Jens Meiert

Joining Google

Jens Meiert, January 18, 2008 / October 4, 2008.

This entry is filed under .

After an approach by Google in September, a few documents, tests, and interviews as well as some time for consideration it’s final: I will join Google in April, as a webmaster in Google’s EMEA development center in Zurich – and I may thank Google and the new team for this opportunity, I am very much looking forward to it!

(My job will have to do more with Google products and their pages than with research and development, so don’t think that I’m about to do something like Ian in the US or Anne over at Opera, not really. Focus will be on supporting and improving both design and technical quality of Google products.)

Presumably I do not need to explain the professional motivation to sign with Google, it should be obvious, despite (or because of) the fact that I partially agree with Joe. Apart from that I always planned to leave Germany for at least a while (especially since things get worse over here), and my girlfriend and me never really felt that great in Bremen, either, the greatest football club in the world just didn’t suffice to compensate for severe political and safety problems in this city.

This new situation will once again also mean changes concerning current sites and projects, but you can rest assured that I’ll continue to write more or less regularly, with more focus on substantial matters than recently though. That some ads might disappear once I entered the Zurich office won’t bother anyone I guess.

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Comments

  1. On January 18, 2008, 19:10 CET, Aaron said:

    Wow, working at Google sounds great! So I warmly welcome you here in Switzerland, the country where chocolate and cheese flows :-)

  2. On January 18, 2008, 19:11 CET, Michi-R said:

    Congratulations, I think you made the right decision, in a professional point of view and personal, too. I think you will love it to live in Switzerland.

  3. On January 18, 2008, 19:45 CET, Marcus Scheller said:

    congratiolations!
    zurüch is a nice place. been there two times for business purposes always in march and both times they had the summer first of all :)

    also having insight in some google products, workmethods and structure must be quite exciting.

  4. On January 18, 2008, 19:47 CET, Dennis said:

    Hey Jens, congrats! I guess this is going to be pretty exciting - but: You gotta plan coming back to Bremen in May - we have to celebrate the championship ;)

    See you soon!

  5. On January 18, 2008, 22:28 CET, Sebastian said:

    Congrats! And welcome to Switzerland! I moved here from Germany in the summer of 2006 and since then I never thought of moving back to Schäubland. ;-)

  6. On January 18, 2008, 23:08 CET, Oargh said:

    Glückwunsch Seppi (Congratulations Seppi)
    ;)

  7. On January 18, 2008, 23:32 CET, johno said:

    Jans,
    Just wanted to say congratulations (found out through twitter).
    Sounds like a great move and I wish you every success!

  8. On January 19, 2008, 3:48 CET, Perun said:

    Hallo Jens,
    dann wünsche ich dir viel Erfolg und viel Glück bei deinem neuen Brötchengeber.

  9. On January 19, 2008, 9:15 CET, Ben Buchanan said:

    Congratulations! As someone who agrees vehemently with Joe, I hope you’re able to fight the good fight :)

  10. On January 19, 2008, 11:28 CET, Jens Meiert said:

    Thank you all for your kind words …!

    Aaron, Michi-R, Marcus, Sebastian – now that is great feedback concerning Switzerland, but my first impressions have also been anything but bad, it appears to be a nice, friendly country, and Zurich seems to be quite cool :)

    Dennis, that is the worst thing … however, when I moved to Munich in 2003, Bremen (as we all know :)) won the championship – in Munich, and I’ve been there :D That’s probably a good sign even though they won’t play Zurich yet ;) (See you soon!)

    Ingo aka Oargh, you are so eloquent ;)

    John, thanks, hopefully :)

    Perun, in English, please – aber natürlich ebenfalls vielen Dank! :)

    Ben – yes, though to be honest, I really find Google code fascinating as it appears to be so sophisticated when it comes to Google Maps, Google Mail, and other applications, but also “a little bit careless” in other cases (semantics and maintainability, above all). Anyway, I am looking forward to understand the reasons for that and to help in improving the situation! :)

  11. On January 19, 2008, 13:01 CET, Arjan said:

    Congratulations with your new job!

  12. On January 19, 2008, 14:40 CET, Neovov said:

    Wow ! Congrats Jens !!
    It’s a very good news and I’m so happy for you !

    BTW, I didn’t know there is a Google center in Switzerland, maybe we will meet there one day ;) ! (I love dreaming)

    Good luck for your move and I hope we’ll have some Google’s sponsored posts ;) !

  13. On January 20, 2008, 12:50 CET, Marcus Scheller said:

    Zürich has got the »most aware of others« car drivers that i have experienced so far. :)

    what a difference to berlin, which has become a f******* reckless car park …

  14. On January 20, 2008, 15:22 CET, Jens Meiert said:

    Arjan, thank you!

    Nicolas, merci beaucoup! :) And as far as I know, Google is looking for more capable webmasters – let’s keep that in mind ;)

    Marcus, now that makes me really curious :D Currently I think that in Germany, the “average Munich citizen” drives best. Exceptions prove the rule, of course ;)

  15. On January 20, 2008, 18:14 CET, Nicolas Hilton said:

    Congratulations! Working for google is surely a big thing. And in addition Switzerland is such a great country to work in! I’m green with envy ;)

  16. On January 21, 2008, 12:37 CET, Mama Razzo said:

    Congratulations Jens!

    you´ve got the jackpot! i wish you all the best for your future at and with Google!

  17. On January 21, 2008, 14:14 CET, isar21 said:

    Congrats, habs immer gewußt, aus dem jungen wird noch was.

  18. On January 21, 2008, 16:50 CET, Jens Meiert said:

    Nicolas, MamaRazzo, Stephan (?), thank you, too! :)

  19. On January 21, 2008, 23:58 CET, Neovov said:

    Don’t worry, I’ll keep that in mind ;) !
    I’ll try when I’ll have the good level and feel that I can do it !

    Maybe we’ll see you here soon : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPz1Mou-Xxk ;)

  20. On December 5, 2008, 3:38 CET, miryam said:

    Dear Jens

    How is your life going in Switzerland? Are you enjoying working for google there? I lived for 3 years in Belgium and lost the opportunity to visit Switzerland, I regreat now that I did not do it, cause I left Europe to come to live permanently in Austtralia, is a great place here, is more sunny than in Belgium and that is enought, Good luck in your new life over there

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