Real, anonymous reports from people who interviewed for Software Engineer at Gemini, newest first and distilled into what to expect across the loop.
I ended up getting pulled through a lot of rounds—five of them—before getting rejected. The overall difficulty felt like a mix of easy and medium questions, but what really threw me off was the scheduling. Some of the interviews landed in the middle of the night or in the stretch between late night and morning, and that made the experience feel unnecessarily exhausting.
I went through a pretty short, recruiter-led sequence. It started with a recruiter screen, then moved into a behavioral conversation where I walked through my background and talked through my thoughts on specific projects. After that came a technical round where the focus was coding and working in an object-oriented style. The whole thing felt fairly smooth and I got the impression the interviewer had a clear plan for how the flow would go.
The interview process typically begins with a recruiter call, followed by a mix of technical and behavioral interviews, often including a take-home assignment. Candidates noted that the flow was generally well-organized, with clear communication throughout the process.
Technical interviews often emphasize object-oriented programming and real-world problem-solving rather than purely algorithmic challenges. Candidates reported a mix of coding questions and project deep dives that assessed practical application of their skills.
Many candidates encountered take-home assignments that varied in complexity and expectations, with some feeling the tasks were vague or overly demanding. The assignments often required significant time investment and were designed to evaluate depth of understanding rather than just coding speed.
Behavioral interviews are a key component, focusing on cultural fit and alignment with Gemini's values. Candidates were often asked about their motivations and experiences, which contributed to the overall assessment of fit within the company.
While many candidates appreciated the friendly and professional tone of interviews, several expressed frustration over a lack of feedback after rejections. The overall candidate experience varied, with some reporting a positive impression despite not receiving offers.
Candidates noted that scheduling could be challenging, with some experiencing delays or miscommunications that affected their overall impression of the process. Efficient scheduling was highlighted as a positive aspect when it was well-managed.