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The end of my second month at Google is rapidly approaching and yet it feels like I’ve just arrived. Time flies by when you are having fun! Until the end of August, I’ll be interning in the YouTube team in Spain. In September, I will begin the last year of a double Bachelor´s Degree in Law and Business Administration and Management in the Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid.

Every Monday (and every day) the alarm sounds, I snooze five more minutes (or 10), I wake up and drive to one of the tallest buildings in the most important and central streets of Madrid (Paseo de la Castellana) where the Google offices are located. An amazing and delicious breakfast is waiting in our restaurant. I have to say that my breakfast routine has changed a lot, from having an unhealthy breakfast to having a real “Breakfast at Tiffany's”, which completely changes the way I start my day!

After charging batteries, my workday begins as a Business Associate Intern. Not only do I have the chance to work in a company like Google, but also to be working as part of a team like YouTube Partnerships. I am learning a lot both professionally and personally. It is an incredible team where, from the first moment, they have made me feel a real part of it. I am discovering more about the incredible and diverse content online around the world.

On a daily basis, I analyze and investigate multiple projects I have been assigned. During the last month I have been evaluating the different types of content Italian and Spanish users watch on YouTube. For the last portion of my internship, I will be given new challenges! Some days I also attend meetings, events or video calls using Hangouts, where I can really see how this sector works. Coffee breaks, delicious meals and ping pong games are always present. And yes, I watch a lot of videos!

This is an incredible experience. The culture of the company and the desire to do cool things that matter is unique. I encourage everyone to apply! When I registered my application I couldn’t believe I was going to learn and enjoy so much at the same time. For this experience, and much more, is the reason that I wake up every morning happy and highly motivated!

Hasta la vista!!


Interested in becoming a Google intern? Fill out this form for further info on the 2014 Google Summer internship programme in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Please note: This is a speculative application. You will be contacted once the application process for next year’s programme goes live.

EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.

For resume and interview tips before you apply, check out this Hangout on Air. Additionally, please find up to date information on all job and internship postings in EMEA on our job site, and learn more about how the hiring process works.


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1. Of all the companies to apply for, why did you want to work at Google?
Googlers are known to be incredibly smart and talented. But more importantly, they are enthusiastic, caring and passionate people. The work environment is very collaborative, and I’m really drawn to that. You can find interesting and challenging problems at any tech company, but I really think the people here set Google apart.

2. In what way(s) has Google impacted you, and how have you left an impact at Google?
At Google, you’re not just impacting the company, but impacting the millions of people that use Google products. I work on the Google Docs frontend, which means that I get to create features that users around the world see and use every day. Being given that much responsibility is both motivating and inspiring.

3. What is the most interesting/exciting thing that you have been able to do as a Google intern? Your “Magic Moment”?
During my first Google internship last summer, I was asked to design a Google T-shirt for the University of Washington Computer Science and Engineering department. As someone who has always dreamt of being a Google Doodler (the people who draw the doodles on the front page of Google), I was ecstatic to take on this project and draw a doodle of my own. The shirts became quite popular, and even ended up on GeekWire!


4. Aside from working for Google, what kinds of organizations/clubs/activities are you involved with in your community / around your school’s campus?
For the past two years, I have been a TA for the Intro Programming courses. I’m also heavily involved with Computer Science K-12 Outreach programs, including volunteering in a middle school classroom to help develop lesson plans and work with students to get them excited about computing. Additionally, I am chair of ACM-W (the Association of Computing Machinery, Women’s Chapter) at UW. We work on building a welcoming and supportive environment for women in the CSE department.

5. What types of lessons/skills have you learned at Google that you will take back to school after this summer ends?
I’ve met some of the most amazing people here at Google. Both my mentor and my host have been so encouraging and supportive, and have allowed me to grow not just as an engineer, but as a person. I think my main takeaway from the summer is to be confident in yourself. It’s a cliche (and even odd) piece of advice to get at a tech company. But I think it’s really easy at an internship to get stressed out, focus on impressing people, and worry about what people are thinking about you and whether you’re doing good enough. It’s neither sustainable nor productive.

5. Any advice for students interested in being a Google intern?
Be passionate and ask questions. Being a good intern isn’t about knowing a lot, but growing a lot. (I know, super corny advice.) No matter where you are in your education, or how long you have programmed, you should always focus on working hard, learning, and constantly improving. If you do these things, you’re going to be successful.

6. Favorite micro-kitchen snack?
Unreal Peanut Butter cups. Sooooo good. But so bad for you.

Interested in applying for internships at Google? Check out google.com/jobs/students this fall to learn more about our opportunities.

