It starts with an email.
“Hey, we’d love to chat about a role at Google / Meta / Amazon / Apple / [Insert Massive Tech Company Here].”
You stare at your screen. Excited. Nervous. Maybe a little nauseous.
Landing an interview at one of the Big Tech companies is a major milestone. But as soon as the initial thrill fades, the panic starts to creep in. “What are they going to ask? Should I re-learn everything I’ve ever studied? How do I even prepare for this?”
Take a breath. You’ve got this — and more importantly, you’re not alone. Let’s walk through what preparing for a Big Tech interview actually looks like, without all the fluff or panic.
Understand the Beast
Interviewing at one of these companies is a little like running an obstacle course. There are stages. Each one has its own purpose and flavor.
You’ll likely start with a recruiter call — friendly, chill, and just there to confirm that you’re not, say, completely making up your resume. Then comes one or two technical or functional screens depending on your role. Finally, if all goes well, you’ll be invited to the “onsite” — which is usually a four to five-interview loop, now often virtual, where things get serious.
Each stage isn’t just a test. It’s a filter. They’re not just looking for the best coder or designer or PM. They want problem-solvers. Communicators. People who don’t crumble under pressure.
If You’re Technical: Welcome to LeetCode Land
Let’s not sugarcoat it: if you’re applying for a software engineering role, there’s going to be some algorithmic gladiator stuff. You’ll be asked to solve coding problems in real time. And yes, many of those questions will look a lot like what you see on LeetCode or HackerRank.
- “Given a list of numbers, return the two that add up to a target.” (Google)
- “Implement an LRU cache.” (Amazon)
- “Write a function to serialize and deserialize a binary tree.” (Facebook)
The point isn’t just to get the right answer. It’s to show how you think. Talk through your process. Mention tradeoffs. Pause and ask clarifying questions. It’s not a silent exam — it’s a conversation.
But the Real Trap? Behavioral Interviews
Here’s where a lot of smart people get caught off guard.
They think, “I’ve got the technical part down — I can just wing the soft stuff.” But Big Tech behavioral interviews are designed to dig deep. They’re looking for signals: can you collaborate? Do you take ownership? How do you handle failure?
- “Tell me about a time you had to deliver under pressure.”
- “Describe a disagreement you had on a team and how you resolved it.”
- “Give an example of a time you had to influence without authority.”
Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), but don’t sound like a robot. Be honest. Show self-awareness. Talk about mistakes and what you learned.
Know Who You’re Talking To
Different companies have different cultures, values, and expectations.
Amazon: Leadership Principles. Expect questions like, “Tell me about a time you disagreed with a manager.”
Meta: Cross-functional teamwork, ambiguity. Think: “How would you prioritize conflicting requests?”
Google: Curiosity, collaboration, problem-solving.
Apple: Design thinking, user empathy, product passion.
Practice, But Make It Count
Rehearsing is good. Memorizing answers? Not so much. Use mock interviews. Record yourself. Be clear, not rehearsed.
Don’t Forget the Vibe Check
You’re not just being interviewed. You’re interviewing them too. Notice how they communicate. Are they respectful? Do they seem like people you’d want to learn from?
One Last Thing
If you’ve made it to the interview stage at a Big Tech company, you’ve already accomplished something most people never do. They want to talk to you. They think you might be a good fit.
So don’t go in trying to be someone else. Go in ready to show who you really are — just a well-prepared, thoughtful, and slightly nervous version of you.
You got the invite. Now go show them why.
