Resume on a Rubik's Cube

[See UPDATES below]

I read an article about Google's corporate culture that mentioned they chose $2,718,281,828 as the target amount for their IPO. The number represents 'e' a mathematics constant and its choice alludes to mathematical humor that is ingrained in Google's culture. While reading the article, I had the idea to try and channel that levity in pursuit of a position at Google. Why not put my Resume on a Rubik's Cube?

I recently saw a Google job posting in my city that looks like a good match to my knowledge and skills, so I created the Rubik's Cube pictured above. As another inspiration I included QR codes on each side to attach relevant content to my Resume.

I'm happy with the result but one question remains: Do I send this to Google with all 6 sides completed as I laid them out, or do I send it jumbled? Close advisors tell me I should send it clean and readable, but something inside tells me I should send it jumbled. Please tell me what you think in comments to this post.

UPDATE1: The people have spoken
Its unanimous everyone agrees I should send in this Resume on a Rubik's Cube unsolved. I posted a youtube video of me scrambling the cube.

UPDATE2: @GoogleJobs has spoken

I tweeted my question to @GoogleJobs and they responded.

UPDATE3: It is sent

Here's what I sent to Google.

After spending so much time trying to make everything letter perfect, it killed me a little when the shipper corrected their typo like this.

UPDATE4: I got an Interview with Google

I had a phone interview with the country head of marketing for Canada. He confirmed that it was the Rubik's Cube resume that got their attention. The interview was for a job that was quite a departure from my background and much more senior than the one I had applied for. As you can imagine there are a lot of candidates applying to Google and they just called me to let me know that I won’t be going on to the next interview.

I’m proud of myself for the creative way I got the interview, and I’m proud of the work I did to prepare for the interview. It’s a good ending to this adventure.

Freaky part of the story: the same day I was first contacted by Google for an interview, I signed a great contract with one of Canada’s largest technology companies. That was a good day.

10 comments:

JSJanuary 18, 2011 at 7:32 AM
I definitely lean towards unsolved. In for a penny, in for a pound.

I love it either way. It's guaranteed to catch 100x more attention than any other resume.

Note: one can "solve" the cube, but still have the centre face oriented wrong: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubik%27s_cube#Centre_faces

A third option:
Send them both, with the solved one in a sealed box "In case of emergency, break glass."

I would love to see some closer details. Maybe not all, but a few. Where does the Aztec code take you?
Brian R. BoothJanuary 18, 2011 at 1:32 PM
There's a QR code (similar to Aztec) on every side. They take you content relevant to my resume. A cover letter, the long form of my resume, websites I've worked on, and other goodies.
UnknownJanuary 19, 2011 at 12:08 PM
Unsolved. The first thing i would do is see where the QR codes take me.

Just be prepared for the headache you'll get after the Google interview process.
patdeanJanuary 19, 2011 at 12:25 PM
My initial thought was to cater to the reader and make it as easy to consume as possible by sending it solved. But that's the writer in me being practical and thinking it's best to minimize the effort and maximize the potential of it getting read the way you want it read.
But then the marketer in me kicked in and I started thinking about the Google culture, human nature, and the brilliance of sending a completely unique resume that's begging to be passed around. It occurred to me that solved or unsolved the rubiksresume is going to get some attention - not just from HR, but from the hiring manager and probably even the manager's team. If it's solved they'll check it out and put it down. If it's not solved, my guess is they'll find somebody to solve it. But not because they can't decipher the content (the colours will do that for them) but because it's a challenge and it's fun. And in my mind, the longer someone plays with it the more they'll glean from your CV and the more likely you are to stick in their mind. So, I say go big or go home and send it unsolved.
Brian R. BoothJanuary 19, 2011 at 1:44 PM
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dame Edith Divine (Valerie Elson)January 19, 2011 at 2:20 PM
I side with patdean. Scramble the heck out of that cube. I wish you the best of luck in your job quest. You sure have impressed me! --Valerie Elson, Speed Cuber ranked: 11386
UnknownJanuary 19, 2011 at 6:58 PM
Well, the whole point of a rubiks cube is to solve it. Send unsolved!
Can you solve the cube though? What if they ask you to solve it and resend?
UnknownJanuary 21, 2011 at 10:41 AM
Unsolved! And use your problem solving and communication skills to educate them on how to solve it. I'm seeing a foldout map where you have a space for them to put the cube in the centre and then instructions surrounding it.
UnknownJanuary 2, 2015 at 1:29 AM
Follow this link to Learn how to solve rubik's cube under 1 minute like a pro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzuAyHjBaxE&list=PLlPJAPVhRrxrpcPodJD3N1uGlStzkqRU2&index=1
ResumeOn BlogsMarch 28, 2015 at 3:03 AM
Informative post. Thanks