How do I get a job at Facebook?

By Sief Khafagi, Engineering Recruiter at Facebook

I recruit people to Facebook so from a recruiting perspective, I’ll share some tips and tricks to get noticed by people like me. Whether you’re looking for a technical or non-technical role, many of these should apply to you.

Have an online presence

We use a lot of tools, both internal and others, to find people who might be a good fit for the roles we’re hiring for. Some of these include things like Linkedin for example or searching Github (if you’re technical). At the very least, I recommend having a fully flushed out and up to date Linkedin profile, especially if you’re actively looking. A personal website would also help.

Have an offline presence

We host events all across the world looking to meet and network with others, specifically for engineering. In many cases, we’ll post about these or send you an invite if we think you might be interested. We also attend a ton of conferences to both give back and share our knowledge with the community but also to meet people who might be interested in joining Facebook.

Contribute to the open source community (if you’re technical)

Speaking of conferences, we’re huge advocates for open source.

Here are a couple of links depending on what’s most relevant to you. Android, iOS, Web, Backend and Hardware. If you’re working on any open source projects, add them to your Github, Linkedin, portfolio or any other online sites you might have and mention them on your resume.

Network your way in

Networking is by far one of the best ways to get a job at Facebook. If you know someone directly who can vouch for you, referrals go a long way in getting your foot in the door. If you don’t, begin to network with others in your industry, including those who work at Facebook. It’s likely someone you know can introduce you directly or might know someone who can. In fact, I was referred to my recruiter by a colleague of mine which fast tracked my interview and within a week I had 4 offers, including Facebook. One of the best decisions I ever made too. You can read more about why here. Networking is one of those skills that will never go out of style and keep on paying off.

Optimize your Resume

There isn’t technically a right or wrong way to format a resume but we’re human after all. Here are some things to consider.

• Keep it to 1–2 pages (and not super crammed). It should be easy to read.
• Focus on impact in your past experience
• Highlight the things that help you stand out whether that be your education, your projects, your past experience or any contributions to the community you’re a part of.
• Keep it up to date anywhere you have it posted online
• Don’t use buzzwords for the sake of using buzzwords. Yes, we recruiters search by words but we’re also conscious of seeing every buzzword in the industry on your objective statement (which btw, totally not needed). If it makes sense to use the word, use it.
• Look at other people’s resume who have the job you want, especially at Facebook. If you can’t find it online, look at their Linkedin. Can you learn anything from it? Are there specific commonalities? If there is, you should consider it. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying copy someone else’s experience. This might give you a few ideas on what to focus on.
• Be truthful. Don’t just put something on your resume that isn’t accurate because we’ll likely ask you about it or it might come up in a conversation. If you can’t back it up, leave it off.

Cold email a recruiter (and not just any recruiter)

You can reach out directly to a recruiter that focuses on your area of expertise - with an emphasis on area of expertise. Most recruiters will identify what areas of engineering or non-technical roles they hire for. Be strategic in who you reach out to and be personal. We love to meet people who might be actively looking and within our specific scope of recruiting. It literally makes our job that much easier. If you know someone who got recruited to facebook but don’t know them well enough, you can even ask them for an introduction to their facebook recruiter. Maybe they’ll be willing to help.

Apply Online

It goes without saying that it probably doesn’t hurt to just apply online. We have a fantastic team that looks at inbound applications and refers them to the appropriate recruiter if and when it makes sense.

Build your brand

Engage with your tribe (whether that be tech or non tech) and begin to build your brand. This is the one piece of advice I wish I learned sooner. If you’re well known in your industry, publish content, speak at conferences, write a book, blog and share your contribution to the world. We all consume content but we need more people to create it.

Start prepping now

Don’t wait to start preparing for your interview. Every day is a new day to improve your skills, pick up new ones and continue getting better at whatever you do, wherever you do it. When that day comes you’ll want to be as prepared as possible. Here are some tips on making it through the interview process at Facebook.

It’s also important to note that if it doesn’t work out the first time, it’s not the end of the line. Many people don’t get offers their first or second time interviewing and you’re welcome to continue interviewing for the same or different roles, typically within about a year (although some roles/teams could be different).

Best of luck!