It was a difficult but ultimately rewarding experience to go through Google’s software job interview process to get the position.
Screening: The first step in the process was an initial screening call with a member of the recruiting team, during which I discussed my history as well as my qualifications for the position.
The interviewer questioned me about my previous work experience, my technical skills, and my interest in software development throughout the course of the call, which lasted approximately thirty minutes. I was able to provide concrete examples of my prior work experience and articulate how that experience related to the position for which I was applying.
After the screening call, I was told that I had been successful and would be moving on to the technical interviews. This information came after the call.
Interview Rounds: I was invited to participate in the initial round of technical interviews that would be held on Zoom, and I was given a calendar invite for the event. I had four interviews with different engineers from the company, each of which lasted approximately an hour in total.
- The first interview inquired primarily about my familiarity with various data structures and algorithmic processes. The interviewer questioned my ability to explain the functionality of various data structures, such as arrays, linked lists, and trees, and asked me to solve a few coding problems using a screen to which we both had access. In addition to that, I was questioned about my strategy for resolving the issue as well as the manner in which I would enhance the functionality of my answer.
- The second interview had a greater emphasis placed on the design of the software. My previous experience with various design patterns was a topic of discussion during the interview, as was the manner in which I would approach the design of a system that could deal with a large number of requests. I was also questioned regarding the manner in which I would address concerns regarding the system’s scalability and reliability.
- During the third interview, which was a live coding session, I was presented with a problem and asked to write a solution to it while working in an environment for coding that was provided by Google. The interviewer questioned me about the thought process I employed while writing the code and asked me to debug any problems that occurred while I was working on it.
- My previous experience with a particular programming language or technology that was pertinent to the position was the primary topic of discussion during the fourth interview. The person conducting the interview questioned me about my background with the technology, how I had previously applied it, and the difficulties I encountered while using it.
Following the completion of the technical interviews, I checked my email to find a message from the recruiting team informing me that I had been successful and would be proceeding to the behavioural interviews. The member of the hiring team who was responsible for the behavioural interviews asked me questions that centred on how well I would fit in with Google’s culture and values.
Behavioral Round: During the interview, I was questioned about my previous work experience, my ability to solve problems, and my capacity to work well with others on a team.
The person who was interviewing me asked me to provide concrete examples of circumstances in which I had demonstrated these skills. They also asked me to explain how I had dealt with disagreements or difficult situations in the past. In addition to that, they wanted to know what drove me to work for Google and how well I fit in with the culture of the company.
In the end, following the series of behavioural interviews, I was given an invitation to an on-site interview.
- The on-site interview took place at the Google office, and during it, I had the opportunity to speak with several members of the team, as well as the manager and a few other individuals who were involved in the hiring process.
- The interview took on a more conversational tone, and I was given the opportunity to inquire about the company and the position, in addition to gaining a deeper comprehension of how the members of the team interact with one another.
- The interviewers paid close attention to my communication skills, my ability to think critically, as well as my ability to learn and adapt quickly throughout the entire process.
- The interview process was strenuous, but it was also intended to be objective and thorough, so it was designed in that way.
- I got the impression that the people conducting the interview were genuinely interested in learning more about me and analysing my skills.
The entire procedure took about two and a half weeks, and at the conclusion of it, the recruiting team sent me an email with an offer for the position. I felt that I had been thoroughly evaluated on my abilities and whether or not I was a good fit for the role during the interview process at Google, which was overall a challenging but rewarding experience. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining this organisation and becoming a part of it.