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Ask HN: Have you ever gotten the Google 'foobar' challenge? How did it go?
I got the Google foobar challenge a year ago while on a flight to Seattle. I didn't finish it because I was still a noob at the time (it happened when I googled a few things about Angular 2). It was over my head for sure, I'm not sure why they asked me. Yet, maybe they see something I don't quite see in myself just yet based on my search history.
Anyone know how they decide who gets the challenge? If it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance or a person can get it more than once?
- deft 9y agoYou can probably get it more than once. I got it from googling java docs once. I never am signed in or anything and delete cookies and block 3rd party cookies, so they got me on their one chance that I was signed in and had tons of tabs open. I never did it because it was a waste of time.
- good_vibes 9y agoAwesome to know. Google knows me better than anyone I know based on my browsing history. I still wonder how they decided to send it to me. I know a lot of people are not big fans of Google and Amazon but if I had to work a corporate job, I would want to be working there on something that makes the world more organized and efficient.
- astrodev 9y agoI completed all problems in March, but haven't heard anything back. It was fun but much easier than the problems I remember from the high school Olympiad (or I have improved), except for the final one, which was more of a maths question - easy if you know the relevant theorems (I had to google it), virtually impossible otherwise. I can send you an invite if you are interested.
- good_vibes 9y agoThanks! I'm interested for an invite, just to keep learning the foundation of how software engineers at the highest level think/work. Even I don't get hired by Google, I'm sure studying the theory and trying to apply what I learn will help me stand out for whatever jobs I apply to.
- astrodev 9y agoHow can I message you?
- good_vibes 9y agocosmicdigest@gmail.com thanks a lot!
- samblr 9y agoI did 'foobar' thing in april sometime. Had got that challenge when I was doing some google maps api thing. After finishing 3 rounds (5 or 6 problems) - it asks you to fill in [number, email, linkedin/github ] and reach out to google recruiter. Wife was really excited to see the whole process as 'foobar' opened when she was at my desk. She couldn't believe all this can happen and was super keen to send contact to google and I was saying not-now (we are expecting our first born soon). Yet, to keep wife happy, I did send my contact details without linkedin/github details. May be google recruiters ignored my contact since without professional details - it doesn't make any sense for a hire. I checked my foobar link - it still opens though. May be after few months will try reaching..
- good_vibes 9y agoThat's awesome to hear, gives me hope. What learning resources/track would you recommend to someone who doesn't have a CS degree and tried a bootcamp but only finished 6 weeks and got a full refund? I have work experience as a technician, an entry-level web designer, and about 6 months of Jr. web developer experience? I'm still wondering why they would send it to me when my tabs were CodeSchool.com (learning Angular to prepare for the coding bootcamp I was going to attend the week after), a Google search for some Angular stuff (how I got the challenge), HackerNews, reddit/r/science, and in an incognito probably a tab or two of porn.
- samblr 9y agoA CS degree isn't a must if you can understand time-space complexities and how they are at play in a problem. basic knowledge of trees will help.