Google

I appeared for the Google Big Code interview process from MNNIT Allahabad. The interview process consisted of two technical rounds, with each round being around 45 minutes, and both rounds were completely focused on Data Structures and Algorithms. There were no questions from OS, DBMS, OOP, or other core CS subjects. In the first round, the interviewer started with a short introduction and then directly moved to the coding problems. The first problem was based on arrays and required finding an optimized solution rather than using brute force. I explained my initial approach, discussed its complexity, and then improved it to an efficient solution. The interviewer asked several follow-up questions involving edge cases and constraints. The second problem involved trees and required a DFS-based approach. I was able to explain the approach and code it, although I needed a small hint while handling one of the corner cases. The second round was again completely DSA-oriented. I was given two problems, one based on graphs and another involving dynamic programming. The graph problem required identifying the appropriate traversal and maintaining some additional information during the process. The DP problem was comparatively harder, and I could explain the recurrence and approach but could not complete the implementation within the given time. The interviewer was mostly interested in my problem-solving process, how I approached the problem, complexity analysis, and how I handled follow-up cases rather than just getting the final answer. Both rounds were quite interactive, and hints were provided when I got stuck. Overall, I felt the interviews were challenging but fair, with the main focus being on DSA, coding ability, optimization, and communication. After the two rounds, I received the final update that I was not selected. Although I was disappointed with the result, the experience helped me understand the level of DSA expected in the Big Code interview and the importance of being able to solve problems efficiently within a limited time.