亲爱的安妮：还有几个月我就要从一所常青藤大学毕业了，我很想去谷歌（Google）工作。但唯一的问题是，我听说，如果平均绩点低于3.7，谷歌就连面试的机会也不会给你，而我的平均绩点只有3.0。

    这主要是因为我并没有把大量时间花在学习上，而是一直在为波士顿一家技术型创业公司工作。这只是因为这个工作更吸引我。过去一年多来，我还每周为本地的一家非营利机构无偿工作几小时，为他们建立筹款数据库，优化簿记系统，帮助其在社交媒体上发展。我想，这些都是我简历的闪光点，但我不太起眼的平均绩点会让我没有资格应聘吗？

    ——忙碌于校外的人

    亲爱的BOC：你真是生逢其时。因为谷歌1月宣布，今年它将大举招聘。谷歌负责工程与研究部的副总裁艾伦•尤斯塔斯在博客中透露，谷歌今年的新招聘计划预计将超过其2007年的规模。那一年，谷歌招了6,000多人。

    原因是：谷歌的移动设备操作系统Android、谷歌应用程序平台以及Chrome浏览器全都增长强劲，而其他处于开发初期的项目，如谷歌语音（Google Voice），机器人汽车（robot cars）和全网络个人电脑操作系统（all-Web PC operating system）也都发展迅速。尤斯塔斯写道：“我们将招聘尽可能多的聪明、富有创造力的新人，破解计算机科学中各种艰巨的挑战。”

    为了增加你成为谷歌团队一员的机会，你可以看看一本名为《谷歌简历：如何为职业生涯做好准备，在苹果、微软、谷歌或其他顶尖技术公司实现高就》（The Google Resume: How to Prepare for a Career and Land a Job at Apple, Microsoft, Google, or Any Top Tech Company）的新著。本书作者盖勒•拉克曼•麦克道尔是沃顿商学院MBA，也是CareerCup.com的创始人和首席执行官。这是一个专为技术专才服务的求职网站。

    在创办这一事业之前，麦克道尔曾在微软公司和苹果公司实习。随后她在谷歌公司的工程部门工作了三年。在该部门她任职于招聘委员会，曾面试过120多名求职者，并审看过无数简历。

    这些经历让她十分了解哪些简历会获得关注，哪些会被扔进废纸篓。正如书名所表明的那样，这两类简历的样本都已收录在该书中，同时还附上了详尽的评注，建议简历中应该包含哪些经历，以及如何展现这些经历。

    当你从本书了解到，3.0的平均绩点并不必定会让你进入谷歌的梦想泡汤时，一定会大受鼓舞。麦克道尔承认，所谓的3.7乃至更高的平均绩点神话流传甚广，但她对此却不以为然。她回顾到：“当我加入谷歌时，我所在的八人团队中就有三人连大学文凭都没有。而我们之后聘用的一位大学生的平均绩点也不是那么高高在上。”

    她进一步谈到：“学业成绩只是让你脱颖而出的途径之一，实际上还有很多其他领域有这个功能。因此，如果你的平均绩点或学校不是那么突出，就看看其他方式。此外，要想让自己的简历获得青睐，必须在多个领域出类拔萃。”

    你的来信表明，你已经在“多个领域”有出众表现了，所以还是考虑一下麦克道尔提到的谷歌公司寻求的其他品质吧：

    热爱技术。你平时看各种技术新闻吗，你能谈谈最新的技术进展和趋势吗？你喜欢发明应用或改进技术的各种新方法吗？请准备好跟面试官聊聊这些话题。

    热爱公司。麦克道尔表示，在任何一家顶级技术型企业里，招聘经理都想看到的是，你熟悉公司的产品——如果你有改进它们的建议，那就更好了。

    创新能力。麦克道尔在书中发问到：“如果要求你从头开始设计一样东西，你能迅速想出自己想要的很多特性吗？当要求你解决一个问题时，你能回推到各种假设和限制条件上吗？”从你现在或过去的各种活动中能举出一两个这样的例子，将会为你的面试加分不少。

    主动精神。麦克道尔表示，这“可能是像举办一个摄影展这样的非传统的活动”，或者是开设博客，开发业务或投身于非营利组织这样的活动。她问道：“你是如何突破常规，追求更高目标的？工作之余你都做了些什么？”或者，就你而言，在学习之余你做了哪些事？着重展现那些没人要求你而你出于纯粹的热情获得的成就。

