Name: Juliana Glodek

Year: 2022

Major: Computer Science & Film Production

Chapman Undergraduate Involvement: Girls Who Code (President & Marketing Chair)

 

For many Fowler School of Engineering (FSE) graduates, the most unexpected career shifts can become a rewarding reality. Following her graduation in 2022, Juliana Glodek (B.S. in Computer Science/B.F.A. in Film Production) began working as a Software Engineer for Google, taking up a rare opportunity that has since evolved into a valuable experience through her hard work and dedication. During this time, Glodek has implemented the technical and interpersonal skills she cultivated on Chapman’s campus to become a key component of Google’s ecosystem. 

In celebration of Alumni April, we met with Glodek to discuss her year with Google, gaining further insight into how her undergraduate experiences have shaped her day-to-day at Google.

Q&A With Juliana Glodek

 

Q: What do your day-to-day operations look like as a Software Engineer for Google?

Glodek: When I was first starting out I spent my time working on bugs, fixing whatever could go wrong with the existing system. A lot of my time today is dedicated to understanding this system—how it works, our code base, and how to navigate it—because a lot of the changes I’m making are modifications or improvements to that. What I am working on right now involves building a pipeline to collect metrics for one of our services. In order to do this from the ground up, I have to understand what our team’s code base even looks like.

Typically, I will have a one-on-one with my manager where we’ll look at what my expectations are for the quarter and what my progress is on whatever I’m working on. I’ll then have a meeting with my mentor as well as a team meeting.

 

Q: What have you found most fulfilling about this position thus far and what are you looking forward to?

Glodek: The most rewarding thing about working at Google is the friends that I’ve made. We have this organization called Noograds which I’ve become heavily involved in, and I’ve made best friends through that experience. It’s such a big company and my friends work in completely different areas (we have a zero overlap in what we do) but we can all hang out on the same campus, get lunch or dinner, or take workout classes together. At Google, it’s it’s a whole ecosystem. Hopefully in the future I just continue improving my skills and keep growing those friendships.

 

Q: What are some experiences you believe contributed to getting a position with Google, such as past internships, organization connections, and professional preparation during your undergraduate years?

Glodek: Being involved in Girls Who Code helped me out a lot, especially since I was at a disadvantage coming in as a junior Computer Science major. I didn’t have those two years that other students may have had to get internships, be in clubs, or otherwise build their knowledge. Girls Who Code is a very reputable organization to be part of, and with schools as small as Fowler that are still developing, there was a valuable opportunity to get involved early on and adopt an impactful role within the Executive Board. I think this was what really helped me get those interviews.

I also had to prepare significantly for the interviews I had. In the Fall semester of my senior year, a whole year before my start date, I was working hard every day studying for my interviews and applying, jumping through all these hoops to get through and get past interviews.

 

Q: What classes or technical skills do you believe have been most impactful in your role?

Glodek: The intro classes I took in Python, Java, and Data Structures were all super important classes that taught me the foundation of things I use at my job every day. My professors were so accessible and helped me understand the material instead of just struggling through it. Having good professors and possessing those skills really helped me out with landing this job.

 

Q: What advice would you give to Fowler students currently searching for similar job opportunities?

Glodek: You are never too early to start job searching, networking, studying code, developing skills, or building your resume! Even if you think it’s too soon, you’re probably right on time. Recruiting starts very early and being one of the first applicants is probably one of the most important goals. For example, I applied to Microsoft the day it came out; I think that if I hadn’t they probably would have skipped me. There were people who applied maybe a month or two later but by that time, the company had already filled all of their interview slots. Being ahead of the game is vital.

I would also tell them to be yourself because that’s how you will get the job that is right for you. During interviews, you will also come across as a more authentic candidate, which everyone will love.

The last thing I would say is not to give up. It’s not going to be a forgiving or merciful process; you will be flooded with rejections. However, the most important thing to understand is that you only need one company to say yes. You’ll be surprised by who says yes to you as well—when I started my job search, there was no way I was expecting Google to even reach out to me. I applied to them thinking, “It’s Google, I’ll just see what happens.” You truly never know what to expect! 

Glodek encourages students hoping to pursue a job at Google who would like to discuss her experience to contact her via LinkedIn. Those looking to take advantage of career resources are also recommended to check out the official FSE career page or reach out to FSE’s Career Specialist, Samuel Lee.