A large number of software engineers and software developers dream of getting a job at Google, given the potential for growth in the company, professionally and financially. However, landing an offer from Google isn’t easy. In fact, landing an interview with Google is difficult, to begin with. With the right strategy in place, though, both outcomes are possible.
Once your application has been accepted at Google, you’ll move on to the next stage of the company’s hiring process, i.e., the interview process.
Typically, the phone interview is conducted by a hiring manager or technical lead of your prospective team. Although you may receive a few technical questions, your phone interview will be largely behavioral in nature.
This post on Google Phone Interview Questions will give you the necessary insights to get past the phone interview and advance to the onsite interviews.
In this article, we’ll cover:
The phone Interview round at Google is also known as the technical phone screen. It takes place after your application has been accepted, based on your skills and experience. A recruiter will contact you to schedule the phone interview.
For this round, you can choose a programming language you’re comfortable with. You can expect questions on data structures and algorithms to be solved within a given time period.
Below is a list of topics to prepare for the phone screen interview:
During the technical phone screen, you’ll be required to write code and develop relevant test cases using a shared google document.
When asked a question during the phone interview, you’ll be expected to:
After discussing your solution, you’ll be given time to ask the interviewer any questions you may have. Use this opportunity to ask questions about your job role and the daily tasks your role will entail.
In addition to coding questions, you’ll also be asked questions on your past projects, technical strengths, and workplace-related situations.
Google’s phone interview round precedes the Google onsite interviews. Clearing the phone interview is necessary to move on to the onsite interviews. Prepare thoroughly for the phone interview since a large percentage of applicants are rejected in this round.
To learn more about the interview process at Google, check out our Google interview guide.
Google’s phone screen interview will feature a mix of behavioral and coding questions.
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Cracking the technical phone screen at Google requires the right prep strategy, one that’s both structured and comprehensive. Below are some tips to help you get through the phone Interview:
Choose an object-oriented programming language you’re comfortable with. Spend at least a week or two brushing up on important concepts. Enhance your programming language skills to solve tricky and complex coding problems.
Schedule adequate time to enhance your understanding of concepts in data structures and algorithms. Begin your interview prep at least 8 weeks before your interview. In our experience, two months is the average time required by most engineers to enhance problem-solving skills to meet FAANG interview standards.
Pattern recognition and application is a useful method to solve unseen problems in the technical phone screen interview. Phone screen interviews focus more on coding skills than design skills.
You can expect project-related questions during your phone interview. If you’re an experienced engineer, create a portfolio of all the notable projects you’ve worked on. Outline your learnings and skills gained from each project.
Letting the hiring manager know that you’ve understood the question asked is an important aspect of problem-solving during the interview. Discuss your problem-solving approach with the interviewer to ascertain if you’re on the right track. You’ll be assessed not only on the solution you arrive at but also on how you arrive at a solution.
Recommended Reading: How to Prepare for and Crack Phone Screen Interviews at FAANG
If you’re preparing for a Google technical interview, register for our free webinar to find out how you can pace and strategize your prep to ace your interview.
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