Question

Entrepreneurship in Action

Facebook Interview Process

Facebook has developed a rigorous application process for prospective employees that ensures that the company gets top talent and finds people who fit the Facebook culture. For those interested in technical jobs, Facebook offers an online timed coding challenge, open to all, where the best performers automatically win a phone interview. The phone interview is the first major step in the hiring process. It covers the candidate’s résumé and questions about previous work experiences, especially about the leadership roles they have held in the past. Facebook recruiters pay close attention to candidates who have been successful in previous positions and show a passion for the work they did on that job. The length of the résumé is not important at Facebook. What recruiters look for is demonstrated excellence and accomplishments. For some positions, applicants may go through second, third, and even fourth telephone interviews. Some of these telephone screenings can be quite lengthy and may involve collaborative online problem-solving exercises with the person conducting the interview. Those who pass the telephone screening are flown to the company’s Silicon Valley headquarters for a series of on-site interviews with the hiring manager and several team members who are part of the work group. These interviews are designed to determine candidates’ skills and their fit with the Facebook’s unique culture. Team members ask many questions about the candidate’s experience working in teams and make note of how they interact with the team members doing the interview. If a candidate is applying for a technical position, he or she faces more skill-based challenges and a take-home test. The team assesses not only the candidate’s skills and abilities but also the approach they take to problem solving. Creative solutions are particularly important. Candidates have the opportunity to offer suggestions on how they might make the Facebook product or user experience better. Interviewers want to see specific solutions and metrics to assess how the improvements are working. Some of the typical questions asked in Facebook interviews are not that typical. Questions such as, “If you were an animal what kind would you be and why?,” “What is the difference between Facebook ads and Google Ads?,” “Should Facebook be available in China?,” and “What do you see as Facebook’s biggest challenge in the next five years?” are common. The goal of these questions is to see how each candidate responds when faced with questions that they could not prepare for in advance. Facebook employees who are involved in the interview process then make a collective decision on the candidate’s fit for the position. Interview teams expect applicants for nontechnical positions, such as business operations, sales, marketing, or analytics, to have done a great deal of research into Facebook before they arrive for the interview. “If you are going to work for Facebook tomorrow, what project do you want to work on?” was one question posed to a recent applicant for a market research position. Facebook managers recognize that once they have made the decision to hire, the candidate also must make a decision about his or her fit with the company’s culture. “After the interview, I wasn’t sure if I would be happy working at Facebook,” says one software engineer candidate, “so they let me come back and speak with 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, head of recruitment at Facebook, which prides itself on its entrepreneurial spirit. The company has maintained a flat organizational structure that is best for those who seek to be empowered 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 is an active Facebook user. If an applicant has not used his or her Facebook account for several weeks, recruiters take this is a sign that he or she will not be a good fit.

Answer the following questions:

What are the principles behind Facebook’s interview process? Do you think it is too complex? Explain. What does the interview process tell you about Facebook’s culture? Explain. Can Facebook’s interview process be applied in companies that are not technology based? How might it be applied to a company that makes golf clubs? Why is hiring new employees so important for a small business? Why is it so difficult? How does the process at Facebook address some of the challenges that companies face when hiring? Write a 1-2 page paper detailing the above questions, and be sure to cite your references.

Answer 1

- The Facebook interview process is a multi level & multi aspect candidate's evaluation. They seek an entrepreneurial approach in their job aspiring candidates & also they much more emphasising on the creativity.

- The main principle behind the facebook interview process is to select the candidates who are the best cultural fit & also possess leadership qualities with a proven record of accomplishments & excellence in their past held job.

- No, I don't think its too complex as an hiring process for the conpany which is a worldwide brand, in fact the interview process is systematic, collaborative & very relevant to the company's vision & hiring approach.

They leave not an even single stone unturned so far hiring is concerned & check all the attributes they want in their new selected employee as per their company's objectives & prescribed measures. The facebook member make collective decision to hire based upon candidate's passion, Work approach, team work etc

- The Facebook interview process tells many thing about their work culture as below

• Open for fresh ideas & creativity in work
• Since it has flat organization structure, they give equal opportunity to every member to participate in suggesting the solutions & decision making process.
• They assess that whether the candidate is really interested in company's work structure, culture & products they offer or they are simply looking for any high earning job opportunity.
• They want a person with positive, analytical, social, skilled, optimistic, creative, passionate attributes with good leadership qualities to be their co- worker.

- The Facebook's interview process can also be applied to some other companies which are not technical but with some due changes. As the non- technical company's interview process are less specific skill centered & generally are more research & concept based.

By employing various strategies from Facebook like collaborative team member interview & IQ based questions , the other companies can get benefited for sure in selecting candidates who are best cultural fit as well as analytical, intuitive & creative.

- It might also be beneficial to the company that make golf course because it enables the company members to select such candidates who are socially fit, love their work ( Have interest in playing or watching the Golf) & self organised.

- Hiring is very important for the small business because of the following

• High risk
• Less market exposure
• Very high expectations
• Minimum capital wastage bearing
• Low expertise & knowledge. Etc

It is very difficult for the small business to hire expert & highly experienced peoples for their business because it requires the following

• High capital investment
• Good Brand name & value
• Very good organizational structure & healthy working environment etc.

So, the small business have to compromise upon many things to be competitive in market.

- the facebook very effectively address the problems which many other companies encounter during the interview process because of their good organizational structure, collaborative hiring, multi - facet evaluation, high level analysis using various focus group & modern techniques.