GCA = General Cognitive Abilities :-) means: approach problems in a structured way and state solutions backed up with assumptions. Does anyone has a best pratice approach / tips how to structure responses to Google questions? What is it what they are looking for? Which phrases are good to use?
Structured solution is actually a good way to talk.. during interview we cannot come up with something like it unless we are prepared a lot.. I am looking for some tips as well
Ask clarifying questions, Don't start answering immediately. Ask for a minute to think about your answer. In that time, build out a framework to deliver your answer. Think of it as categories of topics. Make sure your categories don't overlap too much but that anything you or the interviewer bring up will fit into one of the categories. (Mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive). List the categories and explain each. Then go into detail and list considerations of each category. They are looking at your ability to brainstorm and structure the output of the brainstorm. Look into consulting case interview prep. This will give you foundational frameworks you can use/adapt) Consulting cases are way more in-depth, but the same concepts apply. If you can answer at the level of a consulting case you will blow your tech interviewers mind.
You saved my ass with this! I read two books on "consulting case interviews" and I cracked the GCA open like a ripe peach. It was so easy, I actually loved the troubleshooting element of it and wanted do to more lol. Thank you!
Hello, I also have a GCA coming up and freaking out, I read Victor Cheng's book, are there any other prep materials I can go through for examples? TIA
I’m looking for some pointers as well..any tips will be useful.
The STAR approach seems a good way to structure. Situation, Task, Action, Result. And to refer to data to be used / collected and how success is going to be measured. Multiple iterations of the approach and data analysis long term
This is a good framework for Behavioural questions (Tell me about a time when you...) not cases.
What is good for cases?
I believed in structural approach but I was wrong. Only thing I would say is LC as much as possible and understand the nuances of each problem as you solve them. Because, if you don’t solve a given problem, you are a no hire irrespective of what few interviewers say here about thought process. They are an exception. Most interviewers are incompetent just like most interviewees.
GCA is about solving problems/business challenges not coding or algorithms. So leetcode is not helping here
Your point needs to be highlight Ed. Most people are missing the point.
Be smart, enthusiastic, mildly aggressive and please, properly communicate
Can you clarify what it means to be mildly aggressive?
Don't be a passive person.
Nailed it, thx guys
What was your GCA question?
Eg to raise customer satisfaction from 80 to 90% of a random product. How do you approach this?
Is it phone screen or in person?
I highly recommend reading Victor Cheng's book "consulting case secrets". You can pirate it on Gen Lib. This book will make the CGA so easy. Memorise the "Business situation framework" and how to do an issue tree.
Do you have a pdf of this book?
Is pdf free online
Is this something that's specific to non-eng roles? I give interviews and have never heard of this
Pretty sure all interviews have this. I just had it. It sucked. All make believe scenarios
I just interviewed last month and there was no such thing in my loop.