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Google interviewing process for software developer role in 2020

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Re: Google interviewing process for software developer role in 2020

#341
post #28

All I have heard are nightmare stories from everyone I know whom has interviewed at a FAANG(or the likes). It's crazy how disrespectful(and frankly insulting) these companies are to candidates, under the guise of trying to get the best. I would assume the best aren't sitting around on their hands for months waiting for offers, nor are they overly willing to be jerked around.

It is very disrespectful.

My domain is backend distributed system and FB arranged a front end manager to interview me and he explicitly said I was matched to his team, WTH?? then the interview feedback was I do not have their expected skillsets.

Why waste my' time & effort?

Re: Google interviewing process for software developer role in 2020

#342
post #3

I'd be curious to know if this is typical. As someone that's never interviewed at Google but idly wondered at moments if I'd ever work there this sounds hellish. Not necessarily the exercises themselves (although they seem to have nothing to do with what any developer does day-to-day), but the sheer number of them and the amount of preparation required. I already have a full time job, I don't want to take on another…

All I can figure is that's by design. The process selects for some combination of IQ and how bad you want it, basically. If you can't or don't want to put in 10-15hrs a week prepping, for a few months, on top of your actual job (god knows nothing I actually do at work as a programmer helps me be better prepared for this kind of shit), to then subject yourself to a crushing marathon of a day, they don't want you. They…

You and the parent have explained exactly what I've been running in my head when it comes to these interviews. I'm currently evaluating one of the FAANGs and with the amount of time and LC grinding I'd have to put in I'd rather learn a new technology.

Re: Google interviewing process for software developer role in 2020

#343
post #28

All I have heard are nightmare stories from everyone I know whom has interviewed at a FAANG(or the likes). It's crazy how disrespectful(and frankly insulting) these companies are to candidates, under the guise of trying to get the best. I would assume the best aren't sitting around on their hands for months waiting for offers, nor are they overly willing to be jerked around.

Maybe it's a good filter for them. If people start complaining in the interview process they will complain at work, too. Maybe such a process only keeps the ones who are eager and willing to work there and will continue their tasks even when jerked around ...

are you saying FANG likes slaves?

Re: Google interviewing process for software developer role in 2020

#344

Every time this topic comes out, I can't help but think that the majority of comments show some degree of confirmation bias. What's missing from the conversation are the perspectives of those who had a positive interview experience... Without that, the conversation doesn't have quite so much education value.

I thought it was fine, and not much different from Amazon or Microsoft. Actually way better than AWS, which was cold and uncommunicative the whole way through.

Phone interview, onsite with five interviews, recruiter followed up with a "sorry" a couple weeks later and an invite to try again. Tried again following year, got to skip the phone interview, did onsite with five interviews again.

Second time was a little messier because after the onsite, the recruiter said I was borderline and should try to do a "team fit" first to try and get an "internal recommendation". So I chatted with a couple team leads but the one that wanted me was the team that I didn't want. So you could call that wasted time, but, it seemed like recruiter was actually trying to help and it was fun to learn about the teams anyway. Then the hiring committee reviewed and came to an apparently rare stalemate. I was brought in for two more interviews and nailed them. But didn't get the job. Apparently a joke I made about not knowing integer division got interpreted wrongly, and that was the pivot. That was last year and I was to try again this year and will probably take them up on it sometime if I get around to it.

The first time I interviewed there, I was actively interviewing everywhere so I was already pumping through algorithms and such anyway. So no extra spent time studying. Second time I went in completely cold, and will again this year if I go.

Each of my onsites seem to have followed the pattern: three went well, one went poorly, and one I felt like the interviewer wasn't prepared or didn't know what he was looking for. But in general the problems are challenging and fun, so no issues with the interviews themselves. And recruiters have all been friendly and helpful.

They need to fix the parking situation in Kirkland though, is probably my biggest complaint.

Re: Google interviewing process for software developer role in 2020

#345

Man what a stark contrast to how my Netflix interview went. I was contacted directly by the hiring manager, three days later I was onsite for the phase one interview, three days later I was onsite for the second phase, and I had a verbal offer on my way out the door (for more than I asked for). Came back a week later to sign the paperwork after I emailed with the recruiter a few times about offer details. Started a w…

HN paints Netflix as an awesome place to work (for years). At least that is the image I get as somebody who doesn't live in states. If that's true - good job on their part

Re: Google interviewing process for software developer role in 2020

#346
post #37

I guess my question is to people who have passed these interview successfully, do you feel the interviews were actually representative, even broadly, of the kind of work/skills you would need for your day to day job?

I saw no relationship between anything I was asked during interviews and what I ended up working on beyond "they both involve software for a computer".

Re: Google interviewing process for software developer role in 2020

#347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least they're making good use of California being an at-will state.

All fifty states are at will states.

I thought Montana is an exception, but I don't remember where I read that.

Re: Google interviewing process for software developer role in 2020

#348

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All fifty states are at will states.

I thought Montana is an exception, but I don't remember where I read that.

Yeah but all the "people" in Montana are secretly bison.

Re: Google interviewing process for software developer role in 2020

#349
post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This other Googler likely already has a competing offer— that’s how he got promoted last year. Source? I'm very skeptical this is true. I am not a huge fan of Google's promotion process but it isn't that bad.

I have two friends who told me they were trying to get competing offers so that they could use it in their promo packet. One was in the ads team, extremely sharp guy, trying to make Staff level in his 3rd year there. Joe Beda, one of the creators of Kubernetes, had a giant competing offering from Facebook. Turned it down to stay at Google, got some more freedom, and now we have Kubernetes (!). If you look on Blind, t…

> Joe Beda, one of the creators of Kubernetes, had a giant competing offering from Facebook. Turned it down to stay at Google, got some more freedom, and now we have Kubernetes (!).

Is this public knowledge? Otherwise, I think it is uncool to talk about other people's situations on a public forum without their approval.

Re: Google interviewing process for software developer role in 2020

#350
I interviewed at Google late 2019 after years of building startups - they don't really value anything other than jumping through their recruiting/interview requirements, which makes total sense, they need people who can conform.

No doubt they are solving some interesting problems in some spaces - but it's not what it used to be - many of us see it as a retirement home for Engineers now.

Got a weak offer after the onsites, passed and I'm doing interesting stuff in startups again.

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