FAANG is an abbreviation used to represent the Big Five companies — Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google. These tech giants regularly top the charts of the most desired workplace and have millions of software engineers, software developers, and coding engineers aspiring to break into their dream companies. To filter through the huge set of applicants, FAANG companies have extensive technical interview filter rounds. The only way to get past these stringent stages is by prepping up for the interview.
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In this article, we are going to cover the following topics:
- FAANG Interview Process
- What to Expect During a FAANG Interview
- Onsite Interview Success Rate at FAANG
- How Do I Know If I'm Ready for an Interview at FAANG?
- FAANG Interview Prep – How to Get a FAANG Job?
- FAQs on FAANG Interview Prep
FAANG Interview Process
FAANG interviews are one of the most difficult interviews to crack; these tech companies prefer to hire quality engineers at the stake of investing time and money. The entire interview process is bifurcated into various stages to scrutinize and select the best from the lot. The timeline of the interview is as follows:
- On the recruiting platform of the concerned FAANG companies, apply for the desired job profile. You can apply with or without any referrals.
- Then comes the HR Interview Round. This round is a formal “getting to know the candidate” round. You’ll be asked questions about work experience, educational qualifications, and a few behavioral questions to check whether you are the right fit for the role.
- After clearing the HR round, a date is fixed to conduct the next Phone Screen Interview. The phone screen interview lasts for 40-45 minutes, and in some companies, there are two rounds of screening focusing on one or two coding problems each.
- On making it through the phone screen interviews, you’ll be called for onsite interviews. Onsite interviews have 4 to 6 rounds, each focusing on one specific parameter like coding problems, system design, and behavioral questions.
- The last stage of FAANG interviews comprises team meetings, offer negotiation, and interaction with the hiring committee. You’ll reach this stage only after completing all previous interview rounds.
It is important to note that onsite interviews are one of the most difficult rounds amongst others. Irrespective of whether you’re applying for the software engineer, software developer, tech lead, or coding engineer role, the onsite interview success rates at companies like Facebook, Amazon, and Google are very low.
What to Expect During FAANG Interviews
Apart from the prerequisites stated on the job profile, you’re expected to be multifaceted with expertise in at least one of the three skill sets:
- Data Structure and Algorithms
- Coding Skills
- System Design
Let us delve into each skill set and discuss what is expected at each stage.
Data Structure and Algorithms
- You’re expected to solve the assigned problem using the most efficient algorithm.
- The developed code should be functional, and the time allotted to develop a code is around 40 minutes.
- If you can write a functional code in one attempt and in under 40 minutes, your chances of getting through to the next round will increase.
- Usually, one or two rounds of the FAANG interviews focus on testing your data structure knowledge.
Coding
- As previously mentioned, you’re expected to solve the assigned coding problem with great precision and in a stipulated amount of time.
- Practicing multiple coding problems can help you ace this round.
- Coding problems are assigned in both phone screen and onsite interviews.
System Design
- If you’re applying for more senior roles, cracking the system design interview is essential.
- You’re expected to build a system that fulfills the requirements stated by the interviewer.
- The system should not restrict the addition of new features and should be accurate.
FAANG Onsite Interview Success Rate
The success rate at FAANG onsite interviews is pretty low. To put this into perspective, let’s take a look at a few examples.
Facebook Onsite Interview Success Rate
Facebook onsite interview is about six hours long with various 45-minute rounds on coding, system designing, product designing, and behavioral interview. Very few candidates are shortlisted from previous levels of interviews, and it's additionally difficult to get past this round. The percentage of candidates who pass every filter round at Facebook is mentioned below:
- Applicants who qualify HR interview: 75%
- Candidates who pass the phone screen interview: 25%
- Candidates who crack the on-site interview: 5%
Google Onsite Interview Success Rate
The acceptance rate of Google is only 0.2%. It's been reported that Google receives around 3 million job applications per year and only hires around 7,000 people. The competition in itself is immense; additionally, a low acceptance rate makes Google a far-fetched dream for budding software engineers and developers.
Amazon and Apple Onsite Interview Success Rate
The onsite interviews conducted at Amazon are called “The Loop.” The Loop has a series of technical rounds structured in a way to assess the candidate’s knowledge of data structure, system design, and algorithm. And like any other FAANG company, clearing The Loop is a tedious task, and only 3% of people pass the round.
Apple also has a low success rate too. It is around 10%.
Note: These are not exact figures but just representative values based on secondary research.
How Do I Know I’m Ready for an Interview at FAANG?
