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Google·Software Engineer·Technical Phone Screen·Intermediate

Intermediate
Jul 2026

Summary

Did a round 1 for a Software Engineer role at Google last month, mixed behavioral and coding. The BQ side covered a few different areas including AI ethics, which I wasn't fully expecting.

Questions Asked (3)

Q1

What are your thoughts on the ethical considerations around AI development and deployment?

Adaptability & AmbiguityProduct Sense & Ideation
Author's notes

This one surprised me a bit.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Acknowledge the importance of ethics in AI, then discuss specific considerations like fairness, transparency, and accountability, tying them to your role as a software engineer. Emphasize a proactive, collaborative approach to embedding ethics into development and deployment.

Pro tip: Show that you don't just see ethics as a constraint but as a driver of innovation and trust; mention Google's AI Principles to demonstrate alignment with the company's values.

1. Acknowledge the importance

Start by stating that ethical considerations are critical in AI because of its broad impact on society and individuals.

2. Identify key ethical principles

Discuss principles such as fairness, transparency, privacy, accountability, and avoiding harm, giving brief examples.

3. Connect to engineering practice

Explain how these principles can be integrated into the development lifecycle, e.g., through diverse teams, bias testing, and documentation.

4. Emphasize collaboration and continuous learning

Highlight the need for collaboration with ethicists, policymakers, and users, and staying informed about emerging best practices.

5. Conclude with commitment

Summarize your personal commitment to ethical AI and how you would contribute to a responsible AI culture at the company.

Key Points to Mention

  • Fairness and bias mitigation in AI models
  • Transparency and explainability of AI systems
  • Privacy and data protection
  • Accountability and governance frameworks
  • Societal impact and avoiding harm
  • Google's AI Principles and responsible AI practices

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.

Q2

How would you go about organizing team activities or events to build cohesion?

Cross-functional AlignmentStakeholder Management
Author's notes

Pretty standard.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying that the goal of team activities is to strengthen working relationships and improve collaboration, not just to have fun. Then describe a structured process: assess team needs, plan inclusive events, execute with clear purpose, and measure impact. Emphasize how you tailor activities to a software engineering context, such as hackathons or tech talks, and how you ensure they align with Google's culture of innovation and inclusivity.

Pro tip: Highlight that you focus on low-effort, high-impact activities that fit within engineers' busy schedules, and that you always tie the activity back to team goals and psychological safety. Mention that you avoid forced fun and instead co-create events with the team to increase buy-in.

1. Assess Team Needs and Goals

Gather input from team members through surveys or one-on-ones to understand their interests, availability, and what they hope to gain from team activities. Align the activity's purpose with team objectives, such as improving cross-functional collaboration or celebrating a project milestone.

2. Design Inclusive and Purposeful Activities

Choose activities that are inclusive of diverse backgrounds, time zones, and working styles. For a software engineering team, consider options like coding challenges, tech talks, or virtual game nights that appeal to a range of interests and are accessible to remote participants.

3. Plan Logistics and Communicate Clearly

Coordinate scheduling, budget, and resources, ensuring minimal disruption to work. Communicate the purpose, agenda, and expectations in advance so team members know what to expect and can participate fully.

4. Execute and Facilitate Engagement

During the event, actively facilitate to ensure everyone feels included and engaged. Encourage participation from quieter members and keep the focus on building connections rather than just completing the activity.

5. Gather Feedback and Iterate

After the event, collect feedback through a quick survey or retrospective to measure its impact on team cohesion. Use insights to improve future activities and demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement.

Key Points to Mention

  • Inclusivity: Ensure activities are accessible and welcoming to all team members, regardless of location, time zone, or personal preferences.
  • Purpose alignment: Connect the activity to team goals, such as improving communication or fostering psychological safety, to show intentionality.
  • Low-effort, high-impact: Choose activities that require minimal planning and time commitment but yield strong relationship-building results.
  • Co-creation: Involve team members in planning to increase buy-in and ensure activities resonate with their interests.
  • Measurement: Use feedback and metrics (e.g., team morale surveys) to assess the effectiveness of activities and iterate.
  • Google context: Reference Google's emphasis on psychological safety, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration when describing activities.

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.

Q3

Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a teammate and how you resolved it.

Conflict Resolution
Author's notes

Went with a situation-action-result structure.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Use the STAR method to structure a concise story about a technical disagreement with a teammate, focusing on how you listened, found common ground, and reached a resolution that improved the product or team. Emphasize collaboration and learning, not blame.

Pro tip: Choose a conflict where you initially disagreed but ultimately changed your perspective or found a compromise—this shows humility and growth. Avoid stories where you 'won' the argument; Pinterest values collaboration and user focus.

1. Set the Context

Briefly describe the project, your role, and the teammate's role to ground the story. Keep it concise—just enough for the interviewer to understand the stakes.

2. Explain the Conflict

Clearly state the disagreement (e.g., different technical approaches, priorities, or timelines) and why it mattered. Focus on the issue, not personal attributes.

3. Describe Your Actions

Detail how you addressed the conflict: actively listening, seeking to understand their perspective, and proposing a data-driven or user-focused resolution.

4. Share the Resolution

Explain the outcome: what was decided, how it was implemented, and how it benefited the team or product. Highlight any compromise or new insight.

5. Reflect and Learn

Conclude with what you learned about collaboration, communication, or conflict resolution, and how you've applied it since.

Key Points to Mention

  • Active listening and empathy for the teammate's perspective
  • Focus on data or user impact to resolve disagreements objectively
  • Willingness to compromise or change your mind when presented with better evidence
  • Maintaining a positive working relationship after the conflict
  • Specific outcome that improved the project or team process
  • Self-reflection and growth from the experience

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.