Finding the Perfect* Team

I had a tough experience with my second team at Google. Without going into details, I can say that I was naive when joining and didn’t ask the critical questions beforehand.

That difficult period taught me (the hard way) to ask the hard questions. Using this wisdom, I was fortunately able to find a better fit within Google, where I was much happier and where I stayed until I left the company.

In this document, I want to share advice on essential questions to ask potential teams (and other AIs). I’ll also provide tips to help you leverage your network to find the right team.

Due Diligence

Make sure you do your due diligence when researching and contacting your potential new teams.

Team Health

Questions to investigate:

1. Tenure: How long has the manager been at the company and on the team? If the manager is new, that could have a negative impact on how much support you can receive from them during challenging times. How long have the other teammates been on the team?
2. Previous Teammates: When did previous teammates leave the team? What’s the attrition rate? Why did they leave? Ask for contact details and reach out.
3. Team Size & Scope: Does the team size match its responsibilities? Is the team underfunded (→ stressed) or overfunded (→ possibly bored)?
4. Code Reviews: Are comments friendly? Are PRs approved by just one person?
5. Team Roadmap: Is there a roadmap? If not, it may indicate limited support and focus.

Interview: Interview multiple people on the team - the newbies (how comfortable do they feel?), the manager, the skip-level managers. Your manager may leave/need help in a situation, so you want to ensure that you can count on your skip.

Questions for Potential Teammates

1. What’s your favorite part of being on the team? What’s your least favorite?
2. How much do you feel like you’re learning and growing in your role?
3. How stressful is the work on this team?
4. How often do emergencies arise that require extra working hours?
5. How comfortable do you feel asking questions on this team?
6. Who do you typically go to when you have questions or need help?
7. Is your manager or team lead more hands-off or hands-on?
8. How well does your manager understand the codebase?
9. What skill sets are essential to succeeding in this team?
10. How significantly does technical debt impact the team’s work?
11. How much does the team rely on other partner teams?
12. How often do blockers from other teams affect your progress?
13. Do you work closely with teams in different time zones?
14. What percentage of your day is spent coding?
15. Does your team have experience successfully onboarding a newbie?
16. How often do you need to context switch between tasks?
17. Devil’s Advocate: If you could change one thing about your team, what would it be?
18. Devil’s Advocate: If you had to give me one reason not to join the team, what would it be?
19. Is there anything else you think I should know about the team?

Finding a Team within Your Company - Reach out!

In Google, as in many other companies, connections are essential! Job postings are often listed after managers already have a specific candidate in mind. Managers are always happy to get recommendations about talented individuals and to help their fellow managers connect with strong candidates.

By reaching out to managers, they can either (1) offer you a position, (2) keep you in mind for a future position, or (3) refer you to other colleagues. There’s really no downside to reaching out!

Emailing Someone You Know Briefly

Example Email:

Subject: Looking for a new Team

Hi Person X,

I'm not sure you remember me, but … / I got your details from LinkedIn / Person Y….

I'm reaching out to ask for your advice on finding a new team during this tricky time. Unfortunately, while I love the product I currently work on, the team dynamics have made me realize that it's time to find a new home <OR WHATEVER YOUR REASON IS>.

Although your team likely does not have headcount at the moment, I’d really appreciate it if you could keep me in mind when you hear about any other openings! I'd love to chat over vc as well if you have any time.

For your convenience, I'm attaching my CVs.

Best wishes,
<NAME>

Emailing Someone You Don’t Know

Subject: Looking for a new Opportunity

Hi Person X,

Nice to e-meet you!

I'm an XX SWE in YY looking for a new home. I'm reaching out to ask if your team is possibly hiring in the near future, having learned about your team from ZZZ.

If it's relevant, my CV is available at <LINK>.

Thank you for your consideration,
<NAME>

Emailing Someone Outside the Company

When reaching out to someone outside your company, it’s important to expand on the templates above to show your worth. Building trust requires more effort, but you can help achieve this by demonstrating genuine interest and familiarity with their company’s products or service.