"HOW GOOGLE WOOS THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST"... ANOTHER PIECE FROM THE GOOGLE MAD MEDIA

I don't know which subject matter I'm more tired of these days... Web 2.0 companies on tech blogs or Google in mainstream media. Also in the first paragraph below, I think it's incorrect about the free laundary. Never heard about that perk.

Free cafeteria food, annual ski trips to the Sierra and free laundry are just some of the fringe benefits of working at Google. Getting hired is the trick.

Every month, aspiring workers deluge the popular Mountain View search engine with up to 150,000 resumes, equivalent to a stack of paper at least 50 feet high. And the firm claims to read each and every one.

As one of Silicon Valley's hottest companies, Google has become a beacon for job seekers. In just a few short years, the interest has helped the company amass an arsenal of what is arguably among the world's top technology minds.

"I would argue that definitely they have the best talent," said Joe Kraus, a co-founder of the Web portal Excite Inc. and who currently leads a startup, JotSpot, in Palo Alto. "They invest so much because the more great talent you have, the easier it is to attract even more great talent."

Google hires nine new workers a day. In less than two years, the number of employees has more than tripled to 4,989.

The growth spurt is being fueled by a gangbusters-like online advertising market and Google's boundless ambition, including new initiatives in everything from wireless Internet access to video downloads. The goal is to keep the production line of new products humming so that users spend more time on the Web site. (full article)