Software Engineer Interview Experience - Mountain View, California
October 13, 2018
Positive ExperienceNo Offer
Process
I was skipped over for the first half of the interview process (technical phone interview, video interview, etc.) and flown out directly for four in-person interviews in California. Three of them went well, but one interviewer was sick, and the engineer replacing them did not understand the prepared question. Other than this incident (which I suspect cost me the position), the process was smooth, and every employee I interacted with was extremely helpful and accommodating.
Questions
Can you give an efficient solution to the following problem?
Given a large deck of standard playing cards (up to one million cards, each holding a suit and a value between 1 and 13), sort the cards by suit and by value.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 748 interview experiences for the Google Software Engineer role in Mountain View, California.
Success Rate
20%
Pass Rate
Google's interview process for their Software Engineer roles in Mountain View, California is very selective, failing most engineers who go through it.
Experience Rating
Positive64%
Neutral23%
Negative14%
Candidates reported having very good feelings for Google's Software Engineer interview process in Mountain View, California.
Google Work Experiences
3.0
Awesome culture, bad management
Software Engineer • Former Employee
Mountain View, California, United States
May 30, 2008
Pros: The perks and the culture are not only conducive to thinking and personal growth, but also fun.
Cons: While the flat structure aids quick development of ideas, many managers are not people persons and are fairly inexperienced (as managers, while they're great software engineers).
For newbies, this can be frustrating because of the lack of downward managerial communication.
On top of that, the lack of clear policies and rules about things like WFH and OOO, while making it easier to have a personal life, highlights the disparity between well-connected Googlers (who might be friends with their managers) and others.
Lastly, product/project managers, ubertechs, and swengs often fight about silly stuff, leaving innocent bystanders merely confused.
5.0
Great Place For Google
Software Engineer • Current Employee
Mountain View, California, United States
February 10, 2021
Pros: Good place to work at Google.
Cons: No cons for working on Google.
5.0
Amazing people, place, and just about everything
Software Engineer • Former Employee
Mountain View, California, United States
July 13, 2020
Pros: I was an intern in Summer 2019 at Google's Mountain View campus. I'm sure you've heard of all the perks you get as an intern, including free food, access to all the gyms, most buildings, discounts at IceBreaker, Bose, and the list goes on.
Apart from all those amazing perks is the fact that you are in a place where you are surrounded by top-notch people, not only at Google, but at Waymo and even DeepMind. You could literally cold-message employees at Alphabet and schedule a meeting with them. There is so much to learn, but sadly you have only 12-14 weeks.
Even then, you will make so many connections all the way from interns to perhaps even more senior engineers/management.
My honest opinion is that no matter the hardships you have to go through to get an internship at Google, it will all be worth it. You will have grown to a level that you can do well on Google interviews. Then, you know that you will be set for a huge number of other companies. So, keep at it. Even if Google doesn't work out, it's not on you. I am sure with consistent effort you will end up at a company that values a person such as yourself.
Cons: The only downside is not having enough time to do all the things that Google has to offer.
- 3.0Awesome culture, bad managementSoftware Engineer • Former EmployeeMountain View, California, United StatesMay 30, 2008Pros: The perks and the culture are not only conducive to thinking and personal growth, but also fun.Cons: While the flat structure aids quick development of ideas, many managers are not people persons and are fairly inexperienced (as managers, while they're great software engineers). For newbies, this can be frustrating because of the lack of downward managerial communication. On top of that, the lack of clear policies and rules about things like WFH and OOO, while making it easier to have a personal life, highlights the disparity between well-connected Googlers (who might be friends with their managers) and others. Lastly, product/project managers, ubertechs, and swengs often fight about silly stuff, leaving innocent bystanders merely confused.
- 5.0Great Place For GoogleSoftware Engineer • Current EmployeeMountain View, California, United StatesFebruary 10, 2021Pros: Good place to work at Google.Cons: No cons for working on Google.
- 5.0Amazing people, place, and just about everythingSoftware Engineer • Former EmployeeMountain View, California, United StatesJuly 13, 2020Pros: I was an intern in Summer 2019 at Google's Mountain View campus. I'm sure you've heard of all the perks you get as an intern, including free food, access to all the gyms, most buildings, discounts at IceBreaker, Bose, and the list goes on. Apart from all those amazing perks is the fact that you are in a place where you are surrounded by top-notch people, not only at Google, but at Waymo and even DeepMind. You could literally cold-message employees at Alphabet and schedule a meeting with them. There is so much to learn, but sadly you have only 12-14 weeks. Even then, you will make so many connections all the way from interns to perhaps even more senior engineers/management. My honest opinion is that no matter the hardships you have to go through to get an internship at Google, it will all be worth it. You will have grown to a level that you can do well on Google interviews. Then, you know that you will be set for a huge number of other companies. So, keep at it. Even if Google doesn't work out, it's not on you. I am sure with consistent effort you will end up at a company that values a person such as yourself.Cons: The only downside is not having enough time to do all the things that Google has to offer.
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