Entrepreneurship in Action
Facebook Interview Process
Facebook has developed a rigorous application process forprospective employees that ensures that the company gets top talentand finds people who fit the Facebook culture. For those interestedin technical jobs, Facebook offers an online timed codingchallenge, open to all, where the best performers automatically wina phone interview.
The phone interview is the first major step in the hiringprocess. It covers the candidate’s résumé and questions aboutprevious work experiences, especially about the leadership rolesthey have held in the past. Facebook recruiters pay close attentionto candidates who have been successful in previous positions andshow a passion for the work they did on that job. The length of therésumé is not important at Facebook. What recruiters look for isdemonstrated excellence and accomplishments. For some positions,applicants may go through second, third, and even fourth telephoneinterviews. Some of these telephone screenings can be quite lengthyand may involve collaborative online problem-solving exercises withthe person conducting the interview.
Those who pass the telephone screening are flown to thecompany’s Silicon Valley headquarters for a series of on-siteinterviews with the hiring manager and several team members who arepart of the work group. These interviews are designed to determinecandidates’ skills and their fit with the Facebook’s uniqueculture. Team members ask many questions about the candidate’sexperience working in teams and make note of how they interact withthe team members doing the interview. If a candidate is applyingfor a technical position, he or she faces more skill-basedchallenges and a take-home test. The team assesses not only thecandidate’s skills and abilities but also the approach they take toproblem solving. Creative solutions are particularly important.
Candidates have the opportunity to offer suggestions on how theymight make the Facebook product or user experience better.Interviewers want to see specific solutions and metrics to assesshow the improvements are working.
Some of the typical questions asked in Facebook interviews arenot that typical. Questions such as, “If you were an animal whatkind would you be and why?,” “What is the difference betweenFacebook ads and Google Ads?,” “Should Facebook be available inChina?,” and “What do you see as Facebook’s biggest challenge inthe next five years?” are common. The goal of these questions is tosee how each candidate responds when faced with questions that theycould not prepare for in advance.
Facebook employees who are involved in the interview processthen make a collective decision on the candidate’s fit for theposition.
Interview teams expect applicants for nontechnical positions,such as business operations, sales, marketing, or analytics, tohave done a great deal of research into Facebook before they arrivefor the interview. “If you are going to work for Facebook tomorrow,what project do you want to work on?” was one question posed to arecent applicant for a market research position.
Facebook managers recognize that once they have made thedecision to hire, the candidate also must make a decision about hisor her fit with the company’s culture. “After the interview, Iwasn’t sure if I would be happy working at Facebook,” says onesoftware engineer candidate, “so they let me come back and speakwith my would-be manager and director, as well as some coworkers,so I could make a good decision.”
“We’re primarily looking for builders,” says Thomas Arnold, headof recruitment at Facebook, which prides itself on itsentrepreneurial spirit. The company has maintained a flatorganizational structure that is best for those who seek to beempowered in their jobs and are highly self-motivated.
Strong applicants also “just get the social space,” says Arnold,and interviewers confirm this by making sure that the candidate isan active Facebook user. If an applicant has not used his or herFacebook account for several weeks, recruiters take this is a signthat he or she will not be a good fit.
Answer the following questions:
What are the principles behind Facebook’s interview process? Doyou think it is too complex? Explain.
What does the interview process tell you about Facebook’sculture? Explain.
Can Facebook’s interview process be applied in companies thatare not technology based? How might it be applied to a company thatmakes golf clubs?
Why is hiring new employees so important for a small business?Why is it so difficult? How does the process at Facebook addresssome of the challenges that companies face when hiring?
Write a 1-2 page paper detailing the above questions, and besure to cite your references.