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I. AdWords Awards

Global Winner
The Global Winning team comes from the University of the Philippines in the Philippines, under Professor James Ryan Jonas. The team of Jeanina Melissa K. Tee, Martin Joseph Alexandre R. Gonzaga, Wesley Paul S. Cortez, Francis Louie M. Karunungan, Nigel Willamson T. Lee and Erika Kathleen A. Uy worked with “Sun Cruises Philippines”, which specializes in providing ferry as well as tour services to Corregidor Island.

Regional Winners

  • The Asia Pacific Winner comes from Asian Institute of Management, under Professor David Gulliver Go in the Philippines. The team of Kaushal Pilikuli, Madhu Konanur Venkataram, Sangamesh Desai, Matthew Chua and Pratik Piyush worked with the “Happily Unmarried” based in India, specializing in selling unique lifestyle products.
  • The Americas Winner comes from the University of Houston in Texas, under Professor Steven Koch. The team of Heather Nguyen, Jason Ruth, James McLellan and Adam Jalfon worked with “Children’s Museum of Houston”, a non-profit with the mission of “Transforming communities through innovative, child centered learning”.
  • The Europe Winner comes from the Turku School of Economics in Finland, under Professor Joni Salminen. The team of Nina Tapiol, Iida Vanhanen, Saana Häkkinen, Veera Engren and Laura Aho worked with gTIE, a Finnish designer of innovative and stylish design neckwear and fashion accessories.
  • The Middle East/Africa winner comes from the Mansoura University in Egypt, under Professor Heba Mahmoud Elsabaa. The team of Ahmed Ali Abdelbakey Ali, Ahmed Mohamed Elzahy, Bahr Yassien Ahmed worked with Aldaryan, a foundation for the free distance learning academy.


II. Google+ Social Media Marketing Awards
We’re also pleased to announce the winners of the second ever Social Media Award, awarded to the GOMC team that runs the best Google+ page for their company or organization.

Global Winner

This year's global winner comes from James Madison University under Professor Theresa B. Clarke. The team of Lindsay Hayes, Shay Meadows, Lauren Mason and Cortney Marchetto
worked with Valley Preferred Cycling Center.

Regional Winners

  • The Americas Winner comes from Pepperdine University, under Professor Brian Hemsworth. The team of Ian Garcia, Casey Chock and AC Wichstrom worked with Shane’s Inspiration, a a non-profit organization, which builds inclusive playgrounds for children of all abilities.
  • The Europe Winner comes from Poznan University of Economics in Poland, under Professor Wojciech Wiza. The team of Adrian Gasiński, Ilona Sadłowska, Hanna Pietruszyńska, Marta Musiał, Olga Żytkowiak and Maciej Żytkowiak worked with Kino Muza, one of the oldest cinemas in Poznan (Poland).
  • The Middle East/Africa Winner comes from Bethlehem University in the West Bank, under Professor Nadira Alaraj. The team of Hind Abu Shkhadim, Lina Sleib, Margaret Al Sous, Ala' Suboh and Laila Elzoghier worked with TAM, a non-profit for empowering women through media.
  • There was no APAC winner this year as no team in this region met the requirements to compete.


III. Social Impact Awards

This category recognizes the GOMC teams that made an outstanding difference to their non-profit partners via superb online marketing campaigns.

1st Place is awarded to Jeremy Vogan Joshua Baugher, Scott Guengerich, Melissa Allen and Baris Bilek, who were taught by Professor Theresa B. Clarke at James Madison University in the United States. The team partnered with The Augusta Regional SPCA, an animal rescue shelter.

2nd Place goes to Lennart Kiefat, Aurelija Vaitkute, Svenja Bierwirth, who were taught under Professor Tobias-Benedikt Blask from Leuphana Universität Lüneburg in Germany. This team partnered with Futurepreneur e.V, a non-profit educating children and young people about being self-employed.

3rd Place is awarded to Chris Foster, Carla Reese, Kelcey Troxell, Xavier Pickett, Craig Honeycutt and Dale Richards, who were taught by Professor Theresa B. Clarke at James Madison University in the US. This team partnered with the Virginia Quilt Museum, a non-profit institute dedicated to celebrating and nurturing the quilting heritage of Virginia.

2013 Team Results will be posted to GOMC Past Challenges page later this month.

Congratulations to all 2013 Winners and a big round of applause for all teams that have participated in this year's edition.

To learn more about the Google Online Marketing Challenge and to pre-register for next year’s challenge, please visit our website: www.google.com/onlinechallenge.

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I’m from Dublin and I’ve lived there all my life. Ireland is a great place to grow up. As a kid, I did a lot of acting - and some sport. While sport didn’t go too well (the highlight was Under 5’s Tennis Player of the Year), I really got into acting. When I got to college, I swapped the stage for the podium: representing Trinity at the European and World Debating Championships.

