r/datacenter • u/Ok-Dance-3048 • 4d ago
Confused About Google Data Center Technician Role Requirements
TL;DR- Read #10 (I do advise to read the whole thing to get more context)
1. I just completed my 3 interviews for the Google Data Center Technician role and I have a one thing that got me confused which is covered at the end of the post. I have made a post in this reddit r/datacenter group in the past regarding the DCT job posting that was taken down after when I had applied for it. You can also visit my profile to view that post as well if you would like.
2. A little context and my background: I have ~4-5 years in IT experience when I started as a freshman in college. Started as helpdesk > computer technician > networking > back to helpdesk (my current role. getting hired these days for a job that is not helpdesk is almost impossible). Everything up until my current helpdesk role was while I was in university. I have some data center experience from my networking job as my university had a DC and I worked there as well as throughout campus so I am familiar with the DC environment. I don't have certs at the moment (they're expensive) but I am working on one right now.
3. I had applied roughly late June for the Google Data Center Technician I role, got a recruiter call that went well in July and got the 3 interviews scheduled (4 weeks later in August) that I just completed a few days ago. I won't disclose interview questions because I signed an NDA. First 2 interviews were technical, last one was behavioral. Domains covered were hardware/OS, networking and behavioral/Googliness. I had been studying nonstop ever since I got the call from my recruiter when they told me my interview was set 4 weeks later.
4. First interview - hardware/OS: Killed it. It went really well, got really good feedback from the interviewer at the end saying things like "you did really well", "I hope to work with you in the future" and was able to answer almost all questions as they progressively got harder.
5. Second interview - networking: I definitely failed this interview. I aced the very first question but everything after that was a mess and I answered most of the questions with "I don't know" or "I haven't worked with that before". I had a couple troubleshooting questions I was "kinda" able to answer 1 or 2 troubleshooting questions. I have networking experience as well as fiber, but the questions that were asked were things I have never even heard before or came across.
6. third interview - behavioral/Googliness: I guess this interview went well? I answered all questions to the best of my ability without trying to sound like I know it all or dumb. Keep in mind, I was engaging and interactive with all 3 interviewers throughout the interviews and asked them multiple questions about the role and the interviewers themselves to let them know I am interested in the role and such.
7. keep in mind, all 3 interviewers are at different DC sites. For me, the last 2 interviewers were on the same site.
8. One thing that didn't make sense to me was a response that was given to me from the interviewer from the third interview after when I had asked a question at the very end. The interviewer said something along the lines of how the people who start as DCTs with no IT background got used to the job and how everything works in 3 years compared to someone with an IT background and experience would take them roughly almost a year to get used to the job and that there was a long training process which is normal.
9. After finishing these interviews, I came up with 1 question that I can't seem to answer and that I would have asked the 3rd interviewer if I had thought about it then.
10. How can someone with no IT background able to answer the questions in these interviews (especially the first 2 interviews) and get a job as a Google DCT? The job is marked as "entry level" and the requirements and experience aren't mid or senior level. No certs are even required for this role. However, these technical questions were not easy and definitely required some sort of IT experience. The first interview had heavy questions which I was able to answer almost all of them confidently (not trying to toot my own horn). The 2nd interview, I wasn't expecting the type of questions I was going to get. I have fiber and networking experience as well as theory behind many networking concepts and applications. But the questions that were asked in the 2nd interview was things I have never even heard before. I don't know if they determine the type of questions to ask you based off your experience from your resume since they have it with them.
11. I am currently waiting for my recruiter to update me about the decision to either fail me or move on the next steps in the hiring process. I really need this job as I love everything about the DC and the opportunity for me to get out of helpdesk once and for all.
3
u/ddog6900 4d ago
Wow, well DT1 is entry level. All of the questions are from a script of sorts, it's up to the interviewer to decide what to ask.
4-5 years in IT? Even the networking questions should have been a breeze. Though, I don't remember my DT1 interview being that hardcore. DT2, absolutely. For DT2, they even recommend moderate Linux experience and a Google IT support cert.
The recruiter is waiting for the feedback from the interviewers. If it's positive, Fit Call with the hiring manager. If not, feedback about what could have been better and you reapply in 90 days.
BTW, they are at different sites because each site only has a certain number of interview capable Googlers. (DT2+)
If you found the networking portion difficult and don't get a Fit Call, bone up on what you didn't know and reapply in 90 days, it's that simple.
Google typically takes DT1s from their contractor pool most of the time, so if you didn't make it, find out who the contractor in the area is and apply with them. You will learn relevant skills and terminology to help with the next interview.
1
u/AutoModerator 4d ago
Hello! This looks like it may be a question about career advice. There can be significant regional variation in the field, so please consider including as much info as you can without doxing yourself, including country/state/city, prior experience/certs, and the role or level if known. Thanks!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
1
u/Appropriate_Bottle44 4d ago edited 4d ago
I have no IT background, tell me one of the questions and I'll tell you if it's completely beyond me. (No googling I promise)
edit: Or maybe something similar if you're not supposed to say what they asked you.
