One question
Early in my career, I was rejected by Google. One question from the interview stuck with me after all these years: “If you had unlimited funding, what would you work on?”
It’s a simple question yet shines a light on a few critical facets:
- Heart. Where do the candidate’s interests and sparks lie? Are they inspired individuals with passion or deep concern for others?
- Creativity. How do they respond to impromptu situations? How do they interpret the question and where do they take the conversation?
- Critical thinking. How do they structure their thoughts to work toward a response? Did they take the time to consider options?
My own response back then — something akin to “make Google Docs work better on mobile” — was so flat that I believe it was a factor in my rejection (truth be told I was also still “curing” as a designer).
It’s been ~12 years since then and I still consider the question occasionally. I play through the exchange in my head as a check-in on my own values, environment, and the world.
Today, my answer is that I would work to enable humanity to “make no trace” (a variation of the “leave no trace” philosophy when enjoying the great outdoors). Make no trace would be an endeavor to reverse humanity’s footprint on our planet across several key technologies so that future generations can experience and enjoy a pristine environment.
This one question is now in my interview repertoire and I enjoy the subsequent conversations it generates. Consider bringing it along to parties, first dates, and other get-to-know-yous too.
If you had unlimited funding, what would you work on?
