Welcome to the twelfth installment of our blog series “My Path to Google.” These are real stories from Googlers, interns, and alumni highlighting how they got to Google, what their roles are like, and even some tips on how to prepare for interviews.
Today’s post is all about Melissa Holguin. Read on!
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I grew up in Doral, Florida, which is a suburb of Miami. I went to college at the University of Central Florida and studied a full circle of engineering majors. I started in Computer Science (CS), then switched to Electrical Engineering, switched again to Computer Engineering, and finally ended up returning to CS my junior year of college, adding on a Music minor to go along with my CS degree. Outside of work, I like archery, bowling, video games, and binging on TV shows. Every once in a while, I get inspired and do some music producing.
What’s your role at Google?
I'm a Software Engineer on the YouTube Music Analytics team. I love that I get to be on a team that mixes music and technology. I just recently started on this team, but it looks like I'll be working on improving charts for music artists and tracks.
What inspires you to come in every day?
Even after a year of working at Google, it still feels surreal sometimes that I get to work with the most brilliant minds — it inspires me to work hard every day and makes me feel that my creativity will be put to good use.
Can you tell us about your decision to enter the process?
I had always thought of Google as the top dog of technology companies. It was definitely on my list of dream jobs, but I always thought it would be a long time before I'd be qualified to work there. I was thrilled to find out that someone thought I was ready just as I was finishing up my degree in CS.
How did the recruitment process go for you?
I was contacted by a recruiter that found my profile on Linkedin. I was extremely surprised, since I still had two semesters to finish before graduation, and I wasn't planning on applying anywhere until I was in my final semester. The recruiter first reached out in September and I didn't get my final decision until January, so I was definitely anxious in the time between because it was such a huge deal for me.
What do you wish you’d known when you started the process?
I wish I would've known about the Engineering Residency program beforehand. It ended up being the perfect fit for me!
Can you tell us more about the resources you used to prep?
I mainly used this website called InterviewBit, which was really good for practicing coding questions from all different categories. I spent around five hours a day solving problems for a week leading up to my first technical interview.
To finish, do you have any tips you’d like to share with aspiring Googlers?
Keep an open mind and don't pass on an opportunity based on specifics alone. In large companies like Google, there is so much room for growth and change. You never know what kind of opportunities will open up in the future, so your knowledge and experience will be a useful thing to have.
