Year after year, Facebook makes the list as one of the best companies to work for. As they continue to expand, the company is almost constantly hiring to fill positions all around the globe. Because it's such a large company, there are many different areas to work in, and often employees fill multiple roles in different parts of the company's structure. To land your job at Facebook, make sure to emphasize your skills on your resume, practice writing basic code, and tell your interviewer that you can fill multiple roles.
Finding Positions
Familiarize yourself with the areas of work at Facebook.
The company of Facebook oversees a few different social media platforms as well as departments like business development, public policy, global operations, and security. You can look for full-time work, internships, or a postgraduate job.
- Postgraduate jobs are given to those who have just received their degree, whether that be a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD.
- Internships are often offered over the summer for students still in college.
Look online for job openings at https://www.facebook.com/careers/jobs.
While many of the jobs at Facebook are tech-focused, there are many jobs that you can apply for that focus on other types of work, including business/partnerships, and sales/marketing, public policy, and design. Check out their careers page to decide which job is the best role for you. Most job openings tend to require basic coding skills along with their other requirements.
- Facebook has jobs in North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America.
Decide what position you could fill based on your skills, experiences, and goals.
Many employees at Facebook fill multiple roles, but to start, pick one job that you think you could excel in. Make sure that the skills that you could list on a resume represent how you could do well in the role you are applying for. Ask yourself if the job you want to apply for aligns with your career goals.
Submitting an Application
Create a resume with your education, skills, and experience.
A resume is the first thing that a recruiter is going to look at to see if you are a good fit. A solid resume includes your education, your work experience, any awards or honors you have received, and the skills that you have obtained throughout your years in school or the workplace. Make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors within your resume, as it is your first impression to your potential employers.
- You can use a resume template online to make the formatting easier.
Align your goals with Facebook’s.
Facebook’s mission statement is “to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.” Emphasize in your resume that you also want to bring the world closer together and you think you could do so by working at Facebook. Mention how you’ve worked toward that goal in the past and how you think you could work toward it in the future.
Emphasize your skills.
Facebook values skills more than experience, so even if you haven’t had a ton of on the job training, let them know what you have done. List any skills that are relevant to the job opening you are applying for, including coding, programming, business application, team building, and leadership. Give specific examples to back up each skill.
- If you’re a new college graduate, list some skills you learned in your classes and while completing projects.
List any relevant experience you have.
If you’ve been in the job market for a while, you probably have experience that could be helpful to Facebook. While the company does value skills more than leadership, it never hurts to mention that you have on the job training in engineering, sales, data analysis, or recruiting.
- List references from your previous jobs that can vouch for your experience.
Avoid claiming to be an expert in something you aren’t.
It can be tempting to embellish your resume a little bit to make it look better, but it could get you into trouble during the interview process when you are asked to explain your expertise. Keep your resume truthful and try not to claim things that are untrue.
Submit your application online.
Once you find a position that you’d like to apply for, select it on Facebook’s company site. Upload your resume in a PDF or Word Document and fill out your contact information. Use the “Skills” box of the application to emphasize why you would be a good fit for the position.
- You can only apply for 3 jobs at a time at Facebook.
Have a friend at Facebook recommend you.
A surefire way to get an interview with Facebook is to have someone who is already on the team mention your name. If you have a friend or acquaintance who works for Facebook, politely ask them to put a good word in for you if they feel comfortable doing so.
- If your friend just started at Facebook, they might not be comfortable giving you a recommendation. Don’t push them and always take no for an answer.
- To submit an employee referral through Facebook’s internal system, your contact will need your resume and a short paragraph as to why you’re the best person for the role.
- If you don’t know anyone who works at Facebook, attend tech networking events to try to meet employees.
- Try to get connected with Facebook’s internal recruiters and develop an ongoing relationship with them. Even if you’re not the right for the position in hand, they may help you find a better fit.
- Facebook also has ambassadors whose jobs are to help potential employees find the right fit at the company. Try to get connected with them!
Nailing the Interview
Tell the interviewer about your skills over the phone.
The initial interview will be with a recruiter over the phone. During this interview, the recruiter will most likely ask you about the skills that you’ve listed on your resume. Use this chance to tell your interviewer about your skills in detail and emphasize how they could help Facebook’s mission.
Dress in a business casual outfit.
Facebook is a tech company, which means they probably don’t expect their employees to dress in a suit every day. Put on clean clothes in a business casual style. Button-up shirts, slacks, and dress shoes are appropriate for an interview, as well as a blouse, blazer, and a business skirt.
- Keep your hair and face washed and groomed before you head into your interview.
Write code out on a whiteboard to show your skills.
The in-person interview will mostly consist of technical questions about code that you will be expected to write out on a whiteboard. Answer each question to the best of your ability and check in with your interviewers if you need guidance.
- Depending on the job you apply for, the coding questions can be super complex or fairly basic.
Explain to the interviewers how you reached your conclusion.
If your handwriting is messy or your thought process is all over the place, take the time to explain to your interviewers how you reached the conclusion that you did. This will tell them how you approached the problem and what creative ways you used to figure out a solution.
Keep your body language open and inviting.
Take note of your body language as you interview. Shake your interviewer’s hand firmly, keep your arms uncrossed by your sides, and stand or sit up straight using good posture. Open body language expresses that you are a likable person and are willing to do the work asked of you.
- When in doubt, mirror your interviewer’s body language.
Tell your interviewer that you can fill multiple roles.
Facebook is looking for dynamic people to fill the roles in their company. If you are applying for a job in data analysis but you also feel confident that you could help in design and user experience, emphasize that during your interview. Explain to your potential employers that you are willing to learn on the job and you can pick up new skills quickly.
- Facebook often moves its employees around to different departments. They will be looking for people who can adapt to change easily.
Following Up
Send a thank you email to your interviewers.
After you interview in-person, be sure to get all of your interviewers’ email addresses. The day after your interview, send an email to everyone who interviewed you thanking them for their time. They will appreciate that you acknowledged their work and time commitment.
- Send an email that says something like, “Hi there! Thank you so much for sitting down with me yesterday to discuss the Software Engineer position at Facebook and what you are looking for to fill that position. I loved the focus on cybersecurity, and I’d love to work alongside you all to accomplish your personal and company-wide goals. I’m glad to know that Facebook provides opportunities for personal and professional growth. I look forward to hearing from you about this position. Sincerely, Jake Jones.”
Wait patiently for a response from your interviewers.
The people hiring for your position may be interviewing other people or just taking a long time to review your skills and qualifications. Be patient as you wait for an offer or a rejection, and don’t hound anyone into giving you a response. Facebook is a large company, so it could take a few weeks before they make their decision.
- If you constantly email your interviewers asking for a reply, it could impact you negatively.
Take any feedback given if you are rejected.
You might not get the job at Facebook, and that’s okay. Perhaps they found someone more qualified or they don’t think you’d quite fit with the team. Accept your rejection gracefully and thank the interviewers for their time. If they offer you any constructive criticism on your interview, note that for your future endeavors.
Accept the job if you are offered one.
If your interviewers contact you and offer you a job, go ahead and take it! Talk to your interviewer about a start date and complete any paperwork that you need to.
- Facebook may offer you a different job than the one you applied for. If they offer it to you, it means they think that you can do it.