Fred Brumwell wanted a Google job so badly, he rented a billboard

Fred Brumwell really wants to work for Google, but unlike other job seekers who send in resumés, Brumwell rented a billboard directly across the street from Google's offices in Kitchener, Ont., to get the company's attention.

The billboard points people to a website, FredforGoogleFiber.com, where Brumwell, who lives in Milton, Ont., explains why he'd like to work for Google and what his qualifications are.

It blew their minds, because a lot of them honestly thought I was joking.—Fred Brumwell, prospective Google employee

That effort has landed him an interview with the company.

"I wanted to make sure I got noticed by Google and that hopefully that they would take a gander at me, and see that I want to work for them and why I want to work for them. It's not just about a paycheque, it's about doing something more," Brumwell said in an interview.

"It was more than 500 bucks, but it was worth every penny," says Brumwell about renting the billboard for a month.

Currently, Brumwell works as a consultant at Gerson Lehrman group, and has also worked as a project manager and analyst for Enbridge Gas. 

Since the billboard went up on Aug. 18, Brumwell has had over 3,700 views to his website as of Tuesday morning, with visitors from the U.S., the U.K., Switzerland, Australia, Sweden and Canada. He also reports over 100 views of his LinkedIn profile. 

Brumwell seeks work on Fiber project

Brumwell says his family and friends doubted at first that he had rented an actual billboard, and he had to show them photos to prove it. 

"It blew their minds, because a lot of them honestly thought I was joking. I've got a bit of a reputation as a joker," he said.

Brumwell wants specifically to work for Google Fiber, a service that doesn't exist in Canada yet, but one that he hopes soon will. Fiber is Google's entry high-speed Internet service and promises download speeds of up to 1,000 megabits per second. Currently it is only available in Kansas City, Provo, Utah, and Austin, Texas.

"I'm an altruist and access to knowledge is important to me," says Brumwell.

Let us know: have you ever done anything outlandish in order to land a dream job? Enter a comment in this story or email us.