Or would you still have to go through Google’s infamous recruiting/interviewing process?
Really depends - most likely yes, but such power comes with responsibility
In the most cases people who make it to c level are politically savvy. They won't take a risk on someone just because they know them - unless they are confident that person is competent and can be loyal.
They wouldn’t get you hired. They’d have you start a company that does what they need someone to be hired for and then contract that out at totally insane rates.
Why risk any political capital? They would make you go through the interviews although the panel would be composed of friends, so the whole process would be quite easy compared to other candidates. This way the hiring is “legit”. I’ve seen that with directors and their referrals.
You'd have to go through interviews but the referral would give you a leg up if you were close to the line.
It’s possible. I know someone at a top tech company (begins with A) who’s completely unqualified but was hired because he was referred by the CFO.
Interesting. Do you know what position he got? Was it SWE?
It was for a sales job