[deviloflaplace]

I interviewed with both Google and Microsoft when I first graduated. MS one was way more smooth but it was largely because they've sent a team out and we did face-to-face interviews. At the end of the day I was told that I was not a good fit. The only thing I was pissed about is that they haven't told me they wanted a Software Tester right away. Since I wasn't interested in such a position, it'd save both parties a huge time.

Google one was quite a story. First of all, they reached out to me. Then it took them 3 weeks to schedule an over the phone interview. I've changed like 4 recruiters along the way, and no one told me way. This is a bad practice since for international hires, recruiters are way more important.

This is where it gets interesting. My interviewer failed to call me at appointed time, I mailed my recruiters, got a big lie, they scheduled for a week after. It was ok since accidents can happen. Over next to weeks I did two interviews (why on earth can't they schedule them one a day?) and I was told to wait for a committee. Ok, no problem. After 10 days, and a pissed off email, they told me that I had to get a 3rd one. Another week of waiting, and interviewer failed to call again! I was raging by that time. Another week. The interviewer failed to call again. I wrote an email telling them to not to bother with excuses. Right before I hit send, interviewer calls. I was raging so the interview was a bust. They waited 2 weeks to give me a response.

Moral of the story: If you need to have 3 or more interviews do them in a short time. In that 2.5 months time I've did so many things, Google became irrelevant, a joke for me. I do get that hiring is hard, as I'm doing it myself; but I always try to return to an applicant in a weeks time. Still now and then Google recruiters ping me over Linkedin. I've told every single one to send an offer right away and skip the interview process. I get the silent treatment =)