Want to work at YouTube?
(Note: idea borrowed from Sandhya Simhan @ OpenAI)
(As a disclaimer: unless I explicitly state otherwise, I'm not currently making hiring decisions at YouTube. Individual teams / orgs may have their own ways of doing things, and opinions here are my own, not that of YouTube or anyone else.)
If you’re interested in a referral for a role at YouTube, I’d love to help — and I want to make sure you’re set up for success from the start. I take referrals seriously because they’re a reflection of my confidence in your fit for both the role and the way YouTube / Google works.
First, a brief explainer:
I've worked with so many great people over the years, many of whom would love to work at YouTube and who would be a good fit, but unfortunately, a lot more people want to work at YouTube than we can actually hire.
When interesting roles become available, my email and LinkedIn messages start filling up. This isn't meant to be a humblebrag or a complaint (it's an extremely privileged position that I find myself in), but just reflects the current reality.
A few other important notes:
- All applications must be submitted via the Google Careers site. I've never seen any "back door" for getting hired.
- Hiring decisions are ultimately made by the hiring manager and a hiring committee. I may think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread, but if I'm not the hiring manager, I have limited influence.
Before I can confidently recommend you, here’s what I’m looking for:
- Relevant experience: You'll need to offer either industry experience (creator economy / streaming video / premium content, etc.) or domain experience (partnerships / GTM / business operations /etc.), ideally both. Meaning: you've either done a similar job at another company, or done a different job at a similar company.
- Hands-on execution / bias for action: Although YouTube is a large organization (inside an even larger organization) being strategic is useful, but being willing to dive into the work is non-negotiable. The folks who thrive at YouTube are those that can identify white space, and take the next steps required to fill those gaps.
- Role and level fit: Read the job description closely. The requirements are there for a reason. Make sure your experience lines up with the scope and seniority of the role so you’re set up for the right level of responsibility.
- A clear resume: Your resume should make the story easy to understand. Every bullet should explain what you did, why it mattered, and what changed because of it. If a recruiter or hiring manager has to infer the impact, you’re making the process harder than it needs to be.
I want to be able to confidently vouch for anyone I refer, knowing they’re prepared, deeply curious, and excited to help build what comes next.
If we’ve worked together before and you meet these criteria, I’d be happy to help you take the next step. If that's you, please don't hesitate to reach out.