From resume rejections to Google offer: Vietnamese graduate’s 6-month journey to join tech giant

He then spent six months going through multiple rounds of interviews and team matching before getting a job offer as a software engineer on July 3. He was assigned to Google Home, which focuses on smart devices such as speakers, TVs and doorbells. The offer had arrived at his doorstep shortly after he graduated with honors in computer science from VinUni.

"I am very happy to have achieved my dream," Thanh says, recalling the extensive process of preparing, interviewing and team matching.

He had focused on getting hands-on experience through internships and competitions. He had participated in several startup projects related to AI and blockchain during his first year at university, and won third prize in 2022 in the International Collegiate Programming Contest - Asia Regional Contest.

While in his third year he interned at Huawei Hong Kong for five months as a software engineer specializing in data processing. This experience helped him understand how a tech corporation operates, hone his professional knowledge and work skills, acquaint himself with corporate culture, and make new connections. He took part in an internal coding competition and won third prize.

Thanh started applying for jobs at major tech companies such as Google Taiwan, Apple and Meta while in his fourth year in university, but was routinely rejected. During the application process he met Pham Ngoc Hieu, who currently works on GenAI and ML for peripheral devices in the Pixel team at Google Taiwan. With Hieu’s guidance and a referral letter, Thanh resubmitted his application earlier this year.

The hiring process at Google Taiwan, according to Thanh, involves two main phases: interviewing and team matching. In the first round of interview, candidates are asked to code a solution to a 45-minute algorithm problem under the observation of the interviewer.

Unlike his previous interviewing experience at other companies, where Thanh typically only needed to provide the correct solution, Google requires its candidates to code while simultaneously explaining their approach and interacting with the interviewer to simulate working in a group. He struggled to provide a clear explanation initially, despite being able to find a solution.

A month later he advanced to the second round, which involved three interviews focused on algorithms and problem-solving scenarios. Learning from his mistakes in the first round, he practiced with Hieu to overcome his tendency to ramble, streamline his code and write additional programs to verify his solutions.

He says: "Even with preparation, I was overwhelmed because many of the problems were difficult. Still, I tried to answer as naturally as possible."

After passing the interviews, he moved onto the team matching phase, where seven different teams at Google reached out to him. This stage lasted four months, and involved multiple meetings and conversations to help both Thanh and the teams build a rapport.

However, for months, he received rejection emails or little to no response.

"I was extremely worried but tried keeping myself busy by working on projects, going to the gym, and reading books," he says.

He finally found success after a meeting with the seventh team. It was then that he received the job offer, six months after first applying.

He credits the achievement to his own efforts, the support of his mentors and advisors as well as encouragement from close friends. He says his friends, who are accomplished in various fields, helped him develop expertise and express ideas better during conversations with potential teams.

Hieu describes Thanh as intelligent and motivated, always on the lookout for information and networking with experienced professionals for guidance and support. But he says having a referral from an insider greatly increases an applicant’s chance of being hired by a major tech corporation.

Thanh (far right, top row) with his close friends from university. Photo by courtesy of Thanh

Prof Doan Dang Khoa, associate director of the VinUni-Illinois Smart Health Center at VinUni, was Thanh’s lecturer for several courses, including algorithms, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. He recalls that Thanh once sent him an email asking to skip a lab session because he felt the material was too simple and not worth spending time.

"I thought this was a very interesting student. Thanh always learns exactly what he needs and is willing to push beyond his limits." He describes Thanh as someone with a strong personality, diligence, determination to persevere, and who often exceeds expectations.

In November Thanh will move to Taiwan to begin his job. He is currently studying a new language while doing project work with his professors. From his experience, Thanh says students should seek internship opportunities early, ideally by the end of their second year, since it allows them to chart their future career path with better clarity.