I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Google (California, MD)
Interview
They had behavioral and technical questions. Technical questions were difficult and were something you could not make up on the spot. they asked me about data analysis and what functions i would use for that.
Google is unlike all the other places I’ve interviewed with. My key takeaways for a successful interview: 1 - Each interviewer will jump around focus areas, so be able to pivot from PS, to Ex to Strategy very quickly and with a clear structure. 2 - Even though the comp sci area was removed, the interviews are still quite technical compared to other companies. Be ready to think deeply about technical problems. 3 - You have to be ON for every interview. If you feel yourself drifting from a great structured answer, pause and navigate your way back. I recovered a poorly answered question in the last five minutes. 4 - There’s an emphasis on L&D now, so have your examples ready in a STAR format. 5 - Estimation will be involved directly or indirectly. Brush up on napkin math. 6 - PS questions tend to crop up more than once, so nail down your framework for answering those repeatedly. 7 - Strategy questions are a big part of the interview, so have a clear framework for those. Some interviewers might spend the whole 45min on those, some might asked mixed questions that have a strategic component. You really do need to score at least 4/5 on every interview. Don’t get psyched out if they ask you to redo one. That’s common.
I applied through an employee referral. The process took 6 weeks. I interviewed at Google
Interview
Pretty standard interview, with friendly interviewers, and overall an interesting discussion. At this point, google interviews are so well documented that there aren't really any surprises. Very similar to other interviews.