From Classroom Coder to Google Googler: My Placement Story

I still remember the email notification. It popped up on my phone with a simple, almost underwhelming subject line: "Your Google Application Update." My heart did a flip. For a split second, the entire world seemed to hold its breath. This was it. The culmination of countless late nights, hundreds of solved problems, and one very persistent dream.

I clicked it open, and my eyes scanned the first few words...

"Congratulations! We are thrilled to offer you the position of..."

I didn't even finish the sentence. A wave of pure, unadulterated joy washed over me. I had done it. I got the job. I was going to Google.

For so many of us in tech, Google isn't just a company; it's a benchmark, a "Mount Everest" of career aspirations. And today, I want to share the story of my climb.

몽 The Dream and The Doubt

Let's be real, the journey didn't start with confidence. It started in a crowded lecture hall, where the idea of working at a company that builds the tools I use every single day felt like a distant fantasy. I saw seniors with incredible skills and wondered, "Could I ever be that good?" The doubt was real, but the dream was bigger.

I decided to stop wondering and start working. I broke down this massive goal into smaller, manageable steps. It wasn't about "getting into Google" anymore; it was about mastering the next concept, solving the next problem, and building the next project.

💻 The Grind: My Preparation Strategy

My preparation wasn't a secret formula, but a disciplined routine built on a few key pillars.

Mastering the Fundamentals: Before anything else, I went back to basics. Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) became my bible. I didn't just learn them; I obsessed over them. Arrays, Linked Lists, Stacks, Queues, Trees, Graphs, Hashing – I made sure I understood not just what they were, but why and when to use each one. My favourite resources were GeeksforGeeks, LeetCode, and the classic book, "Cracking the Coding Interview."

Problem Solving, Every Single Day: Consistency was my superpower. I made a commitment to solve at least 3-5 problems on platforms like LeetCode every day. I focused on Medium-level problems, occasionally tackling a Hard one to stretch my brain. The key wasn't just solving them, but understanding the optimal solution. If my code was O(n²), I'd spend hours figuring out the O(n) or O(log n) approach.

Projects That Speak: Theory is great, but application is everything. I worked on two personal projects that I was genuinely passionate about. This did two things:

It gave me practical experience with technologies like Python, Java, and cloud platforms.

It gave me something interesting to talk about in my interviews, showcasing my ability to build something from scratch.

Mock Interviews are Non-Negotiable: This was a game-changer. I practiced with friends and used online platforms for mock interviews with anonymous peers. Facing the pressure of explaining your thought process to another person is completely different from coding alone. It taught me how to communicate effectively, how to handle hints, and how to stay calm when I got stuck.

😮 The Interview Gauntlet

The Google interview process is famously rigorous, and mine was no exception.

The Online Assessment: This was the first hurdle – a couple of coding challenges on a timer. My daily practice on LeetCode paid off immensely here.

The Phone Screens: These were two 45-minute technical interviews over a video call. The focus was purely on DSA and problem-solving. My interviewers were friendly but sharp, pushing me to justify my choices and analyze the complexity of my code.

The "On-site" (Virtual) Rounds: This was the final boss. A series of 4-5 interviews in one day, covering everything from in-depth algorithms and system design to behavioural questions ("Tell me about a time when..."). The system design round was particularly challenging, but I focused on clarifying requirements and discussing trade-offs, which is often more important than having a single "correct" answer.

💡 My Biggest Takeaways

Looking back, a few lessons stand out:

It's a marathon, not a sprint. Burnout is real. Stay consistent, but also take breaks.

Understand the "why," not just the "what." Don't just memorize solutions. Understand the underlying principles.

Communication is half the battle. A brilliant solution is useless if you can't explain it clearly. Talk through your thought process out loud during the interview.

Embrace failure. I failed countless times. I bombed mock interviews, couldn't solve problems, and got stuck on bugs for days. Every failure was a learning opportunity.

The journey was long and demanding, but that moment of seeing "Congratulations!" made every single second worth it. If you're standing where I was a year ago, with a big dream and a little bit of doubt, know this: it is absolutely possible.

Break it down, stay consistent, and trust the process. Your "Congratulations!" email is waiting for you.