Unlike most other things, an interview with a FAANG company cannot be approached with the belief that you can just “give it a shot.” You’ll need a well-planned and detailed interview prep schedule to face these interviews. Your readiness for a FAANG interview depends on:
- Years of experience
- Preparation
- Number of Technical Interviews Attended
Let’s look at each of these factors in detail:
1. Years of Experience
Your years of industrial experience, months of strategic preparation, and belief in yourself contribute to deciding the right time for attempting FAANG interviews. You’ll obviously need the number of years of experience as required in the job description to qualify. But your experience will also immensely help you in proving your skills, by discussing details of your past projects, and in answering scenario-based behavioral and leadership questions.
Look at the job description of the role you are applying for and align your experience with it. If you check all the boxes, you can go ahead and start your prep.
2. Preparation
The ideal duration to prepare for FAANG interviews is 2-3 months (9-12 weeks). Anything less would leave you with little time to cover the important programming concepts and practice enough problems.
While practicing, you must try to understand the solution patterns you are applying to get to the solution. This is the only way to crack coding problems because no matter how many questions you solve, chances are the questions you face during the interview will be completely new and unseen. In such scenarios, you can fall back on your solution patterns to get to the answer.
Recommended Reading: How to Crack a Coding Interview With 2 Months of Prep
Once you have practiced enough problems and strengthened your basics, it’s time to attempt mock interviews. Mock interviews with hiring managers from reputed companies or your peers can help you understand your strengths and room for improvement. The grades earned after clearing the mock interviews will give you an idea of how effective your preparation was.
That said, mock interviews still lack the essence of reality and might not be sufficient to ace an actual interview. However, attempting a few technical interviews, irrespective of the result can be a good option.
3. Number of Technical Interviews Attended
It has been observed that people who have experienced technical interviews before have a higher chance of clearing the grilling FAANG interviews.
This is because the interview environment helps you gain insights into your skill level and the profile you are applying for. After attempting multiple tech interviews, you get the hang of the process, and the element of fear gets diminished.
FAANG Interview Prep — How to Get a FAANG Job?
As mentioned time and again, getting placed at FAANG Companies is tough but not impossible. So, with the right mindset and sufficient preparation, one can ace the FAANG interview process. The points that need to be considered while preparing an interview at FAANG are:
1. Believe in Yourself and Trust the Process
The ability to clear any round during the interview process can be enhanced by believing in yourself. The entire process may, at times, get overwhelming, so it is better to be prepared. Give yourself sufficient time to understand the process and to prepare for the same.
2. Practice Algorithm and Data Structure
Technical interviews are at the heart of all FAANG companies’ interviews. Be it for the role of a software engineer, software developer, or coding engineer, practicing coding problems should be a big part of your interview prep.
Read 13 Technical Interview Tips to Get Hired at FAANG Companies for tips and tricks on acing the technical rounds.
3. Strengthen Your System Design Fundamentals
System design is an essential part of onsite interviews as all the FAANG companies work on scalable applications to reach millions of users. If an individual is applying for the post of software engineer, the individual is expected to design a system with minimum to no errors.
Recommended Reading: System Design Interview Preparation Tips
4. Practice Mock Interviews
Mock interviews are a great way to assess how well-prepared you are. You can practice with peers, seniors, or people in your network who have experience cracking FAANG interviews.
At Interview Kickstart, you can practice mock interviews with tech leads and hiring managers from FAANG companies. This will give you an edge over the competition, as you’ll be prepared to knock any curveball that may be thrown at you.
FAQs on FAANG Interviews
1. What is a FAANG company?
FAANG stands for Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google, which are some of the most successful and valuable technology companies in the world. These companies are known for their innovative products and services, as well as their strong financial performance.
2. Is it hard to get an interview for FAANG?
It can be difficult to get an interview for a FAANG company because of the large number of highly qualified applicants and the competitive nature of the hiring process. These companies receive thousands of job applications per week, and they have a reputation for being selective and rigorous in their hiring process. So, getting an interview with these companies is considered challenging and it requires a high level of qualifications, skills, and experience.
3. How do I prepare for my FAANG interview?
To prepare for an interview with a FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google) company, it is important to familiarize yourself with the company's products and technologies, as well as the specific role you are applying for. Additionally, it is helpful to review common interview questions and practice your problem-solving and coding skills.
4. How long does it take to prepare for FAANG companies?
It can take anywhere from several weeks to several months to prepare for an interview with a FAANG company, depending on your current skill level and the amount of time you are able to dedicate to preparation. It's important to remember that the best way to prepare is to practice, practice, and practice.
5. What is the Facebook onsite success rate?
The Facebook onsite success rate is very low, around 5%.
6. Who can apply for a job at FAANG?
Anyone with expertise in coding, data structure, system design and someone who qualifies the job requirement can apply for a job at FAANG companies.
Nail Your Next FAANG Technical Interview
If you’re looking for guidance and help with getting your prep started, sign up for our free webinar. As pioneers in the field of technical interview prep, we have trained thousands of software engineers to crack the toughest coding interviews and land jobs at their dream companies, such as Google, Facebook, Apple, Netflix, Amazon, and more!
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