Sunday, March 24, 2024

How To Prepare For Google Phone Interview

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Dont Study As Much As I Did

How to Pass the Phone Interview from Google Technical Recruiter

Yes, I took 8 months. But I could have abbreviated the process. Like any startup with a big goal, you make mistakes and do things that waste time. There are many things I wish I go back and do differently.

I studied topics I didnt need to, some because I thought I would need them for the interview, and some because I wanted to have the knowledge on hand for when I started working. I didnt want to be a burden on the team Im assigned to. It turns out I simply over-prepared.

I spent 3 weeks reading a 1,000-page book on C++. I dont remember 1,000 pages worth, but I know a good bit about C++ now. As it turns out, Im using Python for the interview, not C++. I had assumed I needed C++, C, or Java, but I was wrong. Its good to ask, not assume.

I read way more books than I needed to. There are only 3 or 4 books I should have read.

I have a code catalog of dozens of algorithms that I review, most of which I wouldnt expect in an interview. You dont need to do that.

I watched many hours of YouTube videos but could have watched far less, and spread out topics over time.

I should have stopped reading books and watching videos earlier and started on coding problems sooner. I would have been able to spend more time applying the topics I learned.

My sense of fear led me to study far more topics than I needed to.

Free: Second Interview Question Pdf Cheat Sheet

Ok the next thing you should do is download our “Second Interview Question Cheat Sheet“.

In it you’ll get:

  • 5 of the most common second interview questions you could face
  • Professional-sounding example answers for each question that you can model your answers after

With this amazing cheat sheet you’ll be pretty much ready for anything you’ll face in your second interview!

Print Out Other Relevant Documents

In addition to your cheat sheet, it might help to also print out a copy of your resume and cover letter, as well as any other information you think you might need to reference . As Muse writer Aja Frost points out, the interviewer may bring up points you made in these documents, and youll want to know what theyre talking about.

Read Also: Interview Attire Women

Good Questions To Ask During A Phone Interview

Tailor the phone interview questions below to suit your industry and the role youre hiring for. But consider, too, the candidates professional history, or lack thereof. A recent college graduate cant refer to their career successes, for example, but screening questions can be framed to allow candidates to draw on their experience in course seminars and team projects, as well as their volunteer work and self-taught skills. Leadership, drive, industriousness, talent and other valued qualities can be demonstrated in many ways.

Give the same consideration for candidates with a gap in their work history, such as a parent reentering the workforce after raising a couple of kids, or an out-of-work professional two months after a layoff. Follow this list of five phone interview tips:

Make Sure Theres Excitement In Your Voice

Phone Interview Tips

One of the biggest mistakes people make in phone interviews is not sounding energetic and excited enough. Because the person cant see you, you have to work extra hard to show that youre enthusiastic about the role and meeting with them.

To help convey this, use gestures and smile while you talk. Both will automatically inject emotion into your voice. Hey, get up and walk around if that keeps you lively. And if somethings funny, laugh! Thats allowed!

Of course, youll want to balance this out by not sounding fake. Keep an eye on how loud youre speaking and try to lower the volume when you find yourself getting too animated. Practice and getting feedback from peers can help with nailing this down.

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What Works For You

  • Find out what time works best for you. maybe early morning or late at night. before office or after office.
  • You need to give at least 12 hours per day
  • If you are going to college/office, find out what time you have the mental energy to focus. It can be different for different people. I used to study from 14 AM . because distractions are zero at that time. There is no right or wrong time. find out what works for you. The timing which works for you is the best.

Get rid of all distractions, social media, put your phone on silent if you can for 1 hour. Trust me if you are not giving at least 30 minutes of focused time per problem as a beginner, you are not trying hard enough.

Why Are You Applying For This Position

Another common question, Why are you applying for this position? or What about this job interests you? tells employers whether or not you are serious and have a genuine interest in pursuing the position. To answer this question, use details listed in the job description that made you want to apply. This can be duties listed in the job description, details about the company or something about the job that aligns with your career goals.

Example answer:Ive been working for several years on gaining skills in your industry. I feel I have the knowledge, skills and qualifications youre looking for, along with a unique perspective coming from a different industry. I am passionate about working in the environmental protection space, and it is time for me to make a change. I feel your company is the perfect place for me to do that.

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What Are Your Salary Expectations

Recruiters might ask this question early in the hiring process, like during a phone interview, to see if the salary you expect aligns with what they have budgeted for the role. It can also help them understand if you are over or perhaps under-qualified for the position. To answer this question, it is best to provide a range to show that you are flexible, but also that you expect to earn a certain amount.

If youre unsure about what salary is appropriate for the position for which youre interviewing, visit Indeed’s Salary Calculator to get a free, personalized pay range based on your location, industry and experience.

