When I went through the Google interview process, it was definitely intense, but also quite a valuable learning experience. Here's how it went down:
1. Application & Initial Screening
I started by submitting my resume online. Soon after, I received an email from a recruiter who scheduled a quick phone screen. The recruiter didn’t just discuss my background, but also asked me some behavioral questions to get a sense of my fit for the company. This part felt more like a warm-up, but I knew they were assessing my communication and problem-solving mindset.
2. Technical Phone Interviews
Next came two technical phone interviews. These were focused on data structures and algorithms. Each interviewer would give me coding problems (I had to solve them on an online collaborative platform like CoderPad), and they’d evaluate my problem-solving approach, coding efficiency, and clarity of thought. They also liked to ask me to explain my thought process as I coded, which I really had to be mindful of.