Find Columbia Business School Alumni at Google
Columbia Business School is located in New York City, giving its alumni unmatched proximity to Wall Street and the media industry. CBS alumni are concentrated in finance, private equity, and tech.
Find Columbia Business School Alumni at GoogleWhy Columbia Business School Alumni Are Your Best Path Into Google
Columbia Business School alumni are known for finance, investment banking, and value investing. Google, with 180,000+ employees, has a significant concentration of Columbia Business School graduates — and alumni networks at elite programs are among the most effective tools for getting in the door.
A referral from a fellow Columbia Business School alum at Google is not just a form submission. It is a personal endorsement from someone who cleared the same bar you did. Google employees take referrals seriously, and a shared school creates an immediate conversation starter.
Google Referral Program Facts
Columbia Business School alumni are actively working at Google across engineering, product, strategy, and operations. The challenge is identifying who to reach out to, finding the right hook, and making the ask in a way that gets a response.
How to Get a Google Referral Through Your Columbia Business School Network: Step by Step
- Find Columbia Business School alumni at Google: Use FindWarmIntros to surface Columbia Business School graduates who currently work at Google. You will see their roles, seniority, and LinkedIn profiles — so you can prioritize the most relevant connections.
- Open with your shared school connection: Your opening message should lead with the Columbia Business School connection. "I noticed you went to Columbia Business School — I graduated in [year] and am exploring opportunities at Google" outperforms any generic opener.
- Ask for a 15-minute conversation: Do not ask for a referral in the first message. Ask to learn about their experience at Google and the team. Your alumni connection creates goodwill — use it to open a conversation, not to shortcut the relationship.
- Come prepared with specific questions: Know what role you are targeting and why. Show that you have done research on Google. A prepared candidate is easy to refer — an unprepared one is a risk for the referrer.
- Follow up with the direct ask: After a good conversation, send a follow-up with your resume and the specific role or job ID you are targeting. Ask clearly: "Would you be open to submitting a referral for me?" Make it easy for them to say yes.
Google-Specific Tips
Include the exact job ID
Google's referral system (gHire) links referrals to specific open roles by job ID. Find the role on careers.google.com, copy the job ID, and include it in your follow-up message to your contact.
Timing matters — apply when roles are open
Google periodically freezes hiring. Check the careers page regularly and reach out to your contacts when you see active openings in your target area.