How to Land a Google STEP Internship | Candor

How to Land a Google STEP Internship. A thorough guide on how to get into this sought-after internship program featuring technical interview ... CareerpathsHowtoLandaGoogleSTEPInternshipAthoroughguideonhowtogetintothissought-after internshipprogram featuring technicalinterview tips,recommended computerscience courses,andprogramrequirements.AliceZhang•March25,2021Whetheryou’reapplyingforafull-timeposition,aninternshipprogram,ortobepartofthecompanyingeneral,it’sawell-knownfactthatgettingintoGoogleisdifficult.TheGoogleSTEPinternship,inparticular,ishighlysoughtafter.Presentingauniqueopportunitytofirstandsecond-yearundergraduatestudentsforprofessionalandtechnicalgrowth,theSTEPinternshipisespeciallycompetitiveamongstudentslookingforanentry-pointintotheindustry.BecomingaGoogleSTEPinternprovidesstudentswithasolidfoundationforfuturepositionsatcompaniessuchasAmazon,Facebook,andmany more.Howeverdauntingitmayseemtoapply,theGoogleSTEPinternshipiswithinreachonceyouhavealltherightinformationtoprepare.Thisguidewillwalkyouthroughtheprocessofapplyingfortheinternship,fromtheapplicationtotheinterviewtotheprogramdetails--we’llbewithyoueverystepoftheway!TheGoogleSTEPInternshipTheGoogleSTEPInternship,ortheStudentTrainingInEngineeringProgram,isasummer internshipcreatedforfirstandsecond-yearundergraduatestudents. Throughoutthis12weekprogram,STEPinternsworkonsoftwareprojectswiththeirfellowinternsandgainvaluableprofessionalexperienceandtechnicaltrainingfromfull-timeGoogleemployees.Likemanyofitsotherprograms,Google’sSTEPinternshipprioritizescandidatesfromhistoricallyunderrepresentedgroupsincluding(butnotlimitedto)studentsfromminoritybackgrounds,studentswithdisabilities,andfirst-generationstudents.MeetingtheQualificationsMinimumRequirementsTheminimumqualificationsfortheinternshipareasfollows:Beafirstorsecond-yearstudentpursuingadegreeinComputerScience(orarelatedfield)First-yearstudents:havetakenatleastonecollegecomputersciencecourse(APandIBcount!)Second-yearstudents:havetakenatleasttwocollegecomputersciencecoursesHaveprogrammingexperienceinJava,Javascript,Python,C++,andCBeenrolledinauniversityinNorthAmericaPreferredQualificationsHerearethepreferredqualificationsfortheprogram:Haveatleasttwoyearsremaininginadegreeprogramaftercompletionofthe12-weeksummerinternshipAbletoworkfull-timeduringthe12-weekinternshipperiodIfyoudon’tmeettherequirements,don’tworry!Googleprovidesseveralinternshipopportunities.Whetheryouareaself-taughtprogrammer,arecentgraduate,orevenathird-yearstudent--you’llfindopportunitiesatGoogle.CheckoutourguidetoGoogle’sBOLD InternshipProgramandourvideoonGoogle’s softwareengineering internshipformoreinformation!TheFirstStep:PreparingtheApplicationTimelineSincespecificdateschangeyearbyyear,we’velistedtheapproximateapplicationcycleintheUnitedStates:ApplicationsOpen:mid-SeptemberApplicationsClose:early-NovemberInterviewsHeld:October-AprilInternshipDuration:May-AugustorJune-SeptemberApplicationsforinternationalGoogleSTEPInternshippositionshavevaryingdeadlines.Regardlessoftheofficeyou'rehopingtoworkin,checkGoogle’swebsitefrequently.Itwillhelpyoustayupdatedonnewpostingsandleantowardsapplyingearly.TheApplicationTheapplicationprocessisfairlystraightforward.Here'swhatyouhavetoprovide:ContactinformationAcademictranscriptResume/CVEssay(s)SeeGoogle’swebsiteforthespecificGoogleSTEPInternshipEssayQuestionsHowtoPrepareBeforesubmittingyourapplication,followthechecklistbelowtomakesureyouhavethebestshot!UpdateyourresumeandasktrustedpeopletoreviewitMakesureyourresumeisuptodatewithyourmostrelevantexperience.Makethemostoutoftheresourcesatyouruniversityandreachouttotrustedprofessionalsatyourcareercenter(orequivalent)tohelpyouintheprocess.Additionally,werecommendhavingprofessionalsinthefieldreviewitbeforehand--itcouldbeafamilyfriend,mentor,etc!ReachouttopreviousGoogleSTEPinternsGaininginsiderinformationabouttheprogramwillgiveyoualegupwhenapplying,whetheritsknowledgeabouttheworkcultureorprofessionalexperienceyou'llgain.Thisisagreatopportunitytopracticeyournetworkingskills:don'tbeafraidtocold-contactGoogleSTEPinternsonLinkedIn,Facebook,andsoon!It’sevenbetteriftheyarefromyouruniversity.DemonstrateinterestinGoogleThoughthisoneseemsabitobvious,itdefinitelyshouldn’tbeoverlooked!Reachouttoyourschool’scareercentertoseeifGooglewillhostanyinformationsessionsorsendrepresentativestoyourcampus.UsethetransitiontodigitalworktoyouradvantageandreachouttoGooglersandrecruitersforinformationalinterviews. Ifyou'reable,maintainrelationshipswiththepeopleyoureachoutto.Thiswillboostyourchanceofgettingareferraldowntheroad.Referralsaren'tspecificallyrequired,butwillgiveyouabetterchanceofbeingdiscovered.GetdiscoveredAgreatwaytocatcharecruiter’seyeisbyparticipatinginoneofGoogle’scodingcompetitions.Googlecurrentlyoffersthreetypesofcodingcompetitions:KickStart,HashCode,andCodeJam.Codingcompetitionsarealsoagreatchanceforyoutodemonstrateyourskillswithaspecificprogramminglanguagewhetherit’sJava,Python,oranotherone!TheSecondStep:AcingtheInterviewInterviewProcessTheinterviewismadeupoftwo,45-minutephonecallsset15minutesapart.Eachinterviewwillincludeseveralquestionsondatastructuresandalgorithms.Each45-minuteinterviewcanbefurtherbrokendownintothreesteps:IntroductionsTechnicalAssessmentClosingquestionsIfyoupassthetechnicalround,youwillmoveontothenotoriousmatchingprocess.Yourinformationwillbeenteredintoacandidatepool,andinterestedteamscanreachoutandscheduleaconversation.Thecompanyhasalreadydeterminedthatyourskillsareuptopar,sotheseconversationsarepurelyaboutculturalfit.Bepreparedtodiscusshowtheteamfitswithyourgoals,skills,andinterests.HowtoPrepareUsethefollowingtipstoprepareforyourtechnical interview:ReviewthebasicsAsbeforeanyinterview,makesureyouhaveastrongunderstandingofthefundamentals:inthiscase,thefocuswillbeondatastructuresandalgorithms.PracticeyourstrongestprogramminglanguageThoughthelanguagesusedmostatGoogleareJava,C++,andPython,itismuchbettertobeabletowalkthroughaproblemwithalanguageyouarecomfortablewiththantostumbleintoonetryingtousealanguageyoudon’tknowaswell.RunmockinterviewswithawhiteboardandafriendOneofthebestwaystopreparefortechnicalinterviewsistopracticesolvingproblemsinreal-timewithanotherperson.Makeuseofavirtualorreal-lifewhiteboardandpulluppossiblequestionstoanswer. KeyConsiderationsBelow,we’velistedafewkeypointsrecruiterstakeintoaccountwheninterviewingcandidates:Analyticalandproblem-solvingskills:Howdidyouanalyzetheproblem?Didyoumissanyspecial/edgecases?Didyouapproachtheproblemsmethodicallyandlogically?Codeeffectiveness:Doyouhaveastrongfoundationinkeyconcepts