Google is considered one of the best places to work, and to earn a fortune. The company is, and most likely will remain for the foreseeable future, one of the most successful corporations in the world. Complement it with a legendary working environment and exceptional salaries for all employees, and you have the answer why so many people try to get a job with Google.
You will find many articles where people claim that they know the questions you will get in an interview at Google. Interestingly enough, the questions differ from one article to another (unless the authors share nothing but common screening interview questions that do not differ from one company to another, and that you already know about and heard about a thousand times).
So, what is the truth? Does anyone know the questions they will ask you at Google? Anyone except of the people who work in their HR team?
What will happen in a job interview at Google?
Google receives more than one million job applications every year. They can choose, and they do choose only the best.
Unless you possess a rare combination of high emotional intelligence, and a typical intelligence (IQ), they won’t hire you. No matter how hard you try. No matter what schools you went to, and diplomas you earned. Your technical skills, and your preparation for an interview, play a little role in this case as well.
Not everyone was blessed with so many gifts, and so if you do not consider yourself gifted with intelligence, you should rather not waste your time and try to get a job with another company.
There are many tech businesses that pursue innovation just as Google does, and your chances to get a job with them are much higher. Why? Simply because the number of job applicants competing with you will be much lower in any other tech company in the world. Facebook, for example, is no match to Google in any regard.
Questions, case studies, psychometric tests, brain teasers
Questions that test your communication, leadership, problem solving, and technical skills make for the first group of questions you will get at Google. It doesn’t start easy, does it?
Once you pass this stage of their interview process (which is not easy at all, and 90% of applicants will be screened out in this stage), the structure of the meeting changes dramatically. And the same applies to the questions.
You can expect various creative questions, the so called brain teasers, which will test your brightness, intelligence, analytical and presentation skills. Prepare to think, do math, and work with a computer in your interview. Actually you have to be ready for everything. Perhaps they will ask you to design a time machine–if they have not done yet in secrecy back at Google.
The only sensible preparation is getting ready for a variety of questions and scenarios–but it alone still won’t suffice
The formula of success is simple in most interviews. You prepare good answers to screening and behavioral questions, you research about the company, and you have some knowledge of your filed. Typically it is enough to get hired. Or at least you will have a decent shot at signing a new job contract with the company at the end of the interviews.
Speaking about Google, that’s not how it works. Their combination of elaborate psychometric testing, creative and often unexpected interview questions (which may vary from one interview to another), and one of the best HR teams in the world, will catch every job applicant off guard.
Even if you get our Interview Success Package, with multiple premium answers to over 100 interview questions, including 31 dreaded scenario-based questions, it is guaranteed that you will get at least a few questions that aren’t part of the package, questions you would not get in any other interview…. And that’s exactly why it is so difficult to get a job with Google…
But can you do anything to improve your chances?
You definitely can. Try to work on your IQ and emotional intelligence. Take part in competitions. Try to design unique things. Work on your communication skills. Try to connect with someone who already works at Google. Prepare at least for the questions you can prepare for in advance.
Learn as much as you can about the company, and all their products (there are hundreds of them, though many people know just about maps, search engine, gmail, and google maps). Try to imagine that you already work for them, and do all you can to improve on every skills that matters for the job. And then try to improve on every skill that seemingly doesn’t matter :).
Once you have the right mindset, and adequate knowledge and skills, you may be able to find good answers to the strange questions they will ask you at Google.
And if it doesn’t pan out, do not be sad. Google averages more than 400 applicants to make one hire. Take every setback as a lesson and a chance to improve on your interviewing skills. Many companies are waiting for smart people like you–people who finished second best at Google…
May also interest you:
- How to overcome interview nerves – You need to be at your very best if you want to stand any chance of walking away with a new employment agreement from your interview with Google. Learn how to overcome your nerves, and show your very best on the big day.
- Body language in an interview – What do your gestures and movements say about you? Can we control our non-verbal communication? An interesting post that discusses the secret language of success.
- Salary negotiation tips – Learn how to get as much as you deserve once the time comes to discuss money in the interviews. Sure enough, Google has deep pockets and if they like you and decide to hire you, you can ask for a stellar remuneration.
