Google L4 | Interview Experience | India | Fullstack
Summary
I secured a Fullstack L4 role at Google after a rigorous interview process that included multiple technical rounds, a Googlyness round, and a team-matching interview. The outcome was a positive hiring decision with an offer accepted.
Full Experience
My journey to Google began with applying through the careers page in April, and a recruiter reached out on April 28th. The first technical interview on May 23rd involved a simple tree traversal problem, which I handled well, leading to a positive verdict. The subsequent rounds included a stack-based problem (LeetCode Medium), a Binary Search Tree question with a follow-up, and a Heap problem. Each round had its challenges, but I managed to demonstrate my skills effectively. The Googlyness round was a great conversation about leadership and teamwork, and the team-matching interview confirmed my fit for the role. Finally, the offer was accepted, marking the culmination of a successful interview process.
Interview Questions (5)
A simple tree traversal problem, which was a LeetCode Easy problem. The task involved traversing a tree structure and performing a specific operation on the nodes.
A stack-based problem (LeetCode Medium) that required implementing a solution without follow-up questions. The problem involved using stack operations to solve a specific task.
A Binary Search Tree question followed by a variation of Binary Search. The first problem was solved within 15 minutes, but the follow-up caused some tension as the interviewer expected a different approach.
A problem involving Heaps (LeetCode Medium). The task required implementing a heap and discussing its properties, time complexity, and implementation details.
A problem combining Binary Search and Sliding Window techniques. The task involved discussing both brute force and optimized solutions, with partial coding completed due to time constraints.
Preparation Tips
As someone with prior experience interviewing at Google, I knew how to drive the interview process, which helped create a good impression. I focused on understanding the problem thoroughly and explaining my approach clearly. For the technical rounds, I practiced common data structures and algorithms, ensuring I could handle both standard and follow-up questions. I also prepared for the Googlyness round by reflecting on my leadership experiences and how I handle team conflicts.