Sahil Gaba is a famous software engineer who stands as a beacon of inspiration and proof that everyone can make it in the realm of big tech as long as they persist in learning and improving. His Google software engineer resume is a solid example of good practice when it comes to applying with this and other industry leaders.
In this article, we’ll explore Sahil Gaba’s background, find out what he did to land the dream job of the majority of software engineers in the world, and carefully examine his resume. We’ll also find out what he’d do differently if he were to apply today. Let’s jump in!
Key Takeaways
Sahil Gaba is a software engineer who got a job at Google when he was only 29 years old.
He changed his career from being a mechanical engineer to being a software engineer when he saw a rise in demand in the IT sector.
Sahil encountered hundreds of interview rejections before getting a role at Google.
The experience obtained from all these interviews helped him perform better in future ones.
At one point, Sahil had offers from Google, Meta, and Uber simultaneously.
If he were to write a resume today, Sahil would prioritize work experience over skills and education, focus on more recent accomplishments, simplify his writing, and leave the part about his interests in to serve as icebreakers during interviews.
Who Is Sahil Gaba?
Photo credit: Business Insider
Sahil Gaba is a software engineer with an extraordinary work history and job-hunting experience with all five FAANG companies. He was only 29 years old when he was contacted by a Google recruiter who offered a salary in the range of around $300,000 per year.
Moreover, this happened only four years after Sahil Gaba graduated with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Toward the end of his studies, he noticed a rise in the popularity of computer science.
The high-paying IT job market was booming, so instead of writing a mechanical engineering resume, Sahil switched directions, learned relevant software engineer skills, and started applying for such positions.
However, before writing a job-winning resume that landed him a position at Google, Sahil Gaba went through hundreds of rejected interview offers. He also had two interviews at Google prior to getting hired, in 2016 and 2018. While both of these interviews were unsuccessful, Sahil learned from his mistakes and eventually landed a role at Amazon.
The knowledge he gained while working at Amazon gave him a new perspective on job hunting. He combined that knowledge with interview experience to successfully apply at several big tech companies simultaneously and use multiple offers as leverage to get his dream job.
Let’s check out the resume Sahil Gaba used to get offers from Google, Meta, and Uber successfully:
Disclaimer: We have used our resume builder to recreate Sahil Gaba’s Google software engineer resume. The original document looks slightly different visually, but we adapted it to feature a modern design while keeping the contents intact.
5 Elements Sahil Gaba Would Change in His Resume Today
Sahil Gaba is transparent about what he’d change in his resume if he were to apply for the role in big tech today. He’d use the accumulated knowledge and experience to improve his Google software engineer resume by:
5 Elements Sahil Gaba Would Change in His Resume Today
Prioritizing experience over skills. When he applied for the position at Google, Sahil had only been working at Amazon for 18 months, which is why he put skills at the top of his resume. However, he acknowledges that work experience is typically much more important as long as you have it.
De-prioritizing his education section. Sahil Gaba’s resume format places the education section in the top right corner in hopes readers would get to it first. While his degrees are impressive, Gaba now understands that most recruiters and hiring managers favor work history over education, which typically makes degrees less important.
Focusing on recent results and accomplishments. Gaba’s Google software engineer resume has plenty of space dedicated to academic honors and awards. While they can be incredibly valuable to recent graduates, Gaba stated that he’d rather emphasize new achievements and endeavors over those that are almost a decade old.
Simplifying his writing. Many candidates fall into the trap of using overly technical language to make their resume more impressive. However, Gaba notices that it’s better to use simple language so as not to lose the interest of recruiters and hiring managers.
Leaving in the section about hobbies and interests. The biggest upside to having interests listed on your resume is that they are great icebreakers during interviews. Sahil mentions how they are a great way to start the interview strong and on a warm note.
Closing Thoughts
Sahil Gaba’s Google software engineer resume is more than just another job-hunting document; it’s a testament to the power of persistence, improvement, and continuous learning.
On the one hand, you can learn a lot from the contents of his resume, the sections he included, and the formatting of the document. On the other hand, you can notice how his resume is rather simple and doesn’t deviate a lot from the established rules.
The key is to emphasize your experience whenever possible and use every opportunity to learn and improve. With the right mindset, you could be having your interview with a big tech company sooner rather than later!
