Comments on: More on Google interview http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/ Code and musings by Ben Watson Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:16:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ben http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-224233 Ben Wed, 27 Jul 2011 04:24:47 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-224233 Kirsten, congrats on an ambitious son! I don't think I have enough space or time to give a very thorough answer, but I'll try to give a few tips. I don't think that institutional prestige is the most important thing when it comes to computer programming, at least in my experience. I have a guy on my team who doesn't have a college degree at all, but no one would deny he really knows his stuff. Some that I know of that are that the top of the field are: Stanford, Carnegi Mellon, MIT. But I didn't go to any of those and I've done just fabulously for myself. I think the best thing to do for someone at that age is to jump in and learn as much as he can on his own. Companies are going to look for self-starters, ambitious, smart, able to learn, think on their feet. And, of course, top notch programming skill. Get some good books, find some mentors, but most of all just dive in and learn and DO as much as you can. Kirsten, congrats on an ambitious son! I don’t think I have enough space or time to give a very thorough answer, but I’ll try to give a few tips. I don’t think that institutional prestige is the most important thing when it comes to computer programming, at least in my experience. I have a guy on my team who doesn’t have a college degree at all, but no one would deny he really knows his stuff. Some that I know of that are that the top of the field are: Stanford, Carnegi Mellon, MIT. But I didn’t go to any of those and I’ve done just fabulously for myself.

I think the best thing to do for someone at that age is to jump in and learn as much as he can on his own. Companies are going to look for self-starters, ambitious, smart, able to learn, think on their feet. And, of course, top notch programming skill. Get some good books, find some mentors, but most of all just dive in and learn and DO as much as you can.

]]> By: Kirsten http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-224205 Kirsten Wed, 27 Jul 2011 01:16:32 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-224205 Hi, We live in Brisbane, Australia. My son is nearly finished school and wants to do programming next year. He's only 16 so I really would like him to hang around a bit longer before he travels to study, but what institutions are the most respected in the programming world. We know nothing about this industry. Would you have any suggestions for someone his age starting out? He is doing the best he can in our neck of the woods but it would be great if he had some direction to how to get the bigger picture on where he might study in the future. Thanks. Kirsten Hi,
We live in Brisbane, Australia. My son is nearly finished school and wants to do programming next year. He’s only 16 so I really would like him to hang around a bit longer before he travels to study, but what institutions are the most respected in the programming world. We know nothing about this industry. Would you have any suggestions for someone his age starting out? He is doing the best he can in our neck of the woods but it would be great if he had some direction to how to get the bigger picture on where he might study in the future.
Thanks.
Kirsten

]]> By: Dhruva http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-181274 Dhruva Fri, 31 Dec 2010 11:42:46 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-181274 :mrgreen: to be interviewed by Google in technical rounds, itself is a matter of distinction :mrgreen: to be interviewed by Google in technical rounds, itself is a matter of distinction

]]> By: Ben http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-169046 Ben Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:26:14 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-169046 Kevin, to answer your questions: yes and yes. It's been so long that I've kind of forgotten. If I didn't have to write code exactly, I at least had to come up with pseudo code or algorithms or even just describe an approach. Expect it to be very technical. Good luck! Kevin, to answer your questions: yes and yes. It’s been so long that I’ve kind of forgotten. If I didn’t have to write code exactly, I at least had to come up with pseudo code or algorithms or even just describe an approach. Expect it to be very technical. Good luck!

]]> By: Kevin http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-169042 Kevin Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:05:29 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-169042 I will go for the on-site interview in Google Mountain View soon. And, I am really nervous...When I finished the phone interview, they just told me I passed the phone interview after about 1 hour later! After reading your article, I think you're really well prepared! God, I did not prepare anything! That's terrible! Did they really ask many algorithm related questions and request you to write codes during on-site interview? Did all interviewers ask coding questions? I will go for the on-site interview in Google Mountain View soon. And, I am really nervous…When I finished the phone interview, they just told me I passed the phone interview after about 1 hour later!

After reading your article, I think you’re really well prepared! God, I did not prepare anything! That’s terrible!

