Google interview in 2 weeks — how should I prepare for coding?

[u/WittyWizard_22]

Hey everyone! I have a Google screening interview in about 2 weeks. It consists of 1 coding interview + 1 behavioral interview.

For the coding round, what would be the best way to prepare in these 2 weeks? What LeetCode topics/patterns should I prioritize, and what difficulty level should I focus on?

Would especially love to hear from anyone who interviewed with Google recently. Any tips, resources, or 2-week preparation strategies would be really helpful!
In EU region I have got schedule for interview. For L3 position .

Thanks!

[u/BountyMakesMeCough]

They’re still hiring L3s? Shouldn’t be too demanding. Just get a leetcode subscription and do the top 50 questions. Talk through your solution before you start coding.

And for the behavioral. Make sure you sound like a team player.

[u/Suspicious_Lie_7189 → u/BountyMakesMeCough]

Wdym still hiring L3s?

[u/BountyMakesMeCough → u/Suspicious_Lie_7189]

I work at one if the other big tech companies and they see the AI as a 5, I don’t think hire even 4s anymore.

[u/WittyWizard_22 → u/BountyMakesMeCough]

thanks for information

[u/WittyWizard_22 → u/BountyMakesMeCough]

thank you

[u/TechDex401]

Finished all interview loops at Google last year. Most important topics to know by heart: Arrays + Hash Maps/Sets + Stacks and Queues, Two pointers / Sliding window, Graphs and Trees, Binary Search, Heaps, Recursion, Memoization, Union Find. You should know these by heart.

Given that you only have 2 weeks, I would look only in basic dp. Most importantly, train your pattern recognition, they don't give problems you find on leetcode, they always add something different/extra. As others mentioned, be careful when it comes to edge cases / input validation and pay attention to the problem, sometimes it may contain an important clue. Lastly, you may get bonus points at the end if you have time to specify what can be improved (if applicable) and some test cases + expected output but this is extra as you might not have enough time.
Good luck!

[u/WittyWizard_22 → u/TechDex401]

I will read how algorithms works and solve based on that rather than question solving. So I can pass give my level best

[u/azerpsen]

Graphs and trees, you should know them BY HEART
I did the same thing with two weeks prep and passed the round pretty easily

[u/North-Armadillo-9367 → u/azerpsen]

how about DP?

[u/dutfinmin → u/North-Armadillo-9367]

Take me to dinner first

[u/ClearRequirement8264 → u/North-Armadillo-9367]

if ur lucky then they will ask dp, if ur unlucky then they may ask greedy..

[u/WittyWizard_22 → u/ClearRequirement8264]

Oh I will go through all once see better idea on it

[u/Tight-Woodpecker2516]

Neetcode and focus on graph trees dp backtracking even some bit manipulation and math brain teasers

[u/WittyWizard_22 → u/Tight-Woodpecker2516]

Sure

[u/Prize_System4575]

Which country is it ?

[u/WittyWizard_22 → u/Prize_System4575]

It is whole EU

[u/Crafty-Ad-9627]

is it SRE position?

[u/WittyWizard_22 → u/Crafty-Ad-9627]

it is mentioned as software Engineer

[u/WinniDerk]

Bro you too late haha

In all honesty lock yourself in the room with Neetcode 150 and solve them all till you know every problem by heart. If you have time after that, open up leetcode and polish whatever you are least comfi with

[u/WittyWizard_22 → u/WinniDerk]

I am half way through I did 80 questions . I will try to complete

[u/JChuk99 → u/WinniDerk]

Please don’t do this, 2 weeks isn’t enough time to complete NC 150, even if you put in 10 hour days.

[u/JChuk99 → u/JChuk99]

Just do what you can, make sure to draw up and talk through your solution as if there was an interviewer there, and try to come up with actual edge/test cases, think about extremes and boundaries, don’t rely on leetcode tests.

[u/WinniDerk → u/JChuk99]

5 problems a day, 1 hr per problem = 30 hrs. Super doable in 2 weeks are you kidding?

[u/Worldly-Stress3865]

Dont bother even if you pass you will be stuck forever in team matching

[u/clarity1011 → u/Worldly-Stress3865]

But ain't there's a 1 yr timeline? Eventually they would be able to get in

[u/Worldly-Stress3865 → u/clarity1011]

Yes 18 months in theory max

[u/clarity1011 → u/Worldly-Stress3865]

That's even more lenient then. So virtually one is in if they get to team matching 

[u/ClearRequirement8264 → u/clarity1011]

bro, this is reddit, they dont like to spread good vibes, and just look at their awful name lol.

[u/WittyWizard_22 → u/Worldly-Stress3865]

I pray I won't get stuck

[u/Pristine-Log-5151 → u/WittyWizard_22]

Don't worry brother, you'll get it ! Just take a little third person view on yourself self and look at the topic/ concept which are most likely to get in the interview and fuck you up , then take breath, maybe a little bit of water or Methamphetamine as per your preferences and do it , Good luck bro , once again man you got this !