Facebook is the largest social networking site worldwide, with 2.85 billion monthly active users in the first quarter of 2021. The key reason behind it is that people can connect with others seamlessly. The job of a Facebook front-end engineer is to make this user interface more customer-friendly, thereby attracting more people to connect on Facebook.
Several front-end engineers aspire to be a part of Facebook’s elite team, and this FAANG company receives thousands of applications each year. While preparing to ace the challenging Facebook front-end engineer interview, it is essential to have a clear idea about the associated job roles and responsibilities.
If you are preparing for a tech interview, check out our interview questions page and salary negotiation ebook to get interview-ready! Also, read Facebook Front-End Engineer Interview Process for insights into Facebook’s tech interview process.
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Keep reading to know more about what a Facebook front-end engineer does. Here’s what we will cover in this article:
- What Does a Front-End Engineer Do at Facebook?
- A Day in the Life of a Facebook Front-End Engineer
- Projects and Opportunities of a Facebook Front-End Engineer
- Minimum Qualifications to Become a Facebook Front-End Engineer
- 7 Tips to Become an Efficient Front-End Engineer at Facebook
- How to Land a Job as a Front-End Engineer at Facebook
- FAQs on the Facebook Front-End Engineer Role
What Does a Front-End Engineer Do at Facebook?
Facebook front-end engineers are called UIEs or User Interface Engineers. This full-time job role involves leading a technical or product team of multiple engineers. Discussed below are some other tasks that you need to perform as a Facebook front-end engineer:
- Offering technical guidance to your peers.
- Application of features and user interface of Facebook’s products.
- Cooperate with the product managers, product designers, and software engineers to provide attractive user-facing products.
- Developing effective front-end systems to resolve complex web applications.
- Recognize and solve issues with scalability.
The Difference between Facebook Front-End and Back End Engineers
A Front-end engineer at Facebook is responsible for working on a website's visual elements or app that a user interacts with. On the other hand, a back-end engineer works on the server-side. The collective efforts of both make Facebook a dynamic and interactive website, making it easier for you to share texts, images, and posts.
A Day in the Life of a Facebook Front-End Engineer
As a front-end engineer at Facebook, your day-to-day tasks will include working closely on JavaScript, HTML, CSS, thereby making the overall web experience interactive for Facebook users.
Also, you might have to participate in the Hackathon organization, thereby helping teams related to UI queries.
Projects and Opportunities of a Facebook Front-End Engineer
The opportunities and projects of a Facebook front-end engineer are diverse and pose different challenges. For example, some projects deal with consumer products. As a front-end engineer, you need to serve millions of Facebook users using coding, static resource handling, measuring performance metrics, etc.
You need to use server coding with Hack, JS Files with Flow, and Jest test. At the same time, some projects require skills to use React, Immutable, Relay, etc., as the project demands. Other projects include building internal tools, panels, and dashboards for engineers.
You will also have to join front-end and JavaScript internal groups and summits to discuss the important topics and ask for help related to the project.
Minimum Qualifications to Become a Facebook Front-End Engineer
Facebook receives tons of job applications, and narrowing down the applicant pool is challenging.
But, Mark Zuckerberg's only hiring rule is, "I will hire someone to work directly for me if I would work for that person." Hence, to pass the litmus test, you need to meet certain qualifications to be eligible to sit for a Facebook front-end engineer interview.
Here are some of the qualifications that you require:
- You need to have over 5 years of experience working on JavaScript, ES6, asynchronous programming, closure, types, etc.
- Over 5 years of experience with browser APIs and optimization of front-end performance.
- Experience of over 5 years in using HTML/CSS, layouts, cross-browser accessibility, and specificity.
- Experience in leading technical projects within an organization.
- Facebook is likely to hire you if you have working experience with React. Additionally, you must have a BS or MS degree in Computer Science or a related technical field.
What Does Facebook Look for in a Candidate?
In addition to the minimum qualifications, the recruiting team at Facebook analyzes different metrics. They are:
- According to Miranda Kalinowski, the global head of the recruiting team at Facebook, the company aims to recruit a candidate who can "give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected." Hence, you need to focus on creating an impact on people's lives by solving pressing problems.
- You need to remain confident with your professional decisions as Facebook believes "the riskiest thing is to take no risks."
- Social projects like the “Celebrate Pride” filter and “suicide prevention feature” show this company’s humanitarian values. So, if you are looking to land a job at Facebook, make sure to be aligned with this company's core values.
- The company focuses more on skills than expertise. It prefers to hire people who are keen to share their knowledge.
