“Back in 2012, I dreamt of working at Google. Little did I know then how to get into the giant. After working for a little while, I started chasing b-schools where Google hired from and MICA, being one of them, evidently became my dream school. After getting into MICA, my next goal was to get into my dream company. Cut to 2020, I graduated from MICA with an offer from Google. So, for me, dreams - checked!”
This is the story of Rajvi Doshi, a recent PGDM-C graduate from MICA Ahmedabad. Before joining the institution, she worked for 2 years in the field of Public Relations at FoxyMoron (GroupM agency) and Branding & Communications at HDFC Developers Ltd.
She holds a BBA in Marketing from NMIMS. At MICA, she did her specialization in Digital Communications Management. As a part of the B-School summer internship, she worked at the Brand Solutions team at HT Media where she was offered a Pre-Placement Interview (PPI) based on her performance.
In a candid conversation, Rajvi lets us in on her earmarked journey of how she managed to get on an offer from the technology giant.
Can you tell us about your role in Brief?
I joined Google as a Digital Marketing Strategist and I'm working out of the Hyderabad office. My role requires me to collaborate with Account Managers and devise strategies to improve our advertisers' digital marketing efforts across all Google properties.
How did you zero in on Google as your dream company?
Google has been my dream company since 2012. I'm someone who is intrigued by Marketing and Technology and the intersection of these two functions is where Google lies. Besides, I have always wanted to be a part of a company whose products/services I use day in and day out and what better than Google.
I had also read about the culture of Google through means of various case studies and got a sneak peek of it when I attended the Google Intern Connect 2019, which made me fall in love with Google all over again.
How does Google hire top talent? Can you walk us through the selection process?
I received the offer through campus placements at MICA. There was a CV shortlist which was then followed by three rounds of interview, each of which were elimination rounds. All these rounds happened on the same day, so it was important to stay confident throughout the process.
How did you prepare yourself for a seemingly daunting interview process?
Google shares a set of preparatory documents (Google Interview Guide) that mentions the kind of questions, approach to have while answering questions, expectations they have during the interview. A live video conferencing for Q&A is also conducted with the shortlisted candidates prior to the interview day which I found useful.
Tell us about your interview experience and the kind of questions you were asked.
There were two kinds of questions - behavioural and hypothetical. All interviews typically follow the same structure. At Google, there is no separate HR or Technical round, and the interviews cover a mix of the following attributes.
The interviews test you on the following parameters:
1. Leadership
2. Role-related Knowledge
3. How You Think
4. Googleyness - fun, intellectual humility, conscientiousness, and a track record of having done interesting things.
The interviewers are genuinely interested in knowing the interviewee, how the person thinks, processes the data, identifies solutions, makes sound decisions by identifying trade-offs, and communicates clearly. The interviewers are more interested in how the candidate tackles the problem presented than just saying the “right” answer. Unlike other interviewers, Google interviewers will prompt you in case you’re nervous or get stuck.
How did you navigate through multiple rounds of the selection process?
Here’s what worked for me: I made sure I understood the problem well than just jumping into it with an answer – I asked questions to get more clarity and made my assumptions and conveyed those wherever needed. I took time to note down the steps of my answer to avoid jumbling up steps – my analytical and strategic thinking hats helped me here.
I thought out loud and presented potential solutions and then picked up the most practical solution by citing a logical rationale. My answers were weaved in a story form where I walked through the case/problem step by step. I popped in examples and solutions and was ready to answer the follow-up and counter questions. I realized that the interviewers were mostly interested in knowing how I got to my answer than just the final answer.
What are the few things that one should keep in mind while preparing for a Google interview based on your experience?
To tackle behavioural questions, I had prepared a list of exhaustive examples from my work life, MBA school, personal life, etc. I prepared for common questions such as: tell us an instance where you displayed leadership qualities, tell us an instance where you went against your team and changed the direction of work, organization skills, team management skills, etc. I made sure I highlighted my projects, work experience, my role in the cases, my contribution, hurdles, and challenges, etc.
My preparation came handy during the interview as my answers were more structured and concise. You should be prepared to talk about specific examples of times when you have worked with a difficult customer, improved a process, been in a leadership role, etc.
You must definitely know your CV in and out as the interviewer might just pick up any point and ask you to elaborate on it. In fact, my first interview started with the interviewer asking me to elaborate on one of my CV pointers.
You should also be well aware of Google’s products, advertising programs, competitors, revenue model, your offered role, your motivation to work at Google, etc.
Any bonus tip that you would like to add?
Keep smiling throughout your interview. It is completely okay if you don’t know an answer or two. Be honest and don’t let your enthusiasm fade away when you’re asked something you don’t know.
In all, going through the whole process of interviews with Google was truly an enriching experience.