This was my 2nd loop at Google in the past few years. Much like the first loop, this loop was a total waste of time. They fooled me twice, this one is on me. 3rd time ain't gonna happen.
Google reached out to my via LinkedIn to discuss Program Management opportunities. I spoke with the recruiter and told her that I'm only interested in Program Management positions, NOT TPM positions (which at Google are basically engineers - learned that lesson the first time I looped there). I have no desire to be a Google TPM, nor do I have the skill sets. I was explicitly clear about this. I was assured that I would be looping for a Program Management position, not a TPM. So I moved forward with the loop. For a PM. Not a TPM. Have I made that point clear yet?
The first interviewer started asking me how to troubleshoot failed servers. Huh? Nothing on my resume would give anyone the slightest idea that I ever spent time troubleshooting servers. He also told me that in this position I'm expected to be able to engineer at the same level as an engineer 2 levels below me. I was confused, but thought it was just a misunderstanding….so I proceeded. I'm a PM. Not interviewing for a TPM position. Never have I been an engineer. So I answered the questions the best I could (insulting his intelligence in the process) and kept a positive attitude.
The next interview was basic leadership questions. It was a great 45 minute interview, I was feeling good. He was friendly, we had a great conversation. Alright, let's roll!
The lunch interview isn't an interview, you just go to lunch with someone doing the job you're interviewing for and they try and sell you on Google. "Look how cool we are!" It was interesting that my lunch interview was set up with a TPM however, not a PM. Hmmm. Red flags continue to raise. But I got a free lunch out of it and their office was cool. There are worse ways to spend 45 mins - case in point, the next interview.
The interview after lunch was a train wreck. Train. Wreck. Or dumpster fire, whatever you prefer. It was the NALSD interview (look it up online, I would say Google it but I don't like them right now). I expected this interview to be a challenge going into the loop, but it was much much worse than I expected. Really felt like the purpose of this 45 min firing squad of 1 was to satisfy something missing from the interviewers life. He was as personable as a boat anchor, and precision questioned everything that left my lips. This interview experience couldn't possibly get worse at this point.
It got worse. The 4th interview is where the wheels came off. She was asking me technical questions, nothing to do with Program Management. 30 minutes into the interview I asked her if I was looping for a TPM position or a PM position. She told me it was for a TPM position. Yep, the same position I told them I wasn't interested in. I smiled and politely told her that we were wasting each others time at this point, we had a pleasant 15 minute chat until the final interview. She handled the situation well.
The last interview was a standard PM interview. He did confirm with me that I was looping for a TPM position however. He was super nice, apologized for the misunderstanding, and conducted the interview.
I called the recruiter and sent him an email immediately after the loop. He said he'd look into the misunderstanding, but I never heard back from him about it until the final rejection phone call.
Overall the people on the loop were pleasant (aside from the guy performing the NALSD interview, but I believe they are jerks by design…or he wasn't held enough as a child). The amazing thing is it took them 1.5 weeks to get back to me with a rejection. Given that I basically shut down the 4th interviewer, sent the recruiter an email of disgust afterwards, I would have thought they could have sent me the rejection by the time I was cozy in bed that night. Guess there was a lot of latency in their rejection process.
Anyway, that was my experience. I will never interview with them again (I'm sure the feeling is mutual). I strongly suggest if you are not an Engineer that you do not loop with them for a PM position…unless you just wanted to go to get a tour of their office and get a free lunch. And enjoy the dressing down that is the NALSD interview.
