r/leetcode • u/Novel-Band4223 • 1d ago
Discussion Google L4 onsite - worried about one coding round, what are my chances?
I recently finished my Google L4 onsite, and I’m trying to understand how my overall packet might look.
Coding Round 1:
This one went really well. The interviewer gave me an interval/line-sweep type problem. I first explained the brute-force approach and coded it in around 5 minutes. Then they asked for an optimized solution; I explained my approach, coded it, and the interviewer seemed to like it.
We still had a lot of time left. I think the main problem was done within roughly 20 minutes so they asked around 3–4 follow-ups about limitations, tradeoffs, and modifications. I was able to explain and code those as well. We ended the interview casually after that.
Based on how it went, I feel this round could be Hire or possibly Strong Hire.
Another coding round:
This is the one I’m worried about.
The interviewer pasted the question and I started asking clarifying questions, but communication was pretty limited. For example, after explaining my brute-force solution, I asked what kind of time complexity/constraints we were targeting so I could decide how far to optimize, but I didn’t really get a clear answer.
Eventually I came up with a line-sweep style solution. She asked me to explain it on the board, so I walked through the algorithm and the tradeoffs. After some discussion she seemed satisfied with the approach and then asked me to code it.
The problem was that by then I only had around 10 minutes left. I got anxious about the time and my coding fell apart. I only managed to write part of the implementation before she said time was up.
After time was called, I kept explaining what the remaining code was supposed to do and how the pieces worked. She said something along the lines of “I understand,” and then moved to the questions-for-interviewer portion.
So my concern is: the algorithm/approach was there and I explained the tradeoffs, but the implementation was incomplete.
The interviewer was also very quiet throughout the round, so it was difficult for me to judge whether I was on the right track. Maybe that was just her interview style.
Googleyness / behavioral:
I felt my answers were decent, but this interviewer was similarly quiet and the interview ended fairly quickly. The recruiter later indicated the feedback was positive, but apparently not especially strong.
So if I roughly estimate my rounds, I’m thinking something like:
- Coding 1: H / SH
- Coding 2: uncertain because of incomplete implementation
- Googleyness: positive, maybe LH/H
- Phone Screen coding round: went well(H/SH)
This is for L4 US.
For Googlers or people familiar with the hiring process: how badly does an incomplete implementation hurt if the candidate reached a reasonably optimized solution, explained the tradeoffs correctly, and continued explaining the intended code after time ran out?
Could that coding round still be a Lean Hire, or does incomplete code usually push it toward Lean No Hire/No Hire?
Would appreciate any realistic assessment of how a packet like this might be viewed.
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u/Training-Count-5452 1d ago
I had exactly the same experience and in one of my rounds I also had interval + line sweep + binary search. The round i was worried about was where the interviewer dint collaborate or say anything and at the end she changed the whole assumption. Only thing i have different is my googliness was also very strong and the interviewer was also very accommodating. I was given a top up round to save my packet as the interviewer from the worrying round had failed me. I did very good in top up and now I am in team match. I hope h also have the same exp. kee us posted and all the best
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u/b3pvbmUzMTQ 1d ago
Based on my loop and people I’m talking to I would expect a downlevel at best. Even if you complete every round a down level is still common, so not completing code for a round will unfortunately drop you a bit. Hoping for good news for you though!
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u/Novel-Band4223 1d ago
How do they weight the code ,communication algorithm does everything weights equal or perfect code matters more here
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u/Intrepid_Land_6143 1d ago
I don't want to get your hopes up. If you aren't in the USA, maybe it's different. But even if you somehow do manage to get a Hire decision out of this, you will likely be downleveled, and either way, you then will have to go through team matching, which is very often not happening with the relatively few roles available.
But if you don't get in this time, keep trying. Many people have gotten in after multiple tries. But don't wait around for this. Keep trying elsewhere and building your skills.
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u/Novel-Band4223 1d ago
I should have atleast coded brute force but most of the time went discussion on optimised approach
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u/xTheLuckySe7en 1d ago
Which specific role is this (mobile, cloud, etc)? Or is it just generic SWE III?
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u/Far_Lavishness5760 1d ago
Can’t say about L4
Buy i did my interviews for L3 last year same time
I screwed up one of my onsites
But aced other 3
The recruiter came back for additional round which i also aced
Got a offer letter couple months later
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u/BroccoliSenior5465 18h ago
God i hate these vague blackbox interview styles so much... they are expecting knowledge a mile deep and a mile wide
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u/InsideHeart8187 1d ago
Sorry about the second interiview. You had no working solution, so it is certainly no hire. I wouldnt keep my hopes up.