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A Wretched Google Interview Experience

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Re: A Wretched Google Interview Experience

#221

Post by cdjk »

keithpeter wrote: post #123
at-fates-hands wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nice catch. I was actually going to bring this up. I have a lot of friends who are interview pros. They say if an interviewer decides earlier on you're not going to get hired, they basically fold up their sheets and ask non-related general questions to pass the rest of the time.

Guilty as charged :-) As an interviewee, I have, more than once, thanked my hosts for their tea and cake and left early when I detected that the interview was turning into a chat. Would a collegiate interviewing model not work better for an intellectually driven organisation like Google? Each team interviewing for their own positions, but with some form of 'tenure track' process for the longer term?

I'm really surprised that's not how it works at Google, both from their perspective, from the perspective of the candidate. I would be extremely hesitant to interview or accept a job at Google if didn't know what I'd be working on, and it seems like you only find that out when you show up the first day.

Re: A Wretched Google Interview Experience

#222

Post by cdjk »

typon wrote: post #104
cromwellian wrote: post #12

I think this is very unfortunate. I've seen a lot of good candidates get rejected for no obvious reasons. The lack of communication seems driven I think by the sheer deluge of the number of resumes/interviews going on at Google, and what appears to be, a reliance on temps and contractors as part of the process. I had a friend who interviewed at Google, who is an excellent software engineer I've worked with for years,…

> Given the sheer size of Google Microsoft has more employees and the three times I interviewed with them (and got accepted) it was a great experience, with perfect communication from their recruiters and interviewers. The one time I interviewed with Google (and got accepted, but I rejected them for MS) I pretty much went through a similar experience as the blog post, although the interviews themselves weren't bad, j…

I interviewed at Microsoft quite a while ago, and the process was fairly pleasant. My only complaint was that eight hours of straight interviews is a little long.

Re: A Wretched Google Interview Experience

#223

Post by oinksoft »

chrisdone wrote: post #217
oinksoft wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're focusing on the details. The huge, blaring point is that some person was flown across the country, probably took time off work, etc. for an interview that was utterly hopeless from the outset and thus pointless. It's Kafkaesque in its absurdity. Make no mistake, this sort of conduct is a black mark on Google. Funny how the only people in this thread defending it are people currently employed by Google. The wor…

> Going out of town and missing an interview is pretty flaky, but it happens. Sorry, "it happens", is such a callous sentiment regarding someone's future. "We booked and agreed on a time and couldn't be bothered doing it and couldn't be bothered telling you, either" is outrageous.

I think you meant to reply to parent.

Re: A Wretched Google Interview Experience

#224

Post by chrisdone »

coldpie wrote: post #42
cromwellian wrote: post #12

I think this is very unfortunate. I've seen a lot of good candidates get rejected for no obvious reasons. The lack of communication seems driven I think by the sheer deluge of the number of resumes/interviews going on at Google, and what appears to be, a reliance on temps and contractors as part of the process. I had a friend who interviewed at Google, who is an excellent software engineer I've worked with for years,…

My recruiter failed to call me at the scheduled time. Twice. I wasn't too terribly dismayed, as I was already home at the time anyway, but that put me in a pretty bad mood to begin with. I failed the first phone interview spectacularly because he asked about data structures and estimating powers of two, and I haven't done any of that after 4 years in the industry. I guess fair enough; if that's what they expect of th…

My experience of those interviews that ask CS or “puzzle” questions is that they are sincerely trying to determine that you are capable of dealing with inherently novel/theoretic problems or problems you've never seen before. Unfortunately this notion is misguided because the problems aren't real problems, and the context in which the problems are solved is entirely different to what it would be in the actual workplace. As someone who cripples under observation (sort of like how hearing a siren takes up 50% of your brain power, the pressure of being observed does similar to me), I am simply incapable of performing in those types of interviews, despite being competent for the job. I once crumbled so badly that I couldn't do simple arithmetic, and the interviewers tried to “break things down” for me and continue despite my obvious state of stress. I resent those interviews sorely, and will avoid interviews in the future if I find out ahead of time that they involve approaches like this.

