Google

Allen and Jing, two software engineers at Google, recently hosted an insightful workshop aimed at demystifying Google’s interview process. The following highlights key takeaways from the session, including a detailed breakdown of the interview steps and useful tips to help you prepare effectively. Process Breakdown By Role Types SWE Internship Online coding assessment & survey Two technical interviews Project search Offer STEP Internship (for first- and second-years) Two technical interviews Offer Project allocation Full-Time Online coding assessment & survey Four virtual interviews: one behavioral, three technical Product area match & final approvals Offer More About Each Task Online Survey Can reference standard libraries and official documentation Make sure to do it by the deadline (typically 7 days) Technical Interview 5 minute introduction + 35 minute coding question + 5 minute closing for you to ask your interviewer any questions Some time to take a break in between rounds Can ask for accomodations during the interview but try to do so before starting the task Languages: C/C++, Java, Python, Javascript, Go; allowed to ask for other languages Possible Topics Loops String manipulation Conditional logic Sort & Search Divide and conquer Dynamic programming memoization Greedy algorithms Recursion Big O Graph traversal Arrays Linked lists Sets Hashing Binary trees Heaps Graphs No brain teasers, puzzles, or trick questions Interview Tips General Keep your microphone on Can use paper to scribble down notes Speak out loud Be careful about what you’re sharing Be yourself - you will be more memorable and it will be easier to connect with your interviewer Come prepared with thoughtful questions for your interviewer What Interviewers Consider How did you analyze the problem Did you miss any edge cases Did you solve the problem methodologically and logically Did you demonstrate a strong foundation in concepts Does the code work, was it testsed Is it clean and easy to maintain the code Were the ideas easily and well explained DO Listen carefully, rephrase the given problem and ask clarifying questions Design a solution and think out loud the whole time Communicate the high level strategy Iterate by analyzing Big O runtime or space complexity Handle edge cases in design too Write actual code Test that code Discuss potential optimizations and expect follow-up questions Explain your thought process throughout the interview AVOID Jumping directly into code Not talking about examples or testing Not writing real code Not understanding question or prematurely optimizing Resources Google Job Alerts Google Career Profile Google Career Resources Google Diversity Google Scholarships Google Careers OnAir Email techstudents@google.com with more questions