I’m two years into, and halfway through, my Law and Business degree. Trinity is a brilliant university, with ample opportunity for people to explore their interests both in and out of the lecture theatres. I’m currently Librarian of the college’s Law Society. Although a bit of an antiquated term, the ‘Librarian’ is the person who keeps the society’s members up to date with everything that’s going on with the society.

As a lot of my interests centre around communicating a message, marketing seemed like a perfect fit. I’m interning with the SMB (Small and Medium Business) Marketing team in London. I focus on Co-Marketing: marketing in partnership with banks, web hosting companies and ecommerce sites.

The best thing about being an intern at Google is that you’re treated like a full-time employee, and given the opportunity to own your own projects. At the moment, I’m working on creating video case studies of a few small businesses’ experiences with AdWords. There are some brilliant businesses out there, and I’m looking forward to showcasing that.

No day here is ever the same, but there are some regularities. When I come in in the morning, I’ll grab some breakfast with my team or some other interns. Then, after a quick double espresso, the day starts. I begin by blasting off a few emails and checking my calendar. Some work, and a couple of meetings later and it’s lunch.
Lunch with Pavel, Alex, Emily, and Chris (behind the camera).
After work I’ll usually head up to the gym or the library (both on the top floor). The view is pretty breathtaking, and it’s a great place to get some stuff done. A couple of times a week, we’ll grab dinner and drinks somewhere after work. At the end of every week, we wind down with some beer and pizza at TGIF (Thank Google It’s Friday). As the office is in the middle of London city, a few of us interns will usually head out for a bit afterwards.
How many interns does it take to make a coffee?
The interns here are some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. They’re from all over the world: Australia, Brazil, Finland, Switzerland and beyond. It’s incredible that we’re all from such diverse backgrounds, and have so many different experiences; yet we get on so well and have so much in common.

Every day has been great, and I have so many highlights - even though I’m only halfway through! The photos are just a taster. Funnily enough, the experience of taking all the photos was actually really enjoyable. It was only when I went looking for photos that I realised we hadn’t taken that many. These are all from the one day (I do change my clothes).
Despite many years of training (Under 5s Tennis Champ, remember?), and outfitting myself with a pink headband (for aerodynamic purposes); I failed to make it past the first round of ‘Googledon’ (Google’s Swingball Championship).

For anyone thinking about applying, go for it! If you’re reading this, you’re obviously interested. Well, you probably are. Unless you’re my mom (hi Mom). I never thought I’d make it here, but I’m so happy that I filled out that application form!
I better get back to work, it’s nearly TGIF time.

Best of luck,
Ben
Interested in becoming a Google intern? Fill out this form for further info on the 2014 Google Summer internship programme in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Please note: This is a speculative application. You will be contacted once the application process for next year’s programme goes live.

EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.

For resume and interview tips before you apply, check out this Hangout on Air. Additionally, please find up to date information on all job and internship postings in EMEA on our job site, and learn more about how the hiring process works.

The event kicked off with a Leadership Techmakers panel consisting of some of the top female engineers from across the organization, including VP’s and engineering directors. They shared career advice through stories of trials and tribulations and spent the morning connecting with a room full of the next generation of female techmakers. Shoulder to shoulder participants realized that together they could make a difference.
Interns spent the day in talks with Googlers who, like the participants, were interns who have moved into permanent roles. They had the opportunity to discuss and share ideas on topics like graduate level education, challenges facing female engineers, and how they can have a positive impact on a number of women in tech. United by their passion, abilities, and ambition, the Googlers were emblematic of the many women changing the field of computer science today.

In true Google fashion, the day wouldn’t be over until the group got to let loose and hangout! The day of great connections, impactful topics, and a lot of fun concluded with a large garden party on the GooglePlex patio.
The interns, now armed with a network and knowledge will return to their college campuses inspired to be leaders in engineering, on campus, and in their own communities. We hope that they will continue to contribute to this annual summit as returning interns, full-time employees and role models for the next generation of Google Women in Engineering.

Of course, Google’s commitment to women in technology extends beyond far beyond our internship program. Learn more by visiting here.

This grant is designed to help cover travel expenses to the 2013 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota from October 2nd - 5th, 2013. As part of Google's ongoing commitment to increasing the number of women in computer science and related fields, it's open to female computer science students or industry professionals living in Europe, Middle East or Africa.

The theme for this year's conference is "Think Big, Drive Forward," and will offer incredible opportunities for mentoring, networking, and technical and career development. Google will pay for successful applicants’ conference registration, airfare to and from the conference as well as accommodation for the duration of their stay.

The deadline to apply is August 22, 2013. Winners will be announced the week of September 4th.