Re: A Wretched Google Interview Experience

#225

Post by chrisdone »

oinksoft wrote: post #223
chrisdone wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Going out of town and missing an interview is pretty flaky, but it happens. Sorry, "it happens", is such a callous sentiment regarding someone's future. "We booked and agreed on a time and couldn't be bothered doing it and couldn't be bothered telling you, either" is outrageous.

I think you meant to reply to parent.

Sorry, you're right. I was nodding and agreeing with your comment when I wrote it. Oops.

Re: A Wretched Google Interview Experience

#226

Post by deong »

kevingadd wrote: post #66

Google's recruiting seems like it must be at least partially the responsibility of short-tenure contractors. Every time I've dealt with people from their recruiting department, even the very nice ones seemed forgetful, inattentive and poor at communication. The actual Google employees who do the interviewing are on average very bright, good at actively interviewing candidates (instead of just rattling off questions),…

> Google's recruiting seems like it must be at least partially the responsibility of short-tenure contractors. Every time I've dealt with people from their recruiting department, even the very nice ones seemed forgetful, inattentive and poor at communication.

I had a Google recruiter contact me once when I was actively looking for a job. Her initial email was just the basic, "we saw your CV and thought your skills in XYZ would be a good fit. Would you be interested in setting up an interview?"

I replied within about 15 minutes to tell her I was interested. My next contact with her was almost five months later, and incredibly, she just said, "Sorry for the delay, I've been really busy. Are you free on Thursday?" At that point I kindly told her I had already accepted an offer somewhere else. I wanted to tell her the new company had treated me well over the ensuing years, that I had worked hard and advanced to a respectable middle management position, retired, and was currently traveling the world with my grandkids, but I thought that might have been a bit precious.

Re: A Wretched Google Interview Experience

#227

Post by justincormack »

ryandrake wrote: post #176
300bps wrote: post #117

I had a very similar experience. I work at an investment bank and was recruited by a large company that does proprietary trading including high frequency trading. I went for the interview which was scheduled to be an all-day thing. In addition to having been in IT for a very long time I am also very knowledgeable on capital markets having successfully taken CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) tests. The CFO of the comp…

Honest question, I'm really curious. If you're actually making $250,000 why would you want to work anywhere else?

The OP has answered but there are shitty $250k jobs too.

Re: A Wretched Google Interview Experience

#228

Post by jps359 »

300bps wrote: post #117

I had a very similar experience. I work at an investment bank and was recruited by a large company that does proprietary trading including high frequency trading. I went for the interview which was scheduled to be an all-day thing. In addition to having been in IT for a very long time I am also very knowledgeable on capital markets having successfully taken CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) tests. The CFO of the comp…

I personally have a background unrelated to finance but have a pretty decent tech/math background. Do you have any suggestions on good entry points into the finance sector, or any advice regarding enrolling in the CFA program/preparing for the examinations?

Re: A Wretched Google Interview Experience

#229

Post by cdjk »

j2d3 wrote: post #96

Just to pile on here, I interviewed at Google in Santa Monica in 2007. I didn't get hired. The experience was okay, not awful and not incredibly drawn out. Anyway, I brushed it off and moved on. Then, just this April, I received an email from a Google recruiter noting that I'd interviewed in 2007, complementing me on my work since then, and asking whether I'd like to re-engage in a conversation about working with Goo…

I'm pretty sure that the recruiters are all contractors, and are all fairly independent. I think that's the only think that explains stories like this, as well as some experiences I've had with them.

Re: A Wretched Google Interview Experience

#230

Post by throwaway1927 »

throwaway86 wrote: post #82
mattzito wrote: post #34

An acquaintance of mine applied for a product management job, did two interviews in NY that went fine, then was flown out to MTV for a series of interviews. When this person got there, two of the people they were supposed to meet with were traveling on business and hadn't notified the recruiter. A third was out sick. The supposed-to-be fourth, now first interview walked into the room and said, "Look, I don't have any…

It's not any better if you get hired. Google recruiters will tell you whatever you want to hear, including things that are not necessarily true. I was assured that a minor issue in my background would not be an issue multiple times (I have email proving this), then Google hired me and let me work for more than two months. I got comfortable, I moved to Mountain View, began real honest work and set about making an impa…

This isn't the first I've heard of extreme and unconventional background check requirements in Google hiring. Has anyone determined what does and does not get you blacklisted?
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