Google | L4 | Hyderabad | Jan 2025 [Offer]

I applied for a position at Google through their careers page in the first week of November 2024. The very next day, I received an email from a Google recruiter requesting my resume, which I promptly sent. A couple of days later, the recruiter contacted me by phone to discuss my fit for Google and inquire about my availability for a phone screen. I requested three weeks to prepare.

Phone Screening [December 12, 2024]:
Initially scheduled for December 4th, my phone screen was postponed due to interviewer unavailability. The question was a relatively straightforward design problem involving a Priority Queue or TreeSet. I solved the problem with a small hint from the interviewer. No follow-up questions were asked. I then asked a few general questions, and the interview concluded. Within a couple of hours, the recruiter contacted me to inform me that the phone screen feedback was positive, and I would be moving on to the on-site (virtual) rounds. Verdict: Hire

A few days later, a different recruiter contacted me to schedule my on-site rounds, which I requested to be scheduled in the first week of January 2025.

Round 1 [January 6, 2025]:
I was asked a question similar to "Evaluate Expression," solvable using a stack. It was a variation of a common LeetCode problem. I addressed two follow-up questions, making necessary code adjustments. I completed everything within 40 minutes, performed dry runs with several examples, and explained the time and space complexities. The interviewer seemed pleased. The following day, the recruiter informed me that the feedback was extremely positive. Verdict: Strong Hire

Round 2 [January 7, 2025]:
This round focused on a graph problem, a variant of Dijkstra's algorithm. I coded the solution in 15 minutes, correcting a small bug pointed out by the interviewer. I was then asked a follow-up question, a modification of the initial problem. I coded the solution, performed a dry run, and explained the time and space complexities. The interviewer appeared satisfied. The next day, the recruiter contacted me again, stating that the feedback was very good. Verdict: Strong Hire

Round 3 [January 8, 2025]:
This was a rather unusual geometry question (I couldn't find a similar one on LeetCode). I solved it using BFS and explained the time and space complexities. While functional, the solution was suboptimal. The interviewer asked me to optimize it, and I proposed a DP solution, which was also suboptimal. With only 10 minutes remaining, the interviewer provided a hint, which enabled me to quickly devise and code the optimal solution. I ran out of time; the interview lasted approximately 50 minutes. The following day, the recruiter contacted me, saying the feedback was mixed. Verdict: Lean Hire

Googleyness & Leadership (G&L) Round [January 10, 2025]:
This round was quite relaxed. I felt over-prepared. The interviewer asked a few situational questions, after which I had the opportunity to ask general questions about Google's culture. The interview concluded within 20-25 minutes. Verdict: Strong Hire

January 13, 2025: The recruiter called to explain that my on-site feedback was positive and that I would be moving on to team matching.

January 15, 2025: I was contacted about a potential team match and asked about my availability for the following day.

Team Match [January 16, 2025]:
I had a team match with a Google Cloud team based in Hyderabad. The Hiring Manager (HM) described the team, their work, and their tech stack. He asked me about my current work. I liked the work; the product seemed interesting, and Hyderabad is my preferred location. I was happy with the team.

January 17, 2025: The recruiter called to inform me that the HM wanted to proceed with me for the position. I confirmed my interest in the team. The recruiter then requested additional details to prepare the offer packet for the Hiring Committee (HC).

January 21, 2025: The recruiter called to inform me that the HC had approved my packet, and we had a preliminary compensation discussion.

January 22, 2025: We had the final compensation discussion. After a brief negotiation, we finalized the offer, and the recruiter released the offer letter, which I signed the same day.