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Commercial Awareness for Google Apprenticeship Applications
Commercial awareness is tested at every stage of the Googleapplication: from motivational questions on the form through to case studies and interviews at the assessment centre. Here's what you need to know.
The Business Context
Google UK employs over 6,000 people in London. Revenue is primarily advertising, cloud (GCP), and hardware. Google's parent Alphabet reported $307 billion in global revenue in 2023.
Key Facts to Know
Starting salary
£23,000–£30,000
Programme length
18 months–2 years
Acceptance rate
1–3%
Application window
Roles posted throughout the year: apply as soon as roles open
Commercial Awareness Questions to Prepare For
“What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Google in the next year?”
“Tell me something recent in the news that you think is relevant to what we do.”
“What trends are affecting our industry right now?”
“Can you explain what Google does in a couple of sentences?”
How to build commercial awareness fast
- Read Google's latest annual report introduction (10 minutes, just the CEO letter)
- Set a Google Alert for “Google” and read one article per week
- Read the FT, BBC Business, or The Economist for 10 minutes each morning in the 4 weeks before your assessment
- Be able to explain what Google does in two sentences without using industry jargon
Free prep pack
Preparing for Google? Get a full pack free
The full PwC School Leaver pack is free: application stages, the competencies they score, real interview questions, commercial awareness, and a pre-submission checklist. The process it walks through is close enough to the other big schemes, Google included, to prep you for all of them.
Want the Google pack specifically?
Google Apprenticeship Prep Pack
Application stages, competencies, real interview questions, commercial awareness, and a pre-submission checklist: in one complete pack.