Blog of Leonid Mamchenkov

My jaw is officially on the floor and I don’t have even slightest idea when I will be Adrenalin-sober again to pick it up…

For the last five or so years, there were only three companies that everyone I knew wanted to work at.

• Google
• IBM
• Microsoft

Ok, maybe not everyone, but most of the IT people. And maybe not all of them wanted to join Microsoft. But you get the idea. These are not only the tree most successful computer companies, but three corporations that realize the Geek Power.

I don’t know about the rest of the world, but in those parts that I communicated with, it was considered impossible to get a job at either one of these companies unless you lived in the USA and was exceptionally bright. Until very recently that is. Just a few years ago the new trend appeared, that suggested it was possible to get hired while living in another country. You still had to be exceptionally smart and you had to be willing to relocate.

On numerous occasions I was hearing the jokes, semi-jokes, and serious discussions on how cool it would be to work for one of these companies. All of these discussions though were ending with a deep sad sigh and words expressing the absolute impossibility of something like that happening in reality.

Now, the roll the drums, please…

I have received an email today from Google’s recruiter, asking if I am interested in working for Google. Me! For Google! Danz! That was the sound of my jaw hitting the floor. Hard. I checked the message back and forward and I am 99% sure it is not SPAM, mass mailing, or a joke. Neither it is a job offer yet. But I am still stunned.

Needless to say I have a lot to think about, but I am not at all in a condition to do so. I’ll have to take some time. A day or two. I’ll let you know if I’m OK and back to the normal life.