Software Engineer · Full Journey · Multiple Types

Google — Software Engineer ✅ Passed

Level: Mid-Level

Round: Full Journey · Type: Multiple Types · Difficulty: 6/10 · Duration: 240 min · Interviewer: Unfriendly

Topics: Coding, Algorithms, Arrays, Intervals, Sliding Window, Hash Table, Behavioral Questions, Data Structures, System Design

Location: Mountain View, CA

Interview date: 2025-12-13

Summary

Round 1: Coding

Question: Interval problem similar to Meeting Rooms III. I clarified the problem, gave an optimal solution, fixed a bug during dry run, and discussed time/space complexity. The interviewer was satisfied.

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Round 2: Coding

Question: Given an array, determine if subarrays within specified intervals alternate between odd and even numbers. I preprocessed the array to mark odd/even adjacency and then checked for consecutive same-parity elements within the intervals.

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Round 3: Coding

Question: Given an array nums, find the shortest subarray containing at least k distinct integers. I used a sliding window and frequency hash table for an O(n) solution.

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Round 4: Behavioral (BQ)

Question: Discussion of personal projects and internship experiences, along with behavioral questions such as future plans and why I want to work at Google.

Details

Preparation Tips & Key Takeaways

What I Learned

• It's important to clarify the problem thoroughly before starting to code.
• Dry running the code helps catch bugs early on.
• Discussing time and space complexity shows a good understanding of the solution.

Recommended Preparation

Coding Practice

• Practice interval-related problems.
• Focus on array processing techniques.
• Master sliding window algorithms and hash table usage.

Behavioral Questions

• Prepare STAR stories related to my projects and internships.
• Practice answering common behavioral questions, such as why I want to work at Google.

Resources I Recommend

• LeetCode for coding practice.
• Cracking the Coding Interview for behavioral questions.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Not clarifying the problem before starting to code.
• Neglecting to dry run the code.
• Failing to discuss time and space complexity.