In recent years, discussions about big tech interviews have become increasingly common. Many claim that major tech companies have lowered their technical requirements, making interviews significantly easier. Some even joke, “Getting into FAANG today is like joining an advanced training camp.” But is this really the case?
If you think so, you might be overlooking the deeper challenges.
Let’s examine a recent Google interview question:
Problem Statement
You have a network of routers, each identified by (x, y) coordinates. Your task is to simulate message broadcasting and determine whether a message can travel from a source router to a destination router.
Problem Details:
- Each router has a limited wireless range (e.g., 10 units).
- Messages can only be transmitted between routers within range.
- Compute the Euclidean distance between two routers. If the distance is within range, they can communicate.
- Given a set of router coordinates, a starting point, and a destination, determine if the message can be relayed to the destination.
For example:
A (0,0) B (0,8) C (0,17) D (11,0)
Wireless range = 10
Start = A
After calculation:
- A → B (distance = 8) ✅ Within range, communication possible.
- A → C (distance = 17) ❌ Out of range, no communication.
- A → D (distance = 11) ❌ Out of range, no communication.
However, if B relays the message, C can still receive it. The core question is:
Given a starting point and a destination, can the message successfully reach the target?
At first glance, this seems like a straightforward graph traversal problem. But this is only the surface-level assessment.
You Think This Is an Algorithm Question? It’s Actually an Engineering Test
Most candidates see this problem and immediately think, “Oh, this is just BFS (Breadth-First Search) or DFS (Depth-First Search).”
However, if you answer this way, the interviewer will likely follow up with:
- How does your solution scale to tens of thousands or even millions of routers?
- If some routers go offline, how can you ensure optimal message delivery?
- How would you accommodate multiple communication protocols?
- Can your solution run efficiently with limited memory?
In other words, you may believe this is just an algorithm problem, but it’s actually an engineering problem—one that tests your ability to extend a simple abstract problem into a large-scale real-world application.
The "Hidden Barriers" in Big Tech Interviews Are Rising
At first glance, big tech interviews seem easier than before, with fewer LeetCode Hard-level problems. But the real challenge hasn’t disappeared—it has simply become more subtle.
- Shifting from Pure Algorithm Questions to Real-World Applications
In the past, Google, Meta, and Amazon focused more on algorithmic skills, often requiring candidates to implement complex dynamic programming solutions. Today, they prioritize problem modeling skills. Writing BFS/DFS is just the starting point—optimizing your solution for business use cases is what truly matters. - Emphasis on Systems Thinking
Can you take a small problem and extrapolate the challenges it would pose in real-world applications? Have you considered the impact of large-scale data, distributed systems, and network failures? These are the skills interviewers are now looking for. - Code Is Just the Baseline—Communication and Reasoning Are Key
In the past, some technical interviews felt like academic tests—if you solved enough problems, you passed. Today, big tech interviews resemble deep discussions. Your thought process, ability to articulate your ideas, and logical reasoning are often more important than whether your code is 100% correct.
How to Prepare for These Modern Interviews?
If you’re still solely focusing on LeetCode-style problem-solving, you might already be behind. To tackle these hidden assessments, you need to:
- Enhance Problem Decomposition Skills
Train yourself to think systematically rather than focusing only on coding implementation. For example, how can you extend a localized solution to a broader scale? How can you optimize time complexity? - Develop Business-Oriented Thinking
It’s not just about writing functional code—it’s about whether your code holds real-world value. Learn to proactively consider scalability, fault tolerance, and performance optimization in interviews. - Improve Clear Communication Skills
Your answer needs to be not only correct but also well-explained. Interviewers prefer candidates who can articulate their thought process clearly and logically.
CSOAHELP: Your Key to Landing a Big Tech Offer
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If you don’t want to fall into the trap of “seemingly easy but actually difficult” big tech interviews, CSOAHELP is your best choice!
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