How to Ace the Google GCA Interview | Tips from a Former Google GCA Interviewer and Hiring Manager

[@nataliakrissy]

I never comment on videos lol but I just wanted to say thank you for all this advice! I am in my 3rd round of interviews and have a non-technical GCA interview scheduled for tomorrow and this video has definitely provided valuable insight. I have been practicing allllll week on sending people to Mars, opening up a bakery shop, and opening up a Google office in Bangalore, India. I'm feeling very prepared! Thanks!

[@CoachErika]

This really touched my heart 💜 Thank you! It means a lot to hear that you're getting a ton of value from the videos, and I love the idea of a GCA question about opening up a bakery!! Goooooooo! Good luck tomorrow 🤞 and let us know how it goes!

[@maninder17]

How was your interview 9 months ago? I am preparing for it now.

[@Wise_World]

This is the feedback I got from my GCA interview: If you're preparing for a higher-level role (like IC5 or above), focus on limiting the number of questions you ask and make sure they align with the level you're interviewing for. Your assumptions should demonstrate that you have a solid grasp of the fundamentals expected at your job title.

[@CoachErika]

@@Wise_World this is solid advice for anyone interviewing anywhere. The more senior the role, the more strategic your questions need to be (as a candidate). Strategic also means prioritized.

[@MeherDarji]

What was tge question?

[@Wise_World]

@@MeherDarji How would you improve a support call center for a tech product. If your friend was asking you advice to open a bakery what would your thought process be. but knowing the question is impossible because they can ask you anything. The process that she lines up in this video is the key. but if your going for a more senior position limit the number of questions and be strategic with what you ask.

[@SatriaHardinata]

OMG this is so mindblowing the way that you can tackle the question and develop that idea and expansive thinking. It is the real definition of jaw-dropping. Thank you so much for such educative and informative knowledge, Erika. I am learning a lot from you. Crossing my fingers and pls Wish me luck with my phone interview with Google next week.

[@CoachErika]

🤞🍀

[@YourNameHere1000]

Love your perspective. Treating the interviewer as a partner working through an impossible task together really makes me feel a lot more comfortable about this interview.

[@CoachErika]

Thank you so much for commenting on your unlock! I never know which phrases will become the unlocks for people, so it's helpful to know what did it for each learner.

[@TakuyaShimada-g8e]

Each step was explained in detail and was very helpful.

[@CoachErika]

Yay! Glad this helped you!!!

[@BNBTony]

Absolutely amazing video! This has been extremely helpful and informative for me and has helped ease some anxiety as I prepare for an upcoming interview process. Thank you so much!

[@CoachErika]

Great to hear! Thanks for the kind words.

[@CoachErika]

Interviewing at Google? Share your experience with GCA questions! Also, feel free to ask any lingering questions you have about GCA questions in the comments!👇

[@roderickmccleary903]

Hi Erika - awesome video, so thorough and helpful for candidates. I saw in a comment that you were interviewing folks for Product/ENG roles. I am doing my GCA interview for a sales role, would you say the themes you've laid out in this video will be similar to the Sales GCA interview?

[@CoachErika]

Expect more market sizing questions in sales roles. Less Mars, more estimation questions on steroids.

[@keranafamily7721]

Thank you! I think removing the background music would help. What we want to hear is your voice!

[@CoachErika]

Yes! I'm lowering or removing the background music for future videos! Really appreciate the candid feedback. Let me know if there's anything specific you want me to cover in future videos.

[@anupamsantara8776]

@@CoachErika I believe the Background music was fine, its soothing, and will keep us glued.

[@CoachErika]

@@anupamsantara8776 awww thanks, I appreciate it!

[@MekonenMeteor123]

@@keranafamily7721 Disagree the background music is 🔥😂

[@KP-bm4uo]

Thanks!

[@CoachErika]

Thanks for the kind gesture! 🙌

[@realhtoenbaddie]

Hi, i applied for the Google Bold internship (Google Cloud) and I was wondering what type of questions do you think they'll ask me in regards to GCA and Behavioral?

[@CoachErika]

@@realhtoenbaddie I can't share that information (even if I knew!), but this sounds like an amazing opportunity, and best of luck!

[@realhtoenbaddie]

I should also add that I have already gotten a request to interview for this position!

[@realhtoenbaddie]

@@CoachErika thank you so much!!!

[@poojasikdar3583]

Tips are really helpful. Thank you.

[@CoachErika]

You're so welcome!

[@mezza001]

I am having my first ever interview on 1st Sept 2023!! I am so nervous and excited at the same time. I think I am going to have fun with the interview and do my best!

[@CoachErika]

Good luck!

[@slimreaper6746]

did you get the role?

[@shishirjaiswal5907]

Hi Erica, I am interviewing at the firm next week and the role is in Finance Operations, the job is first in the country as they are trying to expand at different locations and it is directly with the hiring manager, what type of questions do expect and how to address those?

