When it comes to technical phone screens during internship interviews at companies like Google, one common practice is to have the candidate complete a coding challenge on a whiteboard or online coding environment. This challenge typically involves solving a problem using a specific programming language, and is meant to test the candidate's coding skills, problem-solving ability, and communication skills.
One question that often comes up is how much time is allowed for coding on the whiteboard during the phone screen. The answer to this question varies depending on the company and the specific interviewer, but generally, candidates can expect to have between 30-45 minutes to complete the coding challenge.
At Google, for example, the technical phone screen for an internship typically lasts around 45 minutes, with the coding challenge taking up around 30 minutes of that time. During this period, the interviewer will usually provide the candidate with a problem statement and ask them to write code to solve it. The candidate may also be asked to explain their thought process and walk through their code as they write it.
It's worth noting that while the time limit for the coding challenge may seem short, it's important to stay focused and use your time wisely. This means reading the problem statement carefully, thinking through possible solutions, and writing clean, efficient code that solves the problem to the best of your ability. It's also important to communicate clearly with the interviewer and explain your thought process as you go, as this can help demonstrate your problem-solving skills and make up for any mistakes or errors in your code.
In summary, candidates should expect to have between 30-45 minutes to complete a coding challenge on a whiteboard or online coding environment during a technical phone screen for an internship at companies like Google. While this may seem like a short amount of time, it's important to stay focused, communicate clearly with the interviewer, and do your best to solve the problem to the best of your ability. Good luck!