François Girodolle’s Post

Here comes Google

🌟🎉 Dreams Do Come True! 🎉🌟 After years of hard work, learning, and staying curious, I am beyond thrilled to share that I’ve joined Google as a Systems Development Engineer! 🎉 Joining a company that shapes the future of technology is not just a milestone—it’s the start of a new chapter where I aim to learn, innovate, and contribute to solving some of the world’s most fascinating challenges. 💡 For anyone out there chasing their dreams, here’s my reminder: Stay persistent, stay curious, and embrace every opportunity to grow. Here’s to new beginnings, endless possibilities, and making a meaningful impact! 🚀✨ #NewBeginnings #LifeAtGoogle #SystemsDevelopmentEngineer #GrowthJourney #DreamsToReality

“Does it hurt my career if I disclose I was an ER nurse before becoming a software engineer?” - one of my students asked in a previous cohort of “Impact through Influence”. My response surprised everyone. I turned to the group. I asked the other participants to share their candid opinions. They were all in awe of this person for having the ER experience. They immediately projected strength, resilience, and a feeling of care onto this person. So that was my answer to my student’s question. Disclosing things from our past can be nerve-racking. But it helps people see us in a better light and better stick in their memory. How we show up and how our coworkers perceive us are key ingredients to building influence at work. I teach you all this and more in my live cohort course on how to build influence at work. Join me and other senior+ engineers, tech leads, and engineering managers from Google, Amazon, Meta as we deep dive into proven tools and strategies to build influence! https://lnkd.in/gHZ5n3GH We start Sept 9th!

🌟 Reflecting on my recent visit to the Google office in NYC ! 🌟 a BIG thank you to the Patina Network mentors Henry Chen, Cinthia Hai Young Kim, Celina H., Haoxin Luo for putting together this trip and making it an awesome experience. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and it definitely inspired me to continue working harder towards my goals. Some key takeaways: 1. Practice interviews! No matter how good you are at coding, you still need to be able to explain your thought process and converse with your potential interviewer. 2. Companies all have different work cultures and communities, some you may vibe with better than others. 3. As a SWE at a larger company, you’re never gonna be coding 100% of the time. Documentation is just as important. 4. all the food at Google was really good and they have a ton of snacks 👌🏻

The Journey Continues! 🛩️ Wow, how time flies! After three incredible weeks full of onboarding, meeting my new, amazing colleagues, connecting with many of our customers, and jumping into the planning for 2025, I’m back in the Big Apple. At least for now—come December, I’ll be heading back to Essen to reconnect with the team. Reflecting on these past weeks, I couldn’t be more excited about this new chapter. Joining a small software company after years on the brand side and in management consulting has been a leap of faith, but every day reaffirms why this was the right decision. Here are three reasons (out of many more) that make this journey so rewarding: 1️⃣ The People. The team’s drive, hustle, and compassion are incredible. It reminds me of the energy here in New York City, but with the added agility of a fast-growing company. 2️⃣ The Product and Positioning. I truly believe in the product and the niche we’ve carved out. With a distinct positioning and knowing what’s in the pipeline for 2025, it’s hard not to feel excited about the future. 3️⃣ The Challenge. I’m thrilled to collaborate with amazing brands and help them achieve their goals. We’re also finding our very own ways of collaboration and value creation, walking the unbeaten path to make a real impact! And, of course, one extra reason: 🍺 The Brenner! A local favorite pub where we share a Stauder beer and team laughs after a long day—I can strongly recommend the place 😉

I packed 3 suitcases and went on a plane with no return ticket. I didn't know exactly what the future looked like, but I had a vision, purpose and positivism. 🎉🎉 Fast-forward, I recently celebrated a life milestone: 6 years since I moved to Dublin and joined Google 🎉🎉 What a ride it has been so far: 🚀 Driving Growth: Had the privilege to partner with top brands and agencies, crafting full-funnel growth and media plans and deeply understand business models; 🤝 Strategy and Operations: Worked with a great team that designs how we go-to-market and enable sales teams via program management; 🌱 Continuous Development: Hundreds of training hours and mentorship opportunities with fantastic leaders, allowing me to keep expanding skills and knowledge; 🗣️ Sharing My Views: Spoke at numerous marketing industry events, coached junior team members/interns and led multiple projects; But it's not just the work itself - It's about the people and community. I've made lifelong friends, mentors, and colleagues (both from Google and Partners) who have inspired me to keep growing and being challenged. Excited for what the future holds!

🎉 10 Years at Google Today! 🎉 It's hard to believe it's been a decade since I walked through those colorful doors. Looking back, it's been a whirlwind of highs and lows! Countless Highs!! Working on innovative products that reached billions, collaborating with brilliant minds from all corners of the globe, and experiencing a culture that truly values personal and professional growth ❤️ There have ofcourse been challenges, bitter moments, tough decisions, and times when change felt overwhelming. Yet, those experiences taught me resilience and how to navigate complex situations with grace. Google, like any company, has changed over the years. We've grown, shifted focus, and adapted to a constantly evolving landscape. But through it all, the core values of innovation and a commitment to making a positive impact on the world have remained. I'm immensely grateful for the opportunities, the lessons, and the incredible people who have made my time at Google unforgettable! 🥂 #google #workanniversary #gratitude #innovation #usercentricity

While working at Google, my amazing manager Rachel had us share a mistake we made that week in our team meeting. At my first meeting, the team began sharing and I thought for sure this was not going to be good to shine a light on the negative every week. After going around the room, I discovered it was actually a practice that led to learning, growth and intense team cohesion. When a team member said "Hey, here's what I messed up on so you don't have to" it was like getting a cheat code! By sharing our mistakes openly, we created a team culture where errors turned to opportunity for learning. It wasn't about pointing fingers. It wasn't about playing the blame game. There was no fearing judgment when sharing. There was no hiding behind a false perception of perfection. It was about fostering a growth mindset as a team. It fueled collaboration, innovation, and trust. The regular ritual of sharing a mistake could transform your team dynamics like magic. ✨ Would you try it?

Give a talk at the 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗛𝗤 ✅ Giving a talk at Google is intimidating enough. 𝘖𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰-𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝟳𝟱+ 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘨𝘭𝘦? That’s the kind of challenge that would’ve left 16-year-old me feeling physically sick. 𝗕𝘂𝘁: I found my people both during and after UCL—a community that taught me it’s okay to fail. In fact, it’s essential. And fail I did. 𝗔 𝗹𝗼𝘁. Those failures shaped everything about my career. Now, I want to pay it forward. I want students to know that failure isn’t just a step on the path to success—it’s 𝗧𝗛𝗘 foundation for growth. That’s the driving force behind our new community. 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙨? 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/eK4xVTvR

🎉 Today marks two incredible years at Google following almost two decades in the public sector! Reflecting on this journey, I’m reminded of three key lessons that have shaped my experience: ✳ Take Calculated Risks - Stepping into something new is always daunting, but the decision to join Google was one of the best risks I’ve taken. It's shown me the value of pushing boundaries and embracing change to grow both personally and professionally. ✳ Embrace a Dynamic Work Environment - Every day at Google is different. The pace and diversity of projects keep things exciting, challenging, and rewarding. I've learned to adapt quickly and find innovative solutions in a constantly evolving landscape. ✳ Find and Partner with Mission-Driven People: I’m continually inspired by the incredible people I work with. They’re not just colleagues; they’re a community united by a shared mission to put users first. Their dedication and focus on making a positive impact remind me why I love what I do. Looking forward to what year three has in store! 📈 #Google #LifeAtGoogle #TakeTheRisk #Anniversary #CareeerGrowth #Innovation