How to crack Google interview in 10 days?

Cracking a Google interview in 10 days is an ambitious goal, but with focused effort, you can make a lot of progress. Here's a high-intensity 10-day preparation strategy that will help you cover the essentials and boost your chances of success.

Day 1-2: Assess Your Skills and Focus on Coding Patterns

Assess Your Strengths and Weaknesses

• Take a coding assessment to identify your weak areas. Use platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to take timed tests and get a sense of where you need to improve.
• Identify the common data structures and algorithms you need to focus on: arrays, linked lists, hash maps, trees, and graphs.

Learn Common Coding Patterns

• Master common coding patterns like sliding window, two pointers, and dynamic programming. These will help you quickly approach different types of problems.
• Recommended course: Grokking the Coding Interview focuses on coding patterns for technical interviews.

Day 3-5: Practice Problem Solving on Key Topics

Focus on the Most Important Topics

• Day 3: Focus on Arrays and Strings. Solve problems involving searching, sorting, and sliding window techniques.
• Day 4: Cover Trees and Graphs. Work on problems like tree traversal (DFS, BFS), graph traversal, and connected components.
• Day 5: Tackle Dynamic Programming. Focus on problems related to subarrays, subsequences, and optimization problems like Knapsack.

Practice Efficiently

• Aim to solve 5-6 medium-level problems per day.
• Prioritize problems that are frequently asked in Google interviews. Use resources like LeetCode’s Google interview tag to find relevant problems.

Day 6-7: System Design (For Mid-Senior Roles)

Learn the Basics of System Design

• For more senior positions (L5 and above), you’ll need to understand how to design large-scale, distributed systems.
• Key concepts: load balancing, caching, database sharding, consistency models (CAP theorem), and fault tolerance.
• Practice designing systems like URL shorteners, social media feeds, or file storage systems.

Day 6: Focus on learning key system design concepts.

Day 7: Practice designing scalable systems by walking through real-world examples.

Recommended resource: Grokking the System Design Interview provides a solid foundation in system design.

Day 8: Behavioral and Leadership Questions

Prepare for the Behavioral Interview

• Google places a strong emphasis on cultural fit, leadership, and collaboration. Be ready to answer questions about teamwork, challenges, and failures.
• Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.

Key Questions to Prepare For:

• Describe a time when you solved a difficult problem.
• How do you handle conflicts in a team?
• Give an example of when you took the initiative to lead a project.

Highlight Leadership Potential

• Even if you’re not applying for a management position, Google values candidates who demonstrate leadership qualities in problem-solving, mentorship, and decision-making.

Day 9: Mock Interviews

Simulate the Interview Experience

• Schedule mock interviews with peers or use platforms like DesignGurus.io or Interviewing.io to simulate real interviews.
• Focus on solving problems under time pressure while explaining your thought process clearly.

Focus on:

• Clear communication: Talk through your approach before coding.
• Time management: Aim to complete coding questions in 20-25 minutes and leave time for optimization and edge cases.

Day 10: Review and Final Prep

Review Key Concepts

• Go over the coding patterns and system design concepts you studied. Focus on weak areas identified during mock interviews.
• Revisit behavioral interview questions and make sure you have a few strong examples prepared.

Optimize and Focus on Edge Cases

• On the final day, focus on optimizing your solutions and handling edge cases, as Google interviewers often test for these.
• Practice articulating why your solution is efficient in terms of time and space complexity.

Relax and Stay Confident

• Make sure to get plenty of rest before the interview day. Confidence and clarity in your communication are as important as your technical skills.

Additional Tips

• Prioritize the Most Common Topics: Spend the most time on the areas that Google focuses on, such as arrays, trees, dynamic programming, and system design (if applicable).
• Use Efficient Study Resources: Courses like Grokking the Coding Interview and Grokking System Design can help you cover essential topics quickly and effectively.

By following this intensive 10-day plan, you'll maximize your chances of cracking the Google interview. Stay focused, practice consistently, and approach each problem systematically!