With 20+ yrs of industry experience in media, entertainment and web tech, Sachin brings expertise in hands-on training and developing forward-thinking, industry-centric curricula. 30k+ students have enrolled in his tech courses.
For enquiries call:
+1-469-442-0620
- Home
- Blog
- Web Development
- Google Software Engineer Interview Process in 2024
HomeBlogWeb DevelopmentGoogle Software Engineer Interview Process in 2024
Share
Google Software Engineer Interview Process in 2024
Published
19th Apr, 2024
Views
Read TimeRead it in
10 Mins
In this article
Google is one of the most attractive employers globally and is well-known to be one of the highest-paying companies. The search engineer giant provides a platform for many exceptional software engineers beyond problem-solving. As an experienced software engineer with the skills to solve problems I have not encountered before, I have some important tips to share. If you aspire to be a software engineer, you must follow a specific strategy and understand the Google software engineer interview process to land your dream job.
Reputed companies often seek to hire top-notch software engineers with extensive knowledge across several industries. While Google’s hiring process is similar to other companies, it requires careful consideration. The tips and strategies I recommend will help you with the Google interview preparation for software engineer roles across industries and companies alike.
Who is a Google Software Engineer?
Google's software engineer develops all the next-generation technologies. These technologies can change how several users explore, connect, interact with one another, and exchange information. All Google software products are designed to handle information at a massive scale, extending well beyond traditional web searches. This is the commitment I uphold as a software engineer when developing and implementing software processes.
I recommend undertaking the best certificate for Software Engineering to know more about the duties and responsibilities.
What Do Google Software Engineers Do?
Here is a list of my responsibilities as a Google software engineer:
- Write different product or system development codes
- Lead design reviews with stakeholders to decide among the available technologies
- Review code developed by different developers and give feedback to ensure best practices
- Contribute to educational content or existing documentation to adapt content based on user feedback.
- Triage different system issues and resolve them by analyzing their source.
The Web Designing Development course can help you learn how to work as a Google software engineer.
Google Software Engineer Salary and Compensation
A software engineer’s compensation at Google ranges from $191,000 per year for L3 (entry-level) positions to $2.3 million per year for L9 (experienced) professionals. Meanwhile, the median compensation within this particular package is approximately $284,000.
I have curated the salary (Source: Glassdoor) and compensation details in the table below:
SWE Level | Base Salary | Compensation |
Software Engineer II | $145,000 | $185,000 |
Software Engineer III | $172,000 | $280,000 |
Senior Software Engineer | $204,000 | $344,000 |
Staff Software Engineer | $256,000 | $514,000 |
Senior Staff Software Engineer | $298,000 | $737,000 |
Principal Engineer | $348,000 | $1,210,000 |
Distinguished Engineer | $363,000 | $2,290,000 |
Interview Process and Timeline
Let me highlight the Google software engineer interview preparation process in detail below for your understanding.
What Interviews to Expect
The Google software engineer hiring process takes more than eight weeks. It usually includes these steps:
- Resume, cover letter, and referrals
- Online assessment (for new graduates and interns)
- Technical phone screening with 1-2 interviews
- Onsite 4-6 interviews
A. Resume Screening
The Google early career software engineer interview process begins with recruiters reviewing your resume to assess if your experience matches the open position. I consider it to be the most competitive step in the process. The Google software engineer intern interview process follows a similar path, starting with the resume screening process.
Customize your resume carefully for the position you are applying for at Google. Getting input from expert recruiters can provide valuable feedback. They can guide you on what achievements to focus on, how to fine-tune your bullet points, and other relevant aspects related to the Google software engineer interview process.
B. Google Online Assessment (90 Minutes)
The Google interview prep guide software engineer can guide you through the process after applying for a new graduate or intern position. The online assessment usually starts with an online coding sample test comprising two questions to be completed within 90 minutes.
The questions in the coding sample test closely resemble those asked during interviews. Additionally, it's essential to write your test cases as they won't be provided during the screening. It's advisable to complete this task in your integrated development environment (IDE) before submitting your solution. Successfully resolving both questions is necessary to progress to the next round of the Google software engineer interview process.
I recommend checking out the archives of coding competitions organized by Google. It will help you understand the type of questions you may come across during the process.
C. Technical Phone Screen
If you are an experienced hire or a new graduate who has passed the coding sample test, you will be invited to one or two technical phone screens. This phase of the Google interview process for experienced software engineers is called the "phone screen." It generally takes place over video chat on Google Hangouts or Google Meet. Each interview lasts 30 to 60 minutes, during which you will engage with a potential manager and solve various data structure and algorithm questions.
