I was first contacted by a Google recruiter, Emily, back in April about a different position that they ended up hiring internally for. She then contacted me about this position again in late June and I couldn't wait to discuss the role. Here's what sets Google apart from the rest in my opinion: 1) The recruiters (from my experience) take a genuine interest in you and your well-being. It was almost as if she was more of a mentor during the entire process, and I really appreciated her willingness to help. 2) They want you to do well, and will offer you information about what to study/prepare for the interview steps. 3) The interview process is VERY difficult. Although you are given some tips about what to prepare, you still have no idea what might be asked of you. I cannot go into much detail, but this is the basic interview process that I went through: 1) Telephone contact with recruiter 2) Many emails and follow-up emails re same. 3) Telephone interview with member of the team 4) Google paid for travel to Mountain View, CA headquarters for in-person interviews with five individuals of the department.