[@CoachErika]

I'm definitely not a mind-reader and can't tell you exactly what to expect, but you should prepare to tell your career story and why you want this role. And most likely a number of behavioral questions based on your past experience.

[@Lamya1111]

Hey, this was helpful. Thanks!

[@akashdambhare627]

Hi Erica, Thanks alot for this amazing video,the video helped me to understand the concept and got really good example question, I've applied for Salesforce Analyst role do you think I should be preparing all 3 types of questions?

[@CoachErika]

I'm not super familiar with Salesforce analyst interviews, but I assume you should be prepared for some market sizing or other estimation questions, for sure.

[@maurodipatimperu]

Hi Erika, first of all, many thanks for this video. I wonder why my recruiter didn't provide this information. Next week I am going to have the round of 3 interviews: rrk, gca and googliness. I'am applying for a TAM lead role. What type of GCA questions do you recommend me to study the most? Also, do you think it is to late for coaching?

[@CoachErika]

Hey! Seeing your comment a bit and I'm curious how it went?

[@BonafideThinker]

Hey! Likewise, Would you be able to share your experience about what type of GCA questions did you get? Also, how many questions do they generally ask in GCA interviews? Appreciate your help in anticipation! All the best 👍

[@charlywwood]

Thanks!

[@ParrotPodo]

Hi Erica! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience. I found this one as I searched for Google's interview process. Recently, a friend of mine who is a former Google employee recommended me to apply for Google as a marketer(currently open position) in a local Google office. I was hesitant when I heard it from that friend for the first time because of my age (47, 20+ years in marketing). But as I get to understand more about Googliness and the culture Google has, I get to wanting to work with the great team and to give it a try at least. I'm not sure if I will even get a chance for the interview, but still, through this video, I've gained the confidence to think I could do this. Thanks a lot!

[@CoachErika]

Go for it!

[@rahulkataria7515]

After every interview, I felt that I should have said it the other way or another example. Is this normal as we don’t have any right/ wrong answers to these questions

[@CoachErika]

There are always ways to improve an answer, don't be too tough on yourself.

[@sakshitayal8045]

what kind of GCA questions i can expect for Tech recruiting role

[@CoachErika]

Less out there, more grounded in reality. More estimation questions. "What's the size of X market in ten years?" And you might even get "how many Z's are there in the US ?" (Where z is walkie talkies, pixel phones, golden doodles, etc)

[@cesarniyomugabo3097]

Very helpful

[@CoachErika]

Glad you think so! Thank you for taking the time to share your appreciation.

[@lyndaboularas]

Hello Erika, I have an interview for an account executive engage position. What would you advise me, I an quite confident about myself but I would like to have a too for this exact role if you don’t mind 🙏🏻❤

[@CoachErika]

How did it go?

[@patrickdevlin3164]

Thanks for this guide Erika, I would have bombed my interview tomorrow without this. Any special tips or advice for neurodivergent candidates?

[@CoachErika]

Lean in to your gifts. It's very common to interview neurodivergent candidates in tech, so rest assured that your interviewer will be rooting for you, not against you.

[@christopherndz]

Hi Erica, I have an upcoming APMM interview @ Google. Looking for any interview tips. Hoping we can connect. Thanks! 🤞

[@CoachErika]

Feel free to reach out. Check out my website coacherika.co

[@vincenttrutschler8306]

Super helpful, thanks Erika!

[@CoachErika]

You're so welcome!

[@obrienortega6942]

Thank you Erika for this informative video. Question, are Google GCA panel interviews?

[@CoachErika]

All Google interviews, with rare exceptions, are single interview. No panels.

[@alchemista2]

I have 2 people assigned to each of my interviews.

[@deminitrix1]

The way you effortlessly answer the question Is amazing. As I practice my GCA interview for google, I find myself getting better but I realize that I’m most strong with /simplifying and not really the clarifying questions. Not sure how to start being able to ask clarifying questions 😭 But it’s also an apprenticeship so not sure if it’ll be as extensive as this

[@deminitrix1]

Also overall just need to learn how to think BIGGER. I have the right idea but I want to be better!!!

[@CoachErika]

@@deminitrix1 that's exactly right. Thinking big and using first principles thinking is the key. Most other apprentice candidates are unlikely to be working at this as diligently as you, but keep at it. It will help you far beyond the interview!

[@deminitrix1]

@@CoachErika thank you so much Erika! You definitely have a new subscriber! Hopefully I’m able to show my potential and land the apprenticeship! But if not, I know it’ll be a great experience regardless. I dont want to attach myself to any outcome :)

[@edjung3977]

I'm wondering how can I approach the first sample GCA question you mentioned (What industries will change most in the next 20 years, and how?). Do you have any recommendation how I should clarify and breakdown?

[@CoachErika]

Happy to walk through this in a coaching session in detail, but at a high level you should use the same framework I present in the video.