The Google software engineer interview process includes sharing a Google Doc with your interviewer. Subsequently, you write your solution directly in the document without access to syntax highlighting or auto-completion. The interviewer may also pose behavioral questions, such as 'Tell me about a specific project you've worked on' or 'Why choose Google.'
D. Onsite Interviews
You may spend an entire day at a Google office and do around four to six onsite interviews. This round of the Google interview process for software engineers will last for around 45 minutes and cover one of the following topics:
- Coding interviews
- System design interviews
- Leadership interviews for different management positions.
What Exactly is Google Looking For?
Let me highlight another important aspect of the Google senior software engineer interview process. This happens at the end of the interview when the hiring committee rates your performance on a standardized feedback form. Its main components include:
A. Questions Asked
The interviewer records the questions they asked you in the first section of the form. These questions are then shared with your future interviewers to ensure that there is no repetition of the same questions during subsequent interviews.
B. Attribute Scoring
The Google software engineer interview process involves attribute scoring at four different levels.
- General Cognitive Ability
- Role-related Knowledge and Experience
- Leadership
- Googliness
C. Final Recommendation
The final step of the Google software engineer interview process involves interviewers writing a summary of your entire performance. These interviewers provide a recommendation on whether they think the company should be hiring you or not.
What Happens Behind the Scenes?
Here is what the final steps of the Google software engineer hiring process look like if things go well at your onsite interviews:
- Interviewers submit their feedback
- Hiring committee recommendation
- Team matching process
- Compensation committee review
- Final executive review (only for senior roles)
- Offer letter
Example Questions
You will be asked several coding, system design, or behavioral questions during the Google software engineer interview process. I have curated some example questions below for your preference.
Cloudfront.net
Preparation Material
I recommend checking out the Google Tech Dev Guide for preparation materials to excel in interviews with the company. Additionally, you'll find various resources, such as blogs and articles, to gain further insights into the Google software engineer interview process.
Google Interviewing Tips
Here are my tips for your Google software engineer interview process that can help you land your job:
- Ask clarifying questions and think out loud
- Check your assumptions and state them
- Be honest and authentic with the interviewer
- Familiarize yourself with the core values of Google
- Practice Google’s system design
- Get comfortable with coding on several mediums
- Master programming languages like Java and PHP
How to Prepare for a Google Software Engineer Interview?
Now that you know what questions to expect during the Google software engineer interview process let me focus on how to prepare the same:
A. Learn Google’s Culture
Before investing tens of hours preparing for the Google interview process, take some time off to ensure that Google is the right company for you. Consider talking to other software engineers already working at the company to gather insights.
B. Practice by Yourself
The first step in your interview preparation process should be to review various types of questions that you may encounter during the multiple rounds. Practice answering them on your own to ensure you won't get stuck during the actual interview.
C. Mock Interviews
Engage in mock interviews with interview experts who have a background in software engineering. They can provide more accurate feedback compared to your peers, enhancing your preparation process.
Conclusion
The Google software engineer interview process is not as easy as it seems. That is why you need proper guidance to prepare for this particular interview. As an aspiring software professional, you must be well-versed in all the skills and preferences needed to crack the Google SWE interview process. You can seek guidance from this article to learn more about Google’s hiring system. I recommend earning KnowledgeHut’s best certificate in Software Engineering to become an expert in this field. This certification course will help you prepare for your interviews across all industries and organizations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are Google software engineer interviews hard?
The Google software engineer interview process can be very challenging. This specific process is designed to assess a candidate's technical skills thoroughly. It helps understand the person’s overall suitability for the role.
2. How does Google's hiring committee work?
Google hiring committees are never selected randomly. Individuals on this committee are chosen and trained. The committees can have as few as 2-3 members. Moreover, they must choose only one candidate who can move forward with the position. A recruiter leads all these committees.
3. How long is the Google interview process for software engineers?
You may have to spend an entire day at a Google office. The Google software engineer interview process includes four to six meetings in total. Each interview at the office will last about 45 minutes and cover topics like coding interviews and system design interviews.
4. What does Google's team-matching process look like?
Google’s team matching process involves gathering information about team members' specific skills and preferences. By understanding the strengths and preferences of each member, you can make better matches. Encourage team members to be honest about their choices to ensure accurate matching.
Upcoming Web Development Batches & Dates
| Name | Date | Fee | Know more |
|---|
Course Advisor
Hello! Ready to elevate your career? Explore 500+ future-ready courses with KnowledgeHut upGrad 🚀x
1
Fast forward your career with 500+ future-ready courses ⏩💻👩🎓📚x
1
