Google: Recruiting and developing top talent. By Sarah Fletcher

Google's HR director Liane Hornsey spoke at the HR Directors' Summit this week on attracting and developing talent and why a strong recruitment strategy is crucial. Sarah Fletcher reports.

Unless you've been living like a hermit on a remote island with no access to the world beyond, you'll be aware of Google's meteoric rise since its launch in 1998. Speaking on Monday at the HR Directors' Summit, the company's HR director Liane Hornsey explained the key role of recruitment to this success.

"The main goal is to hire the right people," she says. "Never make do with someone because you're desperate – only hire the best." Google's recruitment process is certainly thorough – given that applicants face a minimum of four interviews and agreement must be unanimous amongst everyone who has interviewed the candidate, "you have to be pretty astounding to get into Google," she notes.