?Isyourcodeworking?Didyoutestyourcode?Communicationskills:Isyourcodeclean/easytoreadandmaintain?Didyouexplainyourideasclearly?Collaborationskills:Areyoupleasanttoworkwith?TheThirdStep:EnjoyingtheProgram!PotentialLocationsTheGoogleSTEPinternshipisofferedatavarietyoflocations,includingseveralstationedinternationally!ThemostpopularincludeMountainview(CA),Zurich(Switzerland),Dubai(UAE),MexicoCity(Mexico),andsomanymore!WhattoExpectThesummerSTEPinternshipwillbebrokenupintoseveralkeycomponents.We’velistedthembelow:SoftwaredevelopmentprojectEachSTEPinternwillhavetheopportunitytotakepartinarealdevelopmentprojectwithateamofGoogleemployeesandtheirfellowSTEPinterns.TechnicaltrainingInternswillenhancecodingskillsthroughexposuretonewtoolsandprogramminglanguages.Asmentionedearlier,GooglemakesuseofJava,C++,andPythonthemost,soexpecttodevelopastrongfoundationintheselanguages!ProfessionalexperienceInternswillattendseveraltechnicaltalkswithrespectedseniorGoogleprofessionalsandhaveadditionalopportunitiesforresumereview,technicalinterviewpreparation,andpresentationskilldevelopment. MentorshipfromaGoogleprofessionalEachinternwillbematchedwithaGoogleEngineerwhowillactasaguidethroughthesummerexperience.AreyoureadytobecomeaGoogler?GainingentryintooneofthemostcovetedGoogleinternshipsisn’taneasytask.However,ifyousucceed,youwillhaveaccesstoanetworkandcommunityofsomeofthemostpassionateandbrilliantprofessionalsinthefield.Togetthere,followourrecommendedguidelinesinapplyingfortheinternship,trustinyourabilities,anddon’thesitatetoconnectwithGooglersandrecruiters.Communicationiskeytolandingthepositionandsucceedingonceyougetin.Googlevaluesstrongqualifications,butonlyacceptsthemostpassionateanddedicatedcandidates.Approachthisprocesswithanopenmind,desireforgrowth,andahighsenseofcommitmentandyou’llbeinagreatplace!Theinformationprovidedhereinisforgeneralinformationalpurposesonlyandisnotintendedtoprovidetax,legal,orinvestmentadviceandshouldnotbeconstruedasanoffertosell,asolicitationofanoffertobuy,orarecommendationofanysecuritybyCandor,itsemployeesandaffiliates,oranythird-party.Anyexpressionsofopinionorassumptionsareforillustrativepurposesonlyandaresubjecttochangewithoutnotice.Pastperformanceisnotaguaranteeoffutureresultsandtheopinionspresentedhereinshouldnotbeviewedasanindicatoroffutureperformance.Investinginsecuritiesinvolvesrisk.Lossofprincipalispossible.Third-partydatahasbeenobtainedfromsourceswebelievetobereliable;however,itsaccuracy,completeness,orreliabilitycannotbeguaranteed.CandordoesnotreceivecompensationtopromoteordiscussanyparticularCompany;however,Candor,itsemployeesandaffiliates,and/oritsclientsmayholdpositionsinsecuritiesoftheCompaniesdiscussed.MorecareerpathsarticlesJointogetaccessApplytojoinEngineerArchetypes:WhichOneAreYou?SeeMore›JointogetaccessApplytojoinInsidetheFAANGPerformanceReviewProcessSeeMore›JointogetaccessApplytojoinTop5LegalTechTrendsfor2021SeeMore›JointogetaccessApplytojoinHowtoMakeItasaFreelancerintheTechIndustrySeeMore›JointogetaccessApplytojoinHowtoLandaTechJobWithaNon-TechnicalBackgroundSeeMore›JointogetaccessApplytojoinTheNewSkillsYouNeedtoSucceedinRemoteWorkSeeMore›JointogetaccessApplytojoinCongratsonYourNewJob!Here’sHowtoAceYourFirstDayofWorkSeeMore›JointogetaccessApplytojoin4CompaniesThatUseDataScienceforSocialImpactSeeMore›