For more information on eligibility and how to apply, please visit this page.

We look forward to receiving your application!

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Posted by Scott Dougall, Director, Product Management
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I am 23 and currently studying General Management at WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management in quite a small town. As my university places an important emphasis on internships, I previously worked with Daimler and Porsche. However, I wanted to find something different for this summer’s internship. As with every search for something new in life, or just a PS3 game, I went online and opened the Google engine to search for companies. Then it hit me! Why not Google itself? I’ve always loved technology and wanted to work for a company that was pursuing a bigger purpose than itself.

So I applied and after a couple of interviews with my current colleagues, I got notified that I was selected to join the Hamburg Office within the Sales Automotive team. Since then time has flown by and I am already halfway through my internship. I've had the opportunity to get insights into Google’s daily sales business and integrate fully into the team. Industry analysis, Adwords campaign optimizations, and the creation of engaging narratives for the automotive industry are only a few of my interesting projects. I even got to present some of my work to our customers, so I really got the opportunity to learn and to have an impact.

However, not only is the work itself fun, but the environment is too. Here in Hamburg, I can play sports at the internal gym to burn off the calories I have gained by indulging in the (probably) best cafeteria food I’ve ever eaten. Also, if I get tired of my desk I can just move and work in a comfy quiet room or another area in the office.

It’s also worth mentioning how valuable the Googlers themselves are to my experience. If you like open-minded, friendly, and driven people, you will find them here. My colleagues, for example, take me with them for recreational after-work events and I also meet up with my fellow interns. We bonded quite quickly and are holding weekly lunches and “Google Intern Hangouts”, where we explore the city’s hotspots.

Even though I will still pursue my master’s degree following this internship, I am very much tempted to work for Google later on in my career. Therefore I can recommend that if you are considering an internship with Google - Apply for it! I know that the process may seem intimidating, but give it a shot! Just be yourself.

Fun fact: Hamburg offers a Google Serve week every year, where Googlers can sign up and do charity work. I decided to sew heart pillows for breast cancer patients even though I did not know how to sew at all. My internship taught me more than expected.

Cheers,
Tobi

Interested in becoming a Google intern? Fill out this form for further info on the 2014 Google Summer internship programme in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Please note: This is a speculative application. You will be contacted once the application process for next year’s programme goes live.

EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.

For resume and interview tips before you apply, check out this Hangout on Air. Additionally, please find up to date information on all job and internship postings in EMEA on our job site, and learn more about how the hiring process works.


Posted by Sarah Henderson, Tech Student Development Programs
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Throughout his internship, Aayush says that collaborating with people across teams has been beneficial for him. “It’s been really cool to finally understand the system architecture that I’ve been working with, what is actually happening behind the scenes, and then seeing how all the pieces fit together.”

Aayush enjoys “slacklining” (walking across a line of rope tied between 2 trees) with his other intern friends in his spare time. Upon his return to Yale University, this rising senior wants to continue hosting hackathons and participating in intramural sports. Aayush has also volunteered as a counselor at a local university summer program that brings neighborhood children together through learning and fun activities.

Aayush says this about what he has learned this summer: “At Google I’ve learned that you can be a very good person and still be at the top. It’s so refreshing because here, people are committed to what they’re doing and they’re still a blast to work with.”

Posted by Shelbey Roberts, University Programs team
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Samantha, a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania, was initially interested in becoming “the next great American novelist” through studies in English literature. But her passion for computer science soon led her to Google. “When I was choosing my internship, it came down to the project. Google understood that I had a slightly more narrow interest in engineering and they were able to accommodate that with my project.” Throughout her 12-weeks as a software engineering intern, Samantha and her team worked on projects for Google Now that reinforce user memory through computers and involve user interaction. Even without as extensive of a background in computer science, Samantha attributes determination, passion, and long hours of hard work to her success as an intern. “I’m very passionate about software that impacts users, not just companies; I think that’s a side effect of working at Google.”

In addition to working on her core projects, Samantha collaborated with another intern to create conversion study groups for the technical intern community; in these study sessions, she organized mock interviews, discussions, and talks by full-time Googlers to help fellow interns prepare for their upcoming interviews for full-time offers.

This summer, Samantha says she learned the value of asking questions: “I used to have a hard time asking for help, but when I came to Google, asking for help was such an integral part of my day. Here, if you don’t ask for help, you won’t accomplish anything.”

When back at UPenn, Samantha is an introduction to computer science teaching assistant, a creative writing teacher to younger students in west Philadelphia, and a talented artist. Once her internship ends, Samantha is looking forward to starting her senior year by doing an independent study on generative poetry, portfolio pieces for her fine arts minor, and senior projects.

Posted by Shelbey Roberts, University Programs team
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