Extra option: I never applied and was hired. Believe it or not we have recruiters out there sourcing candidates. I have personally interviewed people who were asked to apply by recruiters but who did not apply on their own.
Related: solicited by internal Google recruiter but declined.
Google sucked-up nearly all the Python people from Seattle mid-decade this way, just as I was migrating back to Common Lisp, so it wasn't that appealing to me anyway.
It was months before the IPO was announced, no bus from SF yet, no SF office then, and I couldn't bear a reverse-commute. (Wife doesn't drive, so living outside the city not an option)
