing, joking, and simply enjoying our time together. We passed the remaining ones to the Talent Engagement team, and voilà! Here’s the result.
Bangalore Adventures
It would be remiss not to mention Bangalore.
For the three months I was there, Bangalore consistently surprised me. From its unpredictable(although good) weather to cab bookings taking eternity, I experienced it all, yet, in spite of its challenges, there was never a dull moment over the weekends. I tried a few activities like Go-karting, shooting for the first time.
From peaceful places like Cubbon Park and the ISKCON Temple to vibrant nightclubs, Bangalore has something for everyone.
Going on a PG hunt in Bangalore be like: Bookmarking the entire city!
The Big Presentation
During the internship, there’s a mid-point evaluation, which for me came in the 6th week (given my internship was 12 weeks long).
There’s also a final evaluation in the 11th week, followed by a presentation.
On my second last day at work, it was time for my internship presentation.
This presentation is an opportunity to showcase your work not just to your immediate team, but also to related teams within the organization.
My project went live just a week prior. I spent the following week polishing up minor details and preparing for this showcase.
Given the diverse audience, ranging from L3 to L8 levels and from various teams, planning the presentation’s content was a challenge.
To my delight, the presentation went off without a hitch. The compliments I received afterward are still fresh in my memory, and they made me feel on top of the world. And as a cherry on top, my team threw me a surprise farewell.
And if you’re wondering, yes, I (had to) delivered my final presentation in a kurta.
Parents First Time at Office
Two weeks into the office, I decided that my parents had to see this place.
They visited the office on Friday of last week. I was already done with my exit formalities, presentation and we all interns were trying to enjoy that day to the fullest.
It took them a good 30 minutes to get comfortable in the environment. Perhaps it was the sight of people walking in their casual shorts and slippers that helped.
I gave them a tour, highlighting the office’s cafe, meeting spaces, micro-kitchens, gaming zone, and more.
As we concluded our exploration, the smiles on their faces seemed to capture more than just a day’s experience. In their eyes, I saw a mix of pride and amusement.
Their joyous expressions became the most memorable snapshot, a fitting conclusion to my internship journey.
Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead
Reflecting on those 3 months, my growth wasn’t just technical. But beyond that, my journey was filled with fun. The people I met, from supportive teammates to incredible friends, ensured that my time there was never mundane. Thank you Google, the search team, and all the amazing Googlers I met.
The internship chapter closes, but these memories ensure it’s a story I’ll revisit often.
And oh, the Google vibe? Totally lived up to the hype!
I feel I’ve barely scratched the surface of all I absorbed in those 3 months. While I could pen another blog solely focused on the lessons, my intent here was to offer a genuine glimpse into my time at Google.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for sticking around! I hope you had a worthy time reading my experience.
Until next time, Anirudh.