How did I get into the Google Women Engineers (WE) Program in my 1st Semester?
My life changed forever on March 29, 2022, when I started on a journey that would change my entire outlook on life. I received the news that I had been selected as one of the 250 girls for the Women Engineers program!! My pride and happiness were really high because I didn’t expect to be accepted into such a prestigious program. This blog is intended to overview the selection process and the resources I used.
⭐About the Women Engineers Program
The WE program was previously known as Women Techmakers Engineering Fellows. The WE initiative, offered by TalentSprint and supported by Google, aims to address gender disparity. Through this two-year experiential, interactive online program, women engineers are selected, trained, and nurtured as world-class software engineers.
Check out this website to learn more about the scholars' eligibility, perks and experiences.
How did I come to know about the program?
In the wake of my dissatisfaction with my JEE results, I set out to prove myself. I was actively searching for opportunities on Linkedin and YouTube when I came across this video by Khushboo Goel. After watching the video, I became immediately intrigued and prepared in whatever way I could to get into the program.
What makes applying for WE worth a shot?
My dream of being a part of such a prestigious program began as a freshman studying Computer Science and Engineering. I used to think WE would just give us all the skills we needed to get into the big names we always dreamed about. But no, it goes far beyond that. Now that I’ve been a part of WE for ten months, I can say that it has shaped me into the person I want to be. Re-evaluating and improving myself opened up many new horizons for me. Having the feeling that I am growing daily is the most fulfilling feeling one could ever experience. Our amazing mentors have preached the importance of taking charge of our destiny and enjoying the process that leads to success. From “I want to get into Google” to “I want to chase bigger dreams that go beyond FAANG”, my perspective has grown and is still evolving. I learned how to unleash my potential and work against all odds to achieve my goals by meeting my incredible cohort mates. I am forever grateful!!!
⭐ Selection Process
1️⃣ Online Application
Here you will fill out basic information about yourself, your background, and your academics. You will be notified of your eligibility once you have submitted this application.
2️⃣ Aptitude Test
There are a lot of applicants who get rejected in this round, so it’s crucial. You will be tested on your aptitude skills over the course of 60 minutes. The test covers all quantitative analysis topics, such as coding-decoding, number series, profit and loss, etc.
The key for me was to practice random questions available on the Internet time boundedly and manage my time well when taking the test. Getting to the next stage requires answering as many questions correctly as possible, and to do this, selecting the right questions to attempt is crucial. It is advisable to move on to the next question if a question seems to be consuming your time. Then, come back to the previous one at the end.
3️⃣ English Language Test
The purpose of this test is to determine your proficiency in English. There are simple English exercises and grammar questions. For more information about the pattern of this test, watch this video. Your scores will be available shortly after attempting the test.
As such, I did not prepare for this round in advance. However, after giving this round, I realized that I was extremely nervous and didn’t prompt the answer very clearly. My suggestion for this round would be to stay calm while taking the test and to make sure your mic and system settings are correct.
4️⃣ Coding Test
You will be notified about the coding test after clearing both the aptitude and English tests. There will be three days available for you to take the test. You will be provided resources and mock papers to prepare and test your skills. The material provided will be strictly in Python, but you will also have the option of coding in Java, C++ or C.
I took the test in Python and I followed this tutorial to get started and this video from freecodecamp to go a bit deeper. Additionally, I practised some basic questions on Hackerrank. Take advantage of TalentSprint’s colab notebooks, which cover all the topics you’ll be asked about. It may seem daunting at first, but if you work hard and dedicate yourself, you can easily make it through even if you just started coding.
Note: Keep an eye on the instructions, as the test pattern and languages allowed might change.
5️⃣ Interview
After passing the coding round, you will proceed to the last round i.e the interview. This round is more of a behavioural round where mentors of TalentSprint ask you questions about your schedule, your willingness to be a part of the program, the sacrifices you are willing to make in order to churn out the highest output from the program etc. Depending on the interviewer, the interview can last from 10 to 30 minutes.
The interview sailed smoothly as the interviewer, who is also one of my DSA mentors now, made me feel super comfortable. I was asked about my day and how I would accommodate the WE classes in my schedule.
⭐ Result
You will be notified via email after clearing the above stages about your selection and seat confirmation.
Congratulations! With WE, you are embarking on a life-changing journey.
You can reach out to me on LinkedIn for any questions regarding the next cohort. I hope this blog helps you prepare for the next cohort.
All the very best to everyone! I hope you nail the selection process and become a part of this amazing program. In case you don’t make it, just remember: “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