Be sure that you are comfortable with making the lowest number in your range because the recruiter will likely try and start with the lowest possible number. Negotiating your salary is an acceptable and normal part of the hiring process that will come later once youve received an offer. For the purposes of your phone interview, they will likely tell you whether or not this position will be acceptable for the range you are given.

Example answer:For this position my ideal salary would fall in the range of $55,000 to $65,000. I feel this is an appropriate amount for my experience level in this position.

Read more: Interview Question: What Are Your Salary Expectations?

Here Are Some General Advice That Will Help You To Get Prepared For An Interview

Prepare for your Google Interview: Tips and Example General Cognitive Ability Question
  • You should be prepared for a forthcoming interview. Find the most common interview questions at Google and think of your answers in advance. But dont memorize it. You have to sound natural during the interview. If you want to get an internship at Google, check out some common internship interview questions.
  • Google used to be famous for diverse brainteasers in order to see if a candidate can break a complicated problem. But now they rejected this idea. But here are some great news for you. Google recruiter no longer asks brainteaser questions. It was decided that it cant help to predict candidates working potential, instead they use work sample tests and ask some structured questions during the interview.
  • Tell your professional story through examples you have prepared beforehand. These great examples will prove your skills and knowledge. Tell recruiters your professional story.
  • Practice is your key to success. Remember that it makes perfect. Take your time and rehearse all your answers until you can respond clearly and sound persuasively.
  • During the interview be confident, dont be nervous and intimidated and watch your body language. Always show your passion and enthusiasm for a job.

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How Many Questions You Should Solve Whatever It Takes

The focus has to be on quality more than quantity. The answer to this question varies according to your experience and expertise on each topic.

If you are starting from scratch. Target 100 leetcode problems as a number and divide it well across different topics and difficulty levels.

If you have already practiced some topics you can reduce the number for that topic.

Overall I solved 200 Questions on leetcode.

There are all kinds of extremes to this answer, there are people who have solved more than 500 questions and werent lucky to clear the interview. Some people solved 300 questions and cleared interview in 22 companies. You need to find out what works for you. when you feel confident enough on one topic, you can move on to next.

Key pointers specific to leetcode-

  • Pick a topic and solve problems with that. Do not move to a different topic before finishing it.
  • Solve Easy, Medium & Hard problems in 3:6:1 ratio .
  • Solve Easy problems by sorting them on two factors
  • i) Acceptance rate this indicates the question is easy.

    ii) Frequency . This data is crowdsourced, sorting by frequency is a premium feature.

    Phone Screen Interview At Google

    Congratulations! Your resume has passed the complicated application tracking system of FAANG, and you have received an email from the recruiter for an initial phone screen interview. What is a phone screen interview, and what role does it play in the hiring process? A phone screening interview is a brief job interview to determine whether youre a qualified applicant. In most cases, it includes a quick review of your background and a few questions around your qualifications, skills, interests, and projects. In some cases, the interviewer may also want to know your salary expectations and how soon you can join them. Sounds simple enough? But dont take them for granted! Phone screen interviews are just as important as onsite or in-person interviews adequately preparing for them and doing well can have a positive impact on your success. However, before you start preparing, you must understand what to expect at FAANG phone screen interviews. Phone Screen Interview at FacebookRecruiters at Facebook are looking to confirm that you are the right fit for a particular role.

    Video advice: Phone screen interview hack

    Video advice: Amazon Recruiter Phone Screen Questions

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    Things Employers Listen For In A Phone Screen Interview

    What is one thing you listen for in a phone screen interview?To help job seekers understand what employers are looking for in a phone interview, we asked CEOs and hiring professionals this question for their best insights. From the ability to communicate clearly to assessing how a person thinks, there are

    During a phone interview, I like to listen for someone who asks plenty of questions. If an applicant is invested enough to have questions prepared, then that means that this role is important to them. In fact, there should be bonus points for questions that are derived from doing individual research whether via the website or social media platforms.

    • Discerning Candidates Personality
    • Assess How a Person Thinks
    • Potential Fit into Companys Culture
    • Attending for a Sense of Humor
    • Listening for Active Listening
    • Follow Up After Your Phone Screen Interview
    • Attend our Free Webinar on How to Nail Your Next Technical Interview

    Charge Your Phone And Do A Test Run

    Phone Interview Tips

    You definitely should make sure your phone is at full battery going inbecause no one wants a dropped call. An hour or so before your interview is scheduled to start, also make sure its working properly and the signal is OK by calling up a friend or family member and asking if they can hear you all right.