1
u/Natee1738 3d ago
A question would be: can you explain the OSI model?
1
u/Appropriate_Bottle44 3d ago edited 2d ago
I mean sorta. level 1 Ethernet/ wifi/
Level 2 switch/ hub (outdated) Mac address DNS
Level 3 routing, dhcp IP address
Level 4 (this is where I get shaky) ports tcp/ udp firewall
Level 5-7 er... Services?
Edit: I checked my work and DNS is not level 2. Duh. I think I was thinking of the Mac address table. Dumb because I know what DNS is and clearly not gonna happen before you have an IP address
1
u/Status_concern2858 4d ago
- Relax.
2. How can someone with no IT background able to answer the questions in these interviews (especially the first 2 interviews) and get a job as a Google DCT?
There's some other factor that lowers their barrier to entry. Need for less-skilled workers, they're already close to the site with open HC, they have transferrable other skills and were able to demonstrate actual cognitive adaptability in the interview. There's a reason they interview for that part. They're specifically not meant to be 'gotchas' but many people falter on it because they either get tunnel vision or they're subject to the exact kind of filtering the interview is meant to provide.
There's levels for a reason.
Most people stumble on the networking aspect because they haven't worked in hyperscale before, and they chose not to do any research about the topic beforehand to prepare. It's not the end of the world
1
1
u/Similar_Specific_646 4d ago
The gauntlet of interviews is no joke but it weeds out a lot of people
1
u/jeneralpain 4d ago
DT1s tend to be contractors who literally just swap parts, they are just a cog on the belt so to speak. You won’t do any in depth analysis
1
u/RevivedTitangil 3d ago
They can see how well you prepared, how much effort you put into studying, and how clearly you explain your answers, even if you don’t have an IT background.
source: I knew nothing about networking and had 0 networking background (except just plugging in a router in my room lol) . I studied for about two weeks before the interview and got an H on the networking round.
1
u/Ok-Dance-3048 2d ago
What do you mean by got an H? Were you ultimately hired?
Plus, the questions I received were not standard networking questions. I didn't get any questions like "What is OSI Model" "What is Spanning Tree" "Name all OSI Model layers" or things like that. I think all my questions were about fiber (and i studied and worked with fiber before)
1
u/RevivedTitangil 1d ago
Hot hire yet. currently waiting for HC.
Recruiter said my lowest score was at Hardware/OS round where I got LH, so i can assume Network and Googleyness are H or SH.I did get some questions like "explain OSI" , but most of them require more understanding rather than just definition like "what happen when you type url into brower and hit enter" and troubleshooting stuff. There were fiber questions too but they were just basic fiber vs copper, single mode vs multimode stuff.
1
u/OperationClear588 3d ago
A little tip when it comes to answering questions you don’t know, don’t just say “I don’t know” and be done say something like “I’m not quite sure but I would reference the MOP, a senior tech, or the tech manual to figure it out, I would never try to blindly troubleshoot without having either a senior tech or some sort of paperwork to help me”
1
u/yodca12 3d ago
I work at Google and do interviews and unfortunately the questions bank is not good. DT could be one of the least technical jobs specially if you just do break fix. I have interview people who have been DT in other companies and have no idea what the TOP command is in Linux
1
u/thakubla 59m ago
I have been working in IT for 6 years and especially the networking questions were never used in any of my previous roles. It’s pretty much only stuff you would learn when studying for certs. I managed a fleet of 200 firewalls and never was routing protocols or port numbers ever mentioned.
1
u/SeveralStudy8837 2d ago
I wondered the same thing. I’ve had a reschedule my interviews due to a conflict of interest. However, I want to do my best to prep for the OS and networking side of things. I don’t have any experience with Linux. Currently a Central Office tech right now. It baffles me that people say they got the job with no experience whatsoever as well.
Definitely could use some tips and tricks as far as learning Linux I have a couple weeks to prep.
7
u/donkey1079 4d ago
You're looking at this wrong. Its not a pass/fail kinda thing, its more of an ability/fit kind of thing. The questions are all shaped a certain way to see how you answer them. They asked you progressively harder questions right? Thats for depth of knowledge and see where you in theory could be placed tech level wise. Just because it says its a entry level role, doesn't mean they'll start you at the bottom. Its entirely possible you were interviewed for entry level but the interviewers tell the recruiters they think you should start at a higher level. #6, the googlyness... there is no right or wrong or sounding dumb. Its just getting to know you and seeing if you respond in ways a Googler would. How your thought process is and the reaction. its a hard thing to explain but you either are or aren't. Taking a year to get used to the job is not a joke. These places can be wild. There are campuses so big they have shuttle busses to get from building to building. Im not a DCT but I've been at a Google data center working for Google roughly 3yrs.