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I Didn't Get Hired to Google

googleyasheck.com

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Re: I Didn't Get Hired to Google

#71
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He instructed people on how to be hired at a company he was never hired at. I don't think I would ever hire someone making claim like that.

That's incorrect. He wrote a blog about what he was personally doing to get hired at Google... he wasn't claiming to teach people how to get hired.

"You can hear me talk about my journey to become a web developer, how I'm working on a career change, and what you need to know to interview at Google." [1]

"This is my multi-month study plan for going from web developer (self-taught, no CS degree) to Google software engineer." [2]

The author presents two conflicting pieces of information. In [1], it seems like he has accomplished this goal of being hired. In [2], he is working towards it and has not clue if anything presented will work.

[1]: https://googleyasheck.com/presenting-at-code-fellows/ [2]: https://github.com/jwasham/google-interview-university

Re: I Didn't Get Hired to Google

#72

Posts of people crying so much about not getting hired by a company (usually Google) are top cringe. It's like writing on Facebook that you feel miserable because a girl rejected you. Just move on, kid.

In this case it's interesting considering the back story.

Re: I Didn't Get Hired to Google

#73
The two times I applied at Google after being recommended by friends already in charge went quite badly. The recrutor asked for my CV thrice the first time (rejecting my application between each request, until I stopped answering), and the second time I had to wait three weeks between the first coding interview and the actual results. Apparently, my hiring manager took some vacations, and her replacement had no idea about my file.

I applied only once at Facebook, and the whole process was a bliss. Constant flow of communication with my recruiter, very interesting interviews, and a relatively short time between the start of the process and the final result. It was really weird to see such a big difference between two big tech companies.

Re: I Didn't Get Hired to Google

#74

This post makes me want to know what John Biggs wants. In the comments, "Honest question: who told you to make this blog? Email me john@techcrunch.com"

Maybe the entire thing is an orchestrated PR stunt by a hiring competitor. Or, maybe this is a guy who isn't lacking: 1) hubris and 2) cash flow, who wanted to give Google a go. Along the way, he compiled a massive amount of information and found another way to be successful - a techco interview consultant.

Re: I Didn't Get Hired to Google

#75
post #73

The two times I applied at Google after being recommended by friends already in charge went quite badly. The recrutor asked for my CV thrice the first time (rejecting my application between each request, until I stopped answering), and the second time I had to wait three weeks between the first coding interview and the actual results. Apparently, my hiring manager took some vacations, and her replacement had no idea…

Applied and hired?

I know a few guys who did GSoC a few times, hired full-time, left for a start-up, rehired, left again for a start-up, rehired into Google X, left again for a start-up, and now has Google begging for him to come back again.

Google can identify talent, and will bend over backwards to retain that talent over time. This guy wasn't talent.

Re: I Didn't Get Hired to Google

#76
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I interview engineering candidates at Google, and the process we have is pretty good at letting us (interviewers) see how the candidate thinks, as well as assess their knowledge about algorithms, data structures, and distributed systems, and their programming hygiene, and software design skills. So I'm pretty happy about it. Also the interviewers are separate from the people making the hiring decision, which I think…

I'm not 100% acquainted with the questions Google asks, but in general "knowledge about algorithms, data structures" favours memorisation strongly. In fact, sometimes it is the only option. I think it would be quite a high bar to expect someone to come up with a complex algorithm from scratch in a 60 minute interview for which researchers have needed decades. (Edit: not to mention way harder and more unreliable that…

I mean, I can't even try to convince you that our method is good if you aren't acquainted with it but already found flaws in it :)

Re: I Didn't Get Hired to Google

#77
post #4

He made an extensive repository of information on how to get hired at Google[1], gave talks on the subject[2], and studied full time for 8 months[3]. And it's not that he interviewed and didn't get the job...they didn't even let him interview, not even the phone screen. That's pretty rough. [1] https://github.com/jwasham/google-interview-university [2] https://googleyasheck.com/presenting-at-code-fellows/ [3] https:/…

I'm sorry for him, but I can't overlook the poetic justice of him losing a silly game (the Google interview system) that he was inadvertently enabling.

Re: I Didn't Get Hired to Google

#78
post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not 100% acquainted with the questions Google asks, but in general "knowledge about algorithms, data structures" favours memorisation strongly. In fact, sometimes it is the only option. I think it would be quite a high bar to expect someone to come up with a complex algorithm from scratch in a 60 minute interview for which researchers have needed decades. (Edit: not to mention way harder and more unreliable that…

I mean, I can't even try to convince you that our method is good if you aren't acquainted with it but already found flaws in it :)

If you provide comprehensive information on the Google interviewing process, I would be very happy to respond with more certainty. I am only one person who may or may not have gone through the Google process at some stage. But I have (also?) interviewed at other companies, so I was generalising - which I pointed out.

You have quite elegantly avoided saying which parts I got right and which parts I got wrong. In fact, you haven't said anything specific, probably because you aren't allowed to?

Re: I Didn't Get Hired to Google

#79
post #75
post #73

The two times I applied at Google after being recommended by friends already in charge went quite badly. The recrutor asked for my CV thrice the first time (rejecting my application between each request, until I stopped answering), and the second time I had to wait three weeks between the first coding interview and the actual results. Apparently, my hiring manager took some vacations, and her replacement had no idea…

Applied and hired? I know a few guys who did GSoC a few times, hired full-time, left for a start-up, rehired, left again for a start-up, rehired into Google X, left again for a start-up, and now has Google begging for him to come back again. Google can identify talent, and will bend over backwards to retain that talent over time. This guy wasn't talent.

No, I didn't pass the Google hiring process. Things went much better with Facebook, tho :)

Re: I Didn't Get Hired to Google

#80
post #17

Two things: He lists himself as an 'Autodidact', I wonder if he has a BSc and if not, if that contributed to not getting a phone screen. If it did, thats pretty rough since he also lists 15 years of experience. Also I'm very curious about this comment on the post: Honest question: who told you to make this blog? Email me john@techcrunch.com Not quite sure what he's implying by 'who told you', anyone know?

I just recently spoke with a former Google recruiter who said they (personally) rejected applicants with no formal education. I've heard the opposite from other recruiters hiring for the same thing at the same company, so there's really no way to tell since there is no strictly followed rubric.
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