    当然，技术型公司看重所有求职者身上的这些品质，而不是仅仅针对大学毕业生而言。

    麦克道尔表示：“面试结束时，所有问题都归结到这一点：你能说清自己能如何帮助公司吗？激情，创造力，主动精神以及‘把事情搞定’的态度都能说明这个问题。”

    因此，别让3.0的平均绩点阻挡你应聘的脚步——祝你好运！

    反馈：如果你最近刚在技术型公司找到工作，你认为对你成功应聘帮助最大的是什么？如果你是负责聘用IT人员的经理，你最看重的是什么？请在下面进行评论。

    译者：清远

    Dear Annie: I will be graduating from an Ivy League college in a couple of months and I'd really like to go to work for Google. The only problem is, I've heard that the company won't even interview anyone whose grade point average is below 3.7, and mine is barely 3.0.

    That's mostly because I've spent a lot of time working at a tech startup in Boston instead of studying, just because it interests me more. For the past year or so, I've also put several hours a week into pro bono work for a local nonprofit, setting up a fundraising database, streamlining their bookkeeping, and developing their social media presence. I think these things are fine additions to my resume, but will my so-so GPA disqualify me? — Busy Off-Campus

    Dear BOC:Your timing is terrific, since Google (GOOG) announced in January that it is embarking on a hiring spree this year. Alan Eustace, vice president for engineering and research, revealed in a blog post that Google expects to surpass its 2007 record for new hires. That year, the company added more than 6,000 people to its payroll.

    The reason: Enormous growth in Google's Android mobile operating system, Google Apps platform, and Chrome browser, as well as other early-stage projects like Google Voice, robot cars, and an all-Web PC operating system. "We'll hire as many smart, creative people as we can to tackle some of the toughest challenges in computer science," Eustace wrote.

    To boost your chances of being one of the people Google brings aboard, you might want to take a look at a new book, The Google Resume: How to Prepare for a Career and Land a Job at Apple, Microsoft, Google, or Any Top Tech Company. Author Gayle Laakmaan McDowell, a Wharton MBA, is founder and CEO of CareerCup.com, a job site for tech professionals.

    Before launching that business, McDowell interned at Microsoft (MSFT) and Apple (AAPL). Then she worked in Google's engineering division for three years, where she served on the hiring committee, interviewed more than 120 job candidates, and pored over piles of resumes.

    The experience gave her a clear understanding of which resumes get noticed and which ones land in the circular file. As the title suggests, the book includes samples of each, along with detailed notes on what kinds of experiences to include in your resume and how to present it.

    You'll be heartened to hear that a 3.0 GPA doesn't necessarily wreck your prospects at Google. McDowell acknowledges that the 3.7-or-higher-GPA myth is widespread, but she discounts it. "When I joined Google, my team of eight people included three who didn't have college degrees at all," recalls McDowell. "And our next college hire had a GPA that wasn't so hot."

    She adds: "Academia is merely one way to distinguish yourself, and there are plenty of others. So if your GPA, or your school, doesn't stand out, look for additional avenues. Besides, you'll need to excel in multiple areas to get your resume selected."

    Your question suggests you've already got "multiple areas" going for you, so consider a few of the other things McDowell says Google looks for:

    Passion for technology. Do you read tech news sources, and can you talk about the latest developments and trends? Do you enjoy thinking up new ways of applying or improving technology? Be ready to tell an interviewer about it.

    Passion for the company. At any top tech enterprise, McDowell says, hiring managers want to see that you're familiar with the company's products -- and if you have suggestions for how they could be improved, so much the better.

    Creativity. "If you're asked to design something from scratch, can you brainstorm lots of features you'd want?" McDowell asks. "When you're asked to solve a problem, do you push back on assumptions or constraints?" An example or two from your current or past activities would serve you well in an interview.

    Initiative. This "might be something as nontraditional as putting on a photography show," says McDowell -- or starting a blog, launching a business, or pitching in at a nonprofit. "How have you gone above and beyond?" she asks. "What have you done outside of work" -- or in your case, outside of school? Emphasize accomplishments that nobody required of you but that you took on out of sheer enthusiasm.

    Of course, tech companies value these traits in all job candidates, not just new college grads.

    "At the end of the day, it comes down to this: Can you communicate how you can help the company? Passion, creativity, initiative, and a 'getting things done' attitude are all signals of that," McDowell says.

    So don't let your 3.0 GPA stop you from applying -- and good luck!

    Talkback:If you've gotten a job at a tech company lately, what do you think contributed most to your being hired? If you're a manager who hires IT people, what's the most important thing you look for? Leave a comment below.