Google Interview University

[nelsonic]

While I may not understand/agree with the motives of this quest (Google is not the company it once was... just read the posts on Quora ...) I totally admire the dedication/effort @jwasham is pouring into his mission: https://github.com/jwasham/google-interview-university & https://googleyasheck.com/ ❤️ ✅

I cannot help but think that the Goal of working for a specific company rather on solving a specific problem is putting the cart before the horse. and instead he should select the problem and then find (or start) an organisation that is tackling it ... but, to be fair, if there is any problem worth solving Alphabet has probably already got a team tackling it ... so maybe getting the skills first is the way to go...? 💭

[jwasham]

Hi @nelsonic, This issue popped up for me because (I think) my name was mentioned. So I appeared!

I've worked for many companies and even started a few of my own. There's no perfect company because there are no perfect people. I wanted to make a career change and level up my skills, not just for Google, but for any company I choose to work for. It's about choice, and Google is the most ambitious target I could find.

I've read much about the company and talked to employees. I respect Google's culture, and from it many of the stances they have taken, and their requirement for professionalism and excellence in building software.

Even if I don't get the job, I will have gained sufficient practical knowledge and skills that I can apply to any problem I choose to solve, wherever I wish.

[nelsonic]

@jwasham, yeah, the skills you are relentlessly acquiring are pretty much universally transferrable. Given how much publicity you've given them with you superb learning resource they would mad not to hire you and split your time between engineering and "evangelism" (I mean that in the best possible way). I've read everything I can about Google (books, articles, Q&A) and really admire them!

The people who work for google are mostly amazing (smart, yet humble and understated) but the culture has shifted away from "scrappy startup" to "enterprise" which means management, meetings and performance reviews. (I cannot bare the idea of being [micro]managed by a mid-level manager who last wrote code in the 90's and only cares about a "burn down chart" and wether you filed your "TPS Report"... M&Ms ) 😢

If given the choice between Google and another "Corporate" the choices is obvious, but too often people limit themselves too narrowly when their actual options are way more exciting!

"Do you want to spend your time getting people to click on ads or do you want to change the world?"

Of all the things you've learned over the last few months, what were you most fascinated by and which technology or tool sparked the most creativity? surely you've thought of an idea for a project you can work on without having to work for a "Big Company" ...? 😉

Either way, hats off John! you have amassed more CS knowledge than most CS grads! When I retire next year I will go through a few of the items on your list. (thanks for sharing it!)

[jwasham]

Of all the many interesting items I've studied, one of the fascinating things was machine learning. Not required for a Google interview, but they are greatly increasing their use of that area, as you can imagine. It can be super mathy, but it's manageable.

I've started four companies, two are still going. Starting and growing a company is terribly difficult. I'm not looking to start any more.

I'm excited to work on big projects, far outside my experience and comfort zone.

Thanks again, Nelson!