Google Hiring Shows Video Key to Growth

The $1.6 billion buyout of YouTube was a good indicator that Google, the Mountain View, Calif.-based search giant had serious designs on the online video business. Its recent moves, including a partnership with Apple, are signs that it will keep investing. More anecdotal proof that the $10 billion-a-year company is betting the farm on video, take a quick look at their job listings.

At present Google has about 2,800 open positions right now, and a large percentage is related to video. There are numerous postings for online video ads, video content analysis/search, and TV initiatives. The television-related positions show the company is beginning to look at convergence very seriously. Television-related positions are based in London.

Yahoo is no slouch either, and has been aggressively hiring video related personnel, according to UBS analyst Ben Schachter, who recently published a report analyzing the hiring trends at the two Internet giants.