How I Got Into Google: My Interview Journey
Six months ago, I was struggling with medium LeetCode problems. Today, I'm a software engineer at Google. Here's my complete story.
My Background
I graduated with a CS degree but had been working at a small startup for 2 years. I decided it was time to aim for FAANG.
The Preparation Phase (3 Months)
Month 1: Foundations
- Reviewed data structures
- Solved 50 easy problems
- Built confidence with arrays and strings
Month 2: Patterns
- Learned key coding patterns
- Solved 80 medium problems
- Focused on two pointers, sliding window, and binary search
Month 3: Advanced Topics
- Mastered dynamic programming
- Practiced 40 hard problems
- Did weekly mock interviews
The Interview Process
- Phone Screen (45 min): Two coding questions
- Virtual Onsite (4 rounds): Coding, system design, and behavioral
Key Takeaways
- Consistency is more important than intensity
- Mock interviews are crucial
- Don't neglect behavioral prep
- System design matters for senior roles
Resources That Helped
- AlgoEngineer's DSA course for structured learning
- Mock interviews with FAANG engineers
- Daily practice on LeetCode
If I can do it, you can too. Stay consistent and believe in yourself!