The Path to Becoming a Google MBA Intern

Each year, Google looks for MBA interns who are smart, driven, creative team players. Ideal candidates have strong analytical abilities, a passion for technology, and comfort with ambiguity. Enjoying comparable compensation and perks to those of their full-time employee colleagues, interns gain hands-on experience solving complex business problems. By demonstrating key skills and embracing Google's culture during the internship, you can position yourself for a full-time job offer. This article walks you through the strategizing and preparation that can help you stand out from 100,000+ applicants and land the internship that could launch your career.

If you want to work at Google, you’re certainly not alone. In Glassdoor’s 2022 Best Places to Work report, Google ranked in the Top 10, with employee reviews citing the great culture, fun projects, generous pay and benefits, excellent work-life balance, and the company’s care for their employees—all things for which the tech giant has become famous.¹ So much so, in fact, that there was a movie made about it: The Internship with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson came out in 2013. But their legacy has persisted since then, as LinkedIn just rated Google as number two in the Top 50 U.S. workplaces to grow your career.²

With all the accolades, it’s no surprise that Google receives more than 100,000 internship applications every year. The competition is fierce; they accept fewer than one percent of applicants for their highly coveted internships.^3,4 If you have your heart set on an internship (and eventually, a permanent position) at Google after graduation, you’ll have to really stand out from the crowd. Ranked No. 2 for employment at the five largest tech companies, Santa Clara University is deeply familiar with
what it takes to succeed in this renowned environment, and we're here to share our advice with you.⁵

In this article, we discuss what it means to be a Google MBA intern, what the company looks for in a candidate, and how to best prepare yourself to be one of the chosen few.

Google’s MBA internships are available to students currently enrolled in a university’s MBA program. They have specific requirements that are tied to the location of the internship, with open application periods in September and October.⁶ Google’s internships are 10-12 weeks, and they place interns in various company teams, such as Google Technical Services (gTech), Google Cloud, Finance, Product Management, and Google Customer Solutions (GCS).^7,8

Working at Google looks great on a resumé, and as an MBA intern, you’ll work alongside current employees to collaborate on a variety of important projects.⁹ Even better, the internships are well paid. According to Glassdoor, Google intern annual salaries can be around $100,000, or $46 an hour.^10,11

As a Google MBA intern, you’ll gain valuable experience learning from current employees and will get your foot in the door at a highly desirable organization. There are also excellent perks—the same that full-time employees get. This includes company-provided transportation, a $6,000 sign-on bonus, free meals, shuttle, on-site gym, healthcare benefits, and 401(k) matching.¹¹

If you’re convinced that being a Google MBA intern is the best next step for your career, here are some ways to apply well and tilt the steep odds in your favor.

As the company itself states in its hiring materials, there is no one type of “Googler” (what Google calls its employees and interns). They look for people who will bring new perspectives and life experiences to help them build stronger teams and better products and services.¹²

The general attributes that they look for include:

• Cognitive ability: smart people who can learn and adapt to new situations

• Role-related knowledge: the experience, background, and skills to help you be successful in the role

• Leadership: a team player who can navigate unexpected challenges to solve problems and make an impact

• "Googleyness": comfort with ambiguity, bias to action, and a collaborative nature¹²

Exact requirements will depend on the internship role and which group you’ll be working with, but past Google MBA intern postings reveal minimum and preferred qualifications.¹³

Minimum qualifications:

• In your final year of a full-time MBA program
• Ability to complete a 12-week, full-time internship; start time can vary

Preferred qualifications:

• Interest in Google’s business and the technology industry
• Passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Demonstrated independent motivation and critical thinking skills
• Analytical skills and ability to solve difficult and highly strategic business challenges
• Excellent project management, interpersonal, and organizational skills
• Ability to drive and implement ideas in a changing environment¹³

While they’ll certainly look at real-life examples of your business acumen, it’s equally as important to be independently motivated, have an interest in technology, and be a creative problem solver. Consider whether you are the type of individual who would thrive in this unique environment before you begin the application process.

Now that you have an idea of what Google looks for and the type of person who is most successful there, the next step is to go through the internship application process. Information about applying for an internship at Google can be found in the Google Internship FAQs.¹⁴

1. Browse MBA internships on the Google Careers site, under Students, Internships in Business, and MBA Internship.
2. Review the specifications and make sure you meet the minimum qualifications—and that your resumé reflects this.
3. Typically, you will include your resumé, with your graduation month and year, and your undergraduate/graduate transcripts (or course list).
4. There will be an initial screening of your resume as internships become available. Depending on the internship, you may be asked to complete a survey or submit an essay.
5. The recruiting team will review your materials to see if any roles align with your skills. If they do, they will contact you to schedule phone interviews.

Depending upon the internship availability, the hiring process can take 8-10 weeks from the initial screening of your resume. If you are accepted for a Google internship, you then will find out which project you’ll be working on and will receive additional instructions.¹⁴

Google provides a lot of resources on its website to help students who are applying for an internship or a full-time position. They advise students to focus on their resumés and align their skills and experience with the internship or job description, being specific about projects they’ve worked on or managed.¹⁵

If you are lucky enough to be offered an internship at Google, then congratulations! You’ve accomplished something that not many can say they’ve done. If you enjoy your time there, landing a full-time dream job at this prestigious company may be easier than you think—but only if you show initiative during your internship and are highly motivated to succeed. At all times, Google interns are “expected to contribute and make an impact.” You’ll be very busy during your internship if you hope to work for the company long-term, but you will also be encouraged and supported every step of the way.¹⁶

If you make a strong impression on your managers and peers, you have a very good chance of being offered a full-time position. Moving from an internship to a full-time position is known as a “conversion”. During the conversion process, Google provides interns with mock interview opportunities, a session for conversion preparation and tips, and insight into the interviewer’s and hiring committee’s expectations. Rest assured that you’re already a good fit for the role, because the company looks to its intern program as a primary talent source.¹⁷

If you dream of being a Googler, your first step should be to find an MBA program that will equip you with the next-generation business skills you need and inspire you to be your very best. The MBA program you choose should echo Google’s commitment to innovation, critical thinking, creative problem solving, and collaboration.

The Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business, located a short distance from Google’s global headquarters, has deep roots in Silicon Valley. As the No. 2 university for employment at tech giants, we know what the area’s top employers look for in their next generation of leaders.⁵ The Online MBA specifically will give you the necessary skills, experience, and business savvy to hit the ground running as a Google MBA intern—and for all of the opportunities that follow.

Learn more about the Leavey School of Business Online MBA and get to know SCU’s online degree programs by reading our blog.