[@anonymus5316]

I'm preparing for Google apprenticeship interview. Can i expect questions as farsighted as this for apprenticeship?

[@CoachErika]

Unlikely.

[@anonymus5316]

@@CoachErika thanks 👍🏼

[@midnighthill]

Thanks for the great video. I am on the way to a google CGA test for EPM role and I would like to find a coach to help me practice/improve the way I think during those hypethetical questions. Is there any candidate you suggest with?

[@CoachErika]

You can check out my coaching options at coacherika.co (linked in the video description as well)

[@dkat888]

Thanks for the video...all of the video is super helpful and aligns with tips I have received from a handful of others, however the question types you mention are a bit different from my experiences. are you able to provide information on the roles you interviewed people for? I ask because I will be having my third attempt at a virtual on-site day, and after getting through several GCA questions (and a few GCA specific interviews) none of them have been opinion based, estimation based, or "almost impossible to solve" scenario based. I have been interviewing for PgM roles and every open ended question has been a hypothetical situation relative to project/program work. Any feedback will help, thanks!

[@CoachErika]

At Google I interviewed for tech roles: product managers, program managers, engineering managers, technical program managers, and test engineers.

[@dkat888]

@@CoachErika OK thanks. Do you think it is just by chance that I did not get any of the question types you mentioned, or might the question types have changed to be a bit more role specific since you performed the interviews? Asking so I know what to prepare for, as I have been going mainly off my experiences thus far. Thanks!

[@CoachErika]

@@dkat888 I need more context to help. What role were you interviewing for, and what GCA questions did you get?

[@luckyluciano99727]

I watching and loving but the background music is sooo loud ...

[@CoachErika]

I know, so sorry 😬 and I can't fix it in YT. Appreciate the comment, well noted for future videos!

[@quantumhelium]

11:09 - most important part

[@CoachErika]

Thanks for helping others who are watching!

[@snowmeltstudiosPNW]

How are GCA interviewers stressed tested for implicit bias? How do these types of interviews create space of candidates with ADHD or Autism?

[@CoachErika]

At Google, all interviewers are trained on these topics.

[@KP-bm4uo]

Love this video to Mars and back

[@CoachErika]

🚀

[@intirey9845]

Thank you so much for this video ❤

[@CoachErika]

Most welcome 😁 Glad it helped you!

[@quantumhelium]

The background music is driving me insane,

[@CoachErika]

I know, I'm so sorry.

[@prathviirajj]

Can I selected if I have 61% in 12th. I'm good at coding also graduation score upto 8.5+ CGPA.

[@CoachErika]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by 61% in 12th? GCA and college GPA have nothing to do with one another.

[@YoyoCowboy]

Thankyou so much Erika, I have good ideas now to handle these sorts of questions, they seem overwhelming and unsolvable at first!

[@CoachErika]

Yay! Good luck!

[@multiversomental6893]

Too late. I already screwed up mine

[@CoachErika]

Oh no! What happened?

[@xueyihj]

good video, but as a starter, after viewing 1/3 of the video, not find a sample question at all...feel like building a house in the sky...

[@CoachErika]

I'd like to better understand the feedback. Do you mean you are frustrated by the chapters? Or you wish I had provided a list of sample questions?

[@lauracaicedo10]

Great video. Would suggest to reduce the he number of ads in such short video

[@CoachErika]

Gotta take that up with KZbin!

[@himanigulati6922]

This was helpful! I have a suggestion though! The volume of the music in the background is so loud, I was having trouble focusing on the words you were speaking.

[@CoachErika]

I know! I'm so sorry, and I can't fix it! I'll change it in future videos though. Thank you for the feedback!

[@CloudTech_with_Amine]

Music background is annoying and so distracting

[@CoachErika]

Yep I know. Can't change it now. Try listening without headphones

[@megg8475]

😮😅 is this hypothetical question? Or Google would really ask about something so... imaginary?

[@CoachErika]

It's real 👽🛸

[@diilite]

Thank you for creating these videos! I just watched a video published by Google, which indicates that they no longer ask questions like "how many golf balls can fit inside a 747". Instead, they are moving toward situational and hypothetical questions. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3qwg2topLRlesU Do you know if that statement is still accurate? The video from Google is old (3 years), so I wanted to ask. Thanks!

[@CoachErika]

You're right, there are definitely way more situational behavioral questions today than before. Personally, I prefer situational Q's for non business roles anyway -- the response process is similar, starting with clarifying questions, so hopefully this video is helpful to you!

[@CoachErika]

I should note that when I talk about "estimation questions on steroids" in this video, I'm referring to what the golf ball question has evolved into that (see video for the full context) -- and these estimation questions on steroids are still asked, though they now focus more on how you size a market or a problem relevant to the role, rather than the volumetric capacity of a 747.

[@alexp.5374]

Thanks for the video but Henry Ford never invented a car.

[@CoachErika]

Tell me more.