My Interview at Google

Of the many interviews I have faced in my professional career, which is now into its 7th year, the interview I had faced at Google, New Delhi, for the position of AdWords Representative couple of years back was the toughest ever. The format, the type of questions asked, the way of assessment, and the length of the interview were really different from those of others.

Google conducts a series of interviews after two knockout rounds of written test. The first test tests your general English and grammar. Having cleared it, you will be required to write two essays of minimum 250 words in one hour. When I received an interview call from the Google HR, I was elated and thought I have almost made it. But I was wrong; it was the series of interviews which turned out to by nemesis.

Each interview was taken by a Google employee from the US except for the first round, which was rather a formality completion. But remember, the interviews were again knockout rounds. My second round was taken by an American lady. She made really comfortable with her warm gesture and not showing any “I am your boss” attitude often exuded by Indian interviewers, especially ladies. But her questions were not about Google, not about my qualification and educational or technical skills, but were ones that assessed my quality of leadership, team spirit, management, relation with colleagues and boss. Some questions asked were:

1. Have you ever led a team?

2. Have you ever inspired your team to get a tough job done? How?

3. Have you ever come in confrontation with your boss?

4. Has there been an occasion when your manager told you to do things that you do not like? What did you do on such occasions?

5. If you dislike the way your manager functions, will you make a complaint to his boss?

After one hour of “grilling,” the lady said thank you and released me. Phew! It was a brainstorming session.

The next round was scheduled after a week and I went much more prepared. That one turned out to be rather technical and also questions related to how to better market Google products and services were asked. Again, it was an American who tested my marketing skills for about 40 minutes. I thought I did well enough, but alas! A fourth round call never came.

Interview is nothing but selling yourself. Even if you are talented, if you cannot market your skills to the interviewer, they are of no use. I did learn a lesson or two from this experience.

My Interview at Google

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