7 Tips to Become an Efficient Front-End Engineer at Facebook
If you’re want to land a front-end engineer job at Facebook, knowing the roles and responsibilities is just the start. You must also understand what it takes to be great at your job as a front-end developer. Here are some tips to help you become the best:
- Plan your project for the day. It saves your time and helps you to stay organized. Also, it allows you to complete your task on time.
- If you find yourself stuck while resolving a problem, don't hold it back to yourself. Ask your seniors. For example, update your seniors with a summary of the project, highlighting any concerns, etc. This not only reduces your burden but also increases your credibility.
- Be curious and invest in learning new skills. As discussed earlier, Facebook prefers a skilled professional. Hence, take help from resources like CSS Weekly, HTML 5 Weekly, CSS Tricks, etc., to become more creative in your job.
- Maintain a positive attitude and develop strong interpersonal skills. Communicating any bugs or developments to your team maintains a smooth project cycle.
- Be patient, as errors are part and parcel of your work life. Facebook prefers a candidate who resolves those errors with innovation and strong intent.
- It is important to align your skills with your strengths. Hence, pick projects according to your skills to deliver effective results. But, at the same, don’t shy away from taking risks. Maintain that balance.
- You need to have a strong leadership quality for efficient management of your team.
How to Land a Job as a Front-End Engineer at Facebook
With the right preparation, you can land your dream job as a front-end engineer at Facebook. Take a glimpse at our expert tips:
Start With Your Resume
Apply with your up-to-date resume tailored to the job role and qualifications. Liz Wamai, Vice President of the recruiting team at Facebook, clearly stresses that "resume is a top priority."
To create an impactful resume, make sure to keep it short and relevant. Also, use action words to emphasize your performance metrics in your previous role. In addition, don't forget to highlight your technical skills in a structured manner to increase readability.
A Guide to the Interview Process
Once your resume is accepted, you will start your interview with a phone screening, which takes around 15-20 minutes. Be prepared to answer questions like:
- Why Facebook?
- Tell me about yourself?
If you pass the phone screening round, it is then time for a technical interview. It will include a few behavioral questions, like:
- Tell us about your cooperative experience in your previous role.
- What do you do to motivate yourself?
- What do you do on your best day at work?
Wamai advises emphasizing your strength while approaching these questions.
Then, it shifts to a coding question, which you need to solve within 10-30 minutes. You will use an online code editor for phone interviews like CoderPad.
However, during in-person interviews, you need to write codes on a whiteboard. So, practice how to demonstrate your coding skills on a whiteboard. Also, don't forget to practice answering coding questions without using a syntax highlighter.
Once you pass the technical round, be ready for the on-site interview. It includes – coding, design architecture, and career interview rounds. It takes around 45 minutes to complete.
Here, you are expected to answer questions on data structures, algorithms, complexity, UI, etc.
Recommended Reading: How to Prepare for Your Facebook Front-End Engineer Interview
Enhance Your Coding Skills
You need to be well-versed in the following programming languages:
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- React
- Immutable
- Relay, etc.
Recommended Reading: Most Popular Coding Languages for FAANG Interviews in 2021
Strengthen Your Coding Abilities With Interview Kickstart
IK’s Front-End Engineering Interview Masterclass covers algorithms, data structures, system design, and front-engineering concepts that will prepare you to nail your next Facebook front-end engineer interview. Here’s how the course will help you:
- Learn from tech leads and hiring managers from FAANG+ companies
- Get access to the most comprehensive curriculum for front-end engineers
- Learn our proprietary Power Patterns to solve unseen problems during the interview
- Attend mock interviews with FAANG+ hiring managers and get personalized feedback on where you can improve to take your interview preparation to the next level
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Bonus Tips to Prepare Yourself for the Interview
- Learn about the company culture. In addition, align yourself with the 5 core values of Facebook.
- Facebook recruits a candidate to make a change. So, think out loud and focus on your critical problem-solving ability.
- Practice mock interviews to keep examples handy. Also, make sure to back your answers with real-life instances.
- There is a 5-minute session at the end of the interview where you can ask questions to the interviewer. Make the most of this opportunity to know more about the company and the position you are interviewing for.
FAQs on the Facebook Front-End Engineer Role
1. How do I apply for the Facebook front-end engineer role?
Visit Facebook’s career page and search for front-end engineer jobs. Then, click on "Apply to Job." Enter relevant details like personal information (your contact number, name, etc.) Next, upload your updated resume. You can also get in touch with the company’s recruiters through reliable job platforms, like LinkedIn, to know more.
2. What is the average salary of a Facebook front-end engineer?
As per sources, the Facebook front-end engineer salary starts from $148,640. The salary comprises a base component of $128,378 and a bonus of $20,262. It can vary as per experience, job location, and roles and responsibilities.
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