Google interview experience Real time questions & tips from candidates to crack your interview
Software Engineer
Google
1 rounds | 1 Coding
problems
Rejected
Interview preparation journey
Journey
I recently had the incredible opportunity to interview with Google, and it was an enriching experience! The interview primarily focused on DSA, along with an expectation of a strong understanding of my preferred programming language, which in my case was Java.
They also evaluated my understanding of time and space complexity. This experience reminded me that for companies like Google, DSA mastery is key. I'm grateful for the opportunity and excited for what the future holds!
A huge thanks to the Google recruiting team for a smooth process and support throughout.
Application story
I applied directly through the Google Careers page without any referral. After 2-3 months, I received an email from Google, informing me that my application had been shortlisted. From there, the process moved forward smoothly, leading to my interview round.
It was a long wait, but it proved that persistence pays off! Grateful for the opportunity and the entire experience with Google.
Why selected/rejected for the role?
Time Management Issues– Since the interview was time-bound (45 minutes), I could only solve one problem, which might have affected my overall performance. Google expects candidates to efficiently manage time while solving problems.
Problem-Solving & Optimization– While I solved the given problem, I may not have reached the most optimal solution quickly. Google emphasizes efficient approaches, and taking too long to optimize can impact evaluation.
Communication & Explanation– While I communicated my approach, I might have missed articulating the thought process effectively or considering edge cases upfront, which is crucial in Google interviews.
Preparation
Duration: 2 months
Topics: Graph Traversal, Tree Traversals, Linked Lists, Sliding Window, Stacks & Queues, Arrays & Two Pointers Technique
Tip 1: Solve at least 250+ DSA questions covering arrays, trees, graphs, and DP.
Tip 2: Focus on time and space complexity for every solution.
Tip 3: Mock interviews and contests help improve problem-solving speed.
Application process
Where: Company Website
Eligibility: Graduation Year: 2025 only
Tip 1: Keep it concise and impact-driven – Use bullet points with action verbs to highlight achievements, projects, and skills effectively. Keep it within one page for freshers.
Tip 2: Focus on measurable impact – Instead of just listing technologies, mention how you applied them. Example:
❌ "Worked on a Machine Learning project."
✅ "Developed a CNN-based Plant Disease Detection model with 95% accuracy, aiding farmers in quick diagnosis."
Interview rounds
01
Round
Medium
Video Call
Duration60 minutes
Interview date4 Nov 2024
Coding problem1
In my first round, I had a face-to-face interview on Google Meet with an interviewer.
There were two coding questions to be solved in 45 minutes. The first question was given, and I had to code on a notepad-like compiler provided by Google.
The interviewer continuously observed my problem-solving approach and communication while I worked through the solution. They also asked random questions in between, such as:
Time complexity (TC) and Space complexity (SC) of my approach, If I could optimize the solution further. The real-time observation and questioning tested not just my coding skills but also how I think, communicate, and handle optimizations under time constraints.
1. Dice Throws
Hard
35m average time
65% success
0/120
Asked in companies
You are given two six-sided dice, each numbered from 1 to 6. Your task is to determine the number of ways to achieve a given target sum when both dice are rolled.
Problem approach
At first, I started with a brute force solution, where I iterated through all possible pairs of dice values(1-6) and counted how many pairs sum up to the given `target Sum`.
Hint from the Interviewer: After explaining my brute-force approach, the interviewer gave me a hint, which helped me think in a more optimized way.
Using the hint, I was able to come up with a better solution, likely using precomputed results or mathematical observations to reduce unnecessary computations.
Time Constraint Issue: Even though I solved the problem optimally, I exceeded the time limit of 45 minutes, and the interview time was up.
Since I couldn't complete the second coding problem, the interviewer then asked me questions related to:
- Time complexity and space complexity of both solutions.
- How I could further optimize the approach.
- Alternative ways to improve efficiency in real-world applications.
Here's your problem of the day 
Solving this problem will increase your chance to get selected in this company
Skill covered: Programming
Which SQL clause is used to specify the conditions in a query?
Choose another skill to practice
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