    Recommended Reading: System Design Interview Preparation

    Be Prepared To Speak Your Mind:

    Google is a company that encourages its employees to speak their minds. If you would like to say something you should go ahead and say it. Just because you would not like it to seem like you are challenging or being disrespectful to the interviewer that doesnt mean you do not speak up when you need to.

    There are plenty of ways to get your views or point across without sounding egoistic and disrespectful. Your interesting ideas might provide you with an edge over everyone else who has applied for the same post. You will create a great impression if you are able to find new ways of problem-solving or even if you are open to new ideas.

    How I Prepared For Google Solving 200 Leetcode Questions

    The journey has been somewhat unbelievable. If someone would ask me 1 year back why dont you try for Google, I would have said not possible. I am not that good at DS/Algo. I had solved 0 questions on leetcode a year back. I solved 200 Questions until my final interview and got selected. Sharing my experience and some tips here.

    I graduated from Engineering College Bikaner in 2015. I got an opportunity to give an interview at Google India in July. And I started brushing up my skills for the first time seriously. I had basic knowledge before this, which was acquired from solving simple questions and reading up code monk articles on HackerEarth.

    Most of my preparation and practice was done on three platforms –

  • Geeksforgeeks
  • Leetcode
  • HackerEarth
  • Especially I like the articles on HackerEarth about Heap, Union Find & Dynamic Programming. For any topic, I would start reading the basics of a particular data structure/ Algorithm and read about some of the common problems on that topic. After that, I used to move to leetcode to solve problems.

    I had 1 phone interview & 5 on-site interviews . the on-site rounds were split in two days

    Resources

    2. Cracking the coding interview

    Also Check: Design Interview Preparation

    How To Win The Google Product Manager Interview

    There isn’t a single person we know that wouldn’t want to work for Google. I mean its Google! Most people don’t even get a chance to interview with them and now you do. How do you even begin to prepare for one of the most important interviews you will ever have in your lifetime?

    We have determined the following findings based on the feedback of over 70 Google Product Managers and Product Manager candidates that have interviewed for a Product Manager role at Google. For your benefit, we have broken down our findings into 3 sections.

    Study Hard Prior To Your Interview:

    How to: Prepare for a Google Business Interview

    To avoid any embarrassment it is important to make sure that you keep yourself updated with various important programs pertaining to computer science. Some subjects that you should look into include- Algorithms, coding and data structure.

    Even if you think that you have sound technical knowledge in the field it is important to practice. If the interviewer notices that you are fumbling, making silly mistakes or not being able to answer simple questions then he will naturally assume that you will not be fit for the job. One book that you can look into is The Algorithm Design Manual by Steven S. Skiena.

    Recommended Reading: Interview Questions To Ask A Cfo

    The Google Onsite Interview

    The Google onsite round involves speaking to a number of Googlers. Usually this will include four to six separate interviews, including one lunch interview.

    Generally, you will be asked primarily coding interview questions and potentially one or two system design questions as well.

    The more experience you have, the higher proportion of system design and topic-specific questions you can expect to be asked. Google rarely asks any system design questions to engineers with less than 5 years of experience.

    Each interviewer collects feedback on how well you performed during the one-on-one interview with you. This feedback is collected by each interviewer independently as to eliminate cross-chatter and biases between your interviewers. If you felt as if you performed subpar in one of the interviews, that baggage stays there and does not follow you into the next interview.

    Phone Interview Tips To Get You To The Next Round

    This article has been approved by an Indeed Career Coach.

    What is a phone interview and what role does it play in the hiring process? Many companies use phone calls with candidates who look good on paper to determine if those applicants are ready to move to longer, more in-depth interviews. This is sometimes called a phone screen.

    Also Check: Top 10 Behavioral Questions

    How To Prepare For A Phone Interview

    While progressing to the phone interview stage of a hiring process is exciting, its also nerve-racking. In a phone interview, you cant rely on your interviewers visual cues to guide your next move, and you cant expect your unique sense of humor to come across as it would in person. But dont fear, weve compiled several concrete strategies to prepare for a phone interview, which will help you make a positive impression on your interviewer and hopefully assuage some of your pre-interview jitters.

    1. Do research on the company

    Learning about the company and being able to talk knowledgeably about what it does is imperative. You should have a clear grasp on the companys core competency, mission statement, client base, and main competitors. A gap in any of these areas might raise a red flag to your interviewer and make it seem as if you didnt care enough about the company to do some basic research on it. You should also be sure to Google the company and read any recent news. For example, if the company has undergone a recent merger or acquisition, you should be aware of it. Finally, check out the companys social media pages, as theyll often highlight major company projects and goings-on.

    2. Review the job description

    3. Practice your answers to potential interview questions

    4. Look up your interviewer on LinkedIn

    5. Develop questions to ask your interviewer

    6. Prepare logistics

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