Working for Google + Referral

Reach out to your alumni network! My friend got unto the third round of Google through a referral. Also, talking to current employees at LinkedIn (the company I would apply) also helps - and asking what exactly is it they do. That helped me to prepare for interviews accordingly, and tailor my answers - such as talking about work experiences that are more associated with that role. What I've realized is that the recruiters care mostly about 'fit', and my interviewers were always impressed when I had a clear idea of the position I would be working at. If you're interested in tech, this compilation of interviews of people working at Google/Amazon/LinkedIn could be useful!

I've heard the only way to get a job is through an employee referral.

You can get jobs without a referral. A referral can definitely help get your CV looked at, but it doesn't make the rest of the process any easier. Referrals from people who don't know you and cannot speak to your competence for a job are not going to offer much over applying directly.

As riverpath2 suggests, looking through your "network" is probably the best way to find somebody to refer you, and reaching out to an "old flame" is more likely to work than reaching out to a total stranger - you could ask a stranger, but it wouldn't be very googley of them to refer somebody they don't know. If you're really stuck for actual connections, I'd advise just applying through Google's website (this option is there for a reason!) or maybe reaching out specifically to recruiters for the kind of role you want.

I can't offer much advice for non-tech roles (which, in my opinion, are considerably harder to obtain, because the process is far less transparent), except to say that the vast majority of applicants do not receive offers (including many people now working at Google who didn't get an offer until the second or third try), so if you don't end up in your "dream company" this time, just remember there are many great places to work. The more you improve yourself through experience, the better your chances of landing a job at them become in the future.

I'd also seriously reflect on them being a dream company, rather than having a specific dream role in mind. Aiming solely to get into a company, without really thinking about what you'll do, seems a little unhealthy - all the free food in the world won't make up for having to work every day in a job you hate.

Good luck!

A great response, thank you so much for this. It's extremely helpful. I am not solely looking to apply simply because they are a 'dream company'. I'm extremely selective and have only applied for roles that I think would be a good fit. I actually have a telephone interview for another low-tier organisation booked and I'm looking into different places that would be a good fit for me. The most important thing is the actual role and not the company. It has to be a role where I can develop my existing skills set.