Motivated by the belief that we learn more from failures than successes, today I'm sharing my personal story about failing the Google Coding interview in late 2021. I believe this ordeal taught me valuable lessons which I later applied to sail through the same interview two years later.
How I got the Google Interview
As a senior year college student with an unremarkable resume boasting merely one internship and a good GPA, I applied to Google online. Google's cozy hiring policies meant that I was called in for an online assessment, the first step in Google's interviewing process. Google Online Assessment helps in weeding out candidates who lack a basic understanding of coding, and in my opinion, works even if its questions and solutions are available online.
While I didn't feel the need to prepare a lot for this preliminary round, its simplicity shouldn't mislead you into underestimating the rest of the process.
Preparing for the Onsite Interview
Post the online assessment, I scheduled my onsite interview a month or two later, to allow for enough preparation. The intensity of the actual tasks took precedence over academics in my final college year, pushing me to focus more on honing my technical skills.
The major part of my preparation involved working on the Blind 75 list of questions, a newly released set back then and now a go-to list for coding enthusiasts. To ensure I grasped the solutions well, I attempted most of these problems twice.
I ended up practicing approximately 50 random LeetCode questions, giving special focus to medium-level problems"
Alongside this list, I built the Blind 75 list and extended it to 150 problems, addressing comprehensive and beginner-friendly issues.
The Google Onsite Interview Experience
The preparatory phase climaxed into an engaging and learning experience in Seattle. The day was composed of task-related discussions interspersed with an office tour, lunch, and access to refreshments.
The activity centered on a meeting room with a large whiteboard where I had five consecutive interview rounds– four codings and one behavioral.
Round 1: The Importance of Understanding The Problem
Starting on a rough note, I messed up the first round, not due to inadequate coding skills but the dismissal of an important tenet of problem-solving, understanding the problem well. My enthusiasm got the better of me and I rushed into the process, failing to cross-check my interpretation of the problem. While this mistake only required a minor modification in the codes, it reflected negatively on my approach.
Round 2: Communication Is Key
Round two taught me the importance of communication. Instead of assuming that the interviewer wanted a complicated solution and taking unnecessary trouble, I should have checked it with the interviewer. An open discussion could have not only saved time but also prevented any miscommunication.
Round 3: Coming Up With The Expected Solution
The third assessment was smooth sailing except for the fact that my solution differed from the one expected by the interviewer. Although my approach was just as efficient, I speculated if this discrepancy cost me some points.
Round 4: Implementing The Optimum Solution
Coming up just short of the target, I could identify but not implement the optimum solution for the fourth problem. The interviewer had to nudge me toward the solution, which I then coded promptly.
Round 5: The Googliness Round
Lastly, the half-hour-long behavioral round was a relaxing session that tested basic interpersonal skills and compatibility with the work environment. Owing to a misunderstanding, the interviewer almost began with a coding problem but was quick to adapt once notified about the intended behavioral discussion.
The interviewing process wrapped up with a farewell and a trip back home filled with apprehensions about my performance.
The Learning
Three weeks later, the fear did manifest into a rejection email, leading to a phase of regret and self-blame. Reflecting on the blunders of misinterpreting problems and complicating solutions, I wondered if potential corrections could have led to selection.
On the brighter side, this experience ended by teaching me some invaluable lessons in problem-solving, communication, and patience.
Top comments (6)
As someone who recently took a coding test for an interview, I cannot emphasize the importance of this enough. I spent a week taking practice tests and understanding how the questions were presented was one of the big takeaways from all of those exercises, without it I would have likely designed solutions not accounting for all of the conditions that were subtly described.
Understanding a problem deeply is vital for effective solutions. Practicing with varied questions enhances this skill. Embrace mistakes as part of learning. Good luck with future challenges and interviews!
One error you may not recognize is to apply in the first place at Google.
Time investment is huge, probably of success is low.
I assume you think working at Google can be great, otherwise you wouldn't have applied, and that's fine with me, I was like this too.
But there is no reason to fall in love with Google hiring process, it's the obstacle to get there, it's not the real thing.
Personally I decided long ago to focus on companies that have hiring processes that are not so generous with wasting my time.
Your perspective on Google's application process is well-founded. Efficiently investing time in companies aligning with your goals is pragmatic. Focus on a fit that values your time and aspirations.
this is so great, how you were able to learn from your mistakes. It is so important, learning from all our mistakes and mishaps and even successes.
THanks for this!
Absolutely, continuous learning from both mistakes and successes is invaluable for growth. You're welcome! If you have more questions or need assistance, feel free to ask.