What if I failed in Google interview?

If you failed a Google interview, it’s completely normal, and many candidates don’t make it on their first try. However, it’s important to treat it as a learning experience and take the right steps to improve for future opportunities. Here's what you can do if you didn’t pass your Google interview:

1. Understand Google’s Reapplication Policy

Google typically has a waiting period before you can reapply for the same or similar role, which is usually around 6-12 months. This gives you time to improve your skills and address the areas where you might have struggled during the interview.

Reapplication Timeline:

• 6 months: For most candidates, the waiting period to reapply is 6 months.
• 12 months: In some cases, especially for senior positions, the waiting period may be extended to a year.

You can still apply for different roles within Google during this waiting period, as long as the new role isn’t closely related to the one you interviewed for.

2. Request Feedback (If Possible)

Google typically does not provide detailed feedback due to privacy and legal reasons, but sometimes recruiters may offer high-level feedback about areas to improve.

Ask Your Recruiter:

• Key areas of improvement: You can politely ask if there’s any general feedback, such as whether you struggled more with coding, system design, or communication.
• Focus for the next attempt: The recruiter might provide insight into whether you need more focus on certain technical skills or problem-solving techniques.

3. Analyze Your Own Performance

Reflect on your interview performance and identify where you struggled the most. Did you have difficulty solving coding problems? Were system design questions overwhelming? Did you find it hard to explain your thought process clearly?

Self-Reflection:

• Coding Problems: Did you fail to come up with an efficient solution, or were you unable to solve the problem in time?
• System Design: Were you unfamiliar with certain concepts like scalability, load balancing, or database design?
• Behavioral Questions: Were you able to provide strong examples of teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result)?

Pinpoint the areas where you felt less confident and focus on those in your preparation for future interviews.

4. Improve Your Skills

Use the time between interviews to improve your technical and problem-solving skills. Focus on the areas where you struggled, and practice solving problems or designing systems more efficiently.

Key Areas to Focus On:

• Coding Practice: If you had difficulty with coding questions, spend time practicing on platforms like LeetCode and HackerRank. Aim to solve medium to hard problems, especially those tagged with "Google."
• System Design: For system design roles, focus on learning how to design scalable, distributed systems. Courses like Grokking the System Design Interview can help you master these concepts.
• Behavioral Questions: Prepare better examples for leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving, using the STAR method to structure your answers.

5. Consider Alternative Opportunities

While you’re waiting to reapply to Google, consider applying to other tech companies. Many companies use a similar interview process, so your preparation for Google will be useful for these interviews as well.

Companies to Consider:

• FAANG: Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and other top-tier tech companies have a similar hiring process to Google’s.
• Startups: Working at a startup can give you valuable experience and build your resume for when you reapply to Google.
• Other Tech Companies: Microsoft, LinkedIn, Twitter, and others have competitive tech roles with similar interview formats.

6. Participate in Coding Competitions

One way to continue honing your skills while also getting on Google’s radar is to participate in Google-hosted coding competitions. These competitions offer a chance to practice solving complex problems and potentially get noticed by Google recruiters.

Popular Google Coding Competitions:

• Google Code Jam: A global competition that focuses on algorithmic problem-solving. Performing well can increase your chances of being contacted by recruiters.
• Google Kickstart: A competition designed for students and professionals to test their coding skills and potentially be noticed by Google’s hiring team.

7. Prepare Better for Your Next Interview

When you’re ready to reapply, make sure you’re fully prepared for the next round of interviews. Here’s how to approach it strategically:

How to Prepare:

• LeetCode: Continue practicing coding problems, especially focusing on common patterns and optimizing your solutions.
• Grokking the Coding Interview: This course helps you understand key coding patterns that frequently appear in interviews.
• Mock Interviews: Practice with friends or on platforms like Pramp or DesignGurus.io to simulate real interviews under pressure.

8. Stay Positive and Persistent

It’s important to remember that many candidates don’t pass their Google interview on the first try. Even top engineers and professionals face rejection before eventually landing a role at Google. What matters most is how you learn from the experience and improve for future opportunities.

Notable Points:

• Failure is Common: Failing a Google interview is common, and it doesn’t reflect your overall abilities.
• Keep Learning: Use the time between interviews to improve your skills and gain experience through projects or other roles.
• Reapply with Confidence: When you reapply after improving your skills, you’ll have a much better chance of success.

Conclusion

Failing a Google interview is not the end—it's an opportunity to grow and improve. Use the time between applications to reflect on your performance, improve your technical and behavioral skills, and come back stronger for your next attempt. Google has a reapplication waiting period of 6-12 months, so use that time wisely by practicing coding problems, learning system design, and preparing better for behavioral questions. Keep a positive attitude, and remember that persistence is key.

Resources like Grokking the Coding Interview and Grokking System Design can help you prepare more effectively for your next Google interview.