I applied in-person. The process took 2 months. I interviewed at Google in Oct 2014
Interview
My interview process started with a friend of mine referring me internally. I initially had a phone screen with the recruiter that went very well. I was almost immediately invited to come into the office for a all-day interview day.
On my interview day I was interviewed by 4 PMs. There was also an interview with a PM Director that was relatively a short interview.
I thought I did fairly well but wasn't sure if I did well enough.
My recruiter emailed me 1.5 weeks later to let me know that all had gone well and they would be submitting me to the Hiring Committee. I was super excited and looking forward to the green light.
Alas- the hiring committee over-rode the feedback and gave me thumbs down.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Nothing difficult or unexpected. The type of questions are very well covered here: Expect a Why Google, or why PM, what products you like, why/why not. You will be expected to do estimation questions as well as case study questions. This is an absolute given.
You would have to do a hiring assessment first, then a recruiter screening follows. First round interview with the hiring manager. Majorly product sense and product improvement. The questions were not direct though.
Overall a lot of steps to the interview process. Talked to different people and had opportunities to ask questions. Many different stages which made it a lengthy process overall. Wasn't too bad.
resume screening, a recruiter call, and technical or role-specific interviews. Candidates complete coding, system design, or behavioral rounds. Onsite or virtual panels assess problem-solving, communication, and leadership. Feedback goes to a hiring committee, followed by team matching and final offer discussions.