Did they really ask many algorithm related questions and request you to write codes during on-site interview? Did all interviewers ask coding questions?

]]> By: My Interview Experience at Microsoft | Philosophical Geek http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-134629 My Interview Experience at Microsoft | Philosophical Geek Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:54:50 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-134629 [...] Google Interview Experience, and Part 2 [...] [...] Google Interview Experience, and Part 2 [...]

]]> By: pepethecow http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-42903 pepethecow Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:54:33 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-42903 Ken, no I was not asked any of those questions or anything like them (with the possible exception of #4--which is technical, and I did study it, but was not asked). Nearly all the questions were coding/problem-solving specific problems. I think I used the white board for all of them. That list you pointed to seems like a compilation of random well-known brain teasers from the Internet--I think I've seen all of them at some point. I was asked no brain teasers (not to say someone else won't be, though) Ken, no I was not asked any of those questions or anything like them (with the possible exception of #4–which is technical, and I did study it, but was not asked).

Nearly all the questions were coding/problem-solving specific problems. I think I used the white board for all of them.

That list you pointed to seems like a compilation of random well-known brain teasers from the Internet–I think I’ve seen all of them at some point. I was asked no brain teasers (not to say someone else won’t be, though)

]]> By: Ken http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-42853 Ken Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:00:25 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-42853 You state the Google did not ask you any 'stupid' questions. I would like your opinion of the following website. It claims to list 'crazy' questions asked on Google interviews. Where you asked any questions of this nature or is this site just another "urban myth"? http://tihomir.org/crazy-questions-at-google-job-interview/ Thanks, Ken You state the Google did not ask you any ‘stupid’ questions.

I would like your opinion of the following website.

It claims to list ‘crazy’ questions asked on Google interviews.

Where you asked any questions of this nature or is this site just another “urban myth”?

http://tihomir.org/crazy-questions-at-google-job-interview/

Thanks,

Ken

]]> By: pepethecow http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-25731 pepethecow Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:02:31 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-25731 OD, sorry to hear it. They're tough! plenty of other seas to swim in, though. good luck in the future! OD, sorry to hear it. They’re tough! plenty of other seas to swim in, though. good luck in the future!

]]> By: OD http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-25722 OD Mon, 26 Nov 2007 18:20:09 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-25722 Ah... just spoke to them. My interview went the same way as yours, more or less, and they ended up rejecting me. They said "Don't hesitate to apply again in the future, but at this time we are going to pass." Oh, well. Ah… just spoke to them. My interview went the same way as yours, more or less, and they ended up rejecting me. They said “Don’t hesitate to apply again in the future, but at this time we are going to pass.”

Oh, well.

]]> By: pepethecow http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-25347 pepethecow Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:34:57 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-25347 I can't remember exactly, but it was about a week. Definitely less than two. I can’t remember exactly, but it was about a week. Definitely less than two.

]]> By: OD http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-25338 OD Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:10:02 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-25338 I just had an interview there myself at their NYC office and came out with a similar impression. I haven't heard from them since then, though. It's been a week and I am sure Thanksgiving holidays aren't helping. I too am reasonably happy with my current job and didn't even expect to pass the phone interview with Google and decided to interview with them out of curiousity. But now I feel if they made me an offer I'd seriously consider it, given that it seemed like a very nice place for a technologist to be in. How long did you wait before they got back to you ? I just had an interview there myself at their NYC office and came out with a similar impression. I haven’t heard from them since then, though. It’s been a week and I am sure Thanksgiving holidays aren’t helping. I too am reasonably happy with my current job and didn’t even expect to pass the phone interview with Google and decided to interview with them out of curiousity. But now I feel if they made me an offer I’d seriously consider it, given that it seemed like a very nice place for a technologist to be in.

How long did you wait before they got back to you ?

]]> By: Philosophical Geek » My interview experience with Google http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/comment-page-1/#comment-19580 Philosophical Geek » My interview experience with Google Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:24:00 +0000 http://www.philosophicalgeek.com/2007/08/14/more-on-google-interview/#comment-19580 [...] also part 2 of this [...] [...] also part 2 of this [...]

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