Facebook Interview Questions

Facebook is known for its unique culture and supremely structured processes. If you are looking to interview at Facebook, this article can open up many insights into the process and type of questions you can expect at the interview.

The interview process at Facebook is quite elaborate, and there is no stage you can take lightly right from the beginning. By going through these interview questions, you can stand yourself in good stead to ace the interview.

Here's what this article will cover:

Preparing for Facebook Interview
Facebook Technical Interview Questions
Facebook Interview Questions Based on Systems Design
Facebook Behavioral Interview Questions
Questions Based on Teamwork and Collaboration
Questions on Work-Life Balance and Handling Work-Related Stress
Questions Based on Client Management Skills
Questions Based on Relationship with Manager and Supervisor
Questions Based on Adaptability
Questions Based on Facebook- Products and Company
Facebook Interview Questions Based on Past Projects
Java Interview Questions Asked at Facebook Interviews
Python Interview Questions Asked at Facebook Interviews
SQL Questions Asked at Facebook Interviews

Preparing for the Facebook interview

Preparing for the Facebook interview is challenging, requiring you to devote adequate time and effort. There is no bar in terms of the experience required, and the only important requirement is your expertise in programming and designing.

The first step is choosing a programming language that you're good at. You can mention multiple languages you feel comfortable working with but you must pick one to pursue your interview with. Most mainstream languages like Java, C++, C, Python and JavaScript, along with several others are accepted at Facebook.

Facebook Technical Interview Questions

Coming to the technical part, Facebook focuses a lot on the basics and fundamentals of programming and its elements.

You can find a majority of questions from four primary categories:

Algorithms
System Design
Product Design
Data Structures

Below are some questions that you can expect at your interview with Facebook.

Facebook Interview Questions Based on Data Structures and Algorithms

The data types under which data is arranged in the computer memory are called Data Structures. Following are the main categories under which questions are asked:

Arrays
Linked list
Doubly linked list
Binary tree
Binary search tree
Graphs
Matrix
Stack
Queue
Heap
Hashing
Advanced data structure

The questions generally are a mix from these categories and will not be asked in a straightforward manner.

Here are commonly asked Data Structure and Algorithm questions at Facebook's interview:

Write a code to detect a loop in a linked list.
Without recursion, traverse a binary tree in Post order.
Use stack to find the sum of two linked lists.
Write a code to find out the duplicate in an integer array of 1 to 1000 numbers.
How will you add two numbers represented by linked lists.
Write a code to check if in a given linked list there exists a cycle? Explain the process how to find the starting node of it.
Write a code to count the distinct absolute values in a given sorted array.
Write a code to reverse the words in a given sentence without using any library method.
How will you detect and remove loop in a linked list.
State the Boolean Parenthesis problem?
Write a code to remove duplicate nodes?
Write a code to check if the given string is a palindrome.
Write a code to find out the largest and the smallest number, for a given integer array.
Write a code to conduct sorting using the quicksort algorithm, for a given integer array.
How will you print all the leaves of a given binary tree?
Write a code to remove any duplicates in a given array without the use of any library?
For a given integer array, find all the pairs whose product is equal to a given number.
How will you find a missing number in a given integer array of numbers 1 to 100?
How will you implement a radix sort algorithm?
How will you implement a bubble sort algorithm?
Swap two numbers without making use of any third variable.

Facebook Interview Questions Based on Systems Design

The Systems design role is one of the most crucial roles at Facebook. Being an interactive platform, the system needs to be robust, dynamic and flexible at the same time.

Here are some systems design questions you can expect at your Facebook interview:

If asked, how will you redesign the Instagram Newsfeed? Share your ideas about the kind of algorithm you will use.
How will you design a universal file sharing and storage app similar to Dropbox or Google Drive?
If you were to design a web crawler, what will you list in the requirements and pre-requisites?
Can you design an API rate limiter?
What types of documentation have you worked upon in system design? What is the right stage to prepare documentation? Is there any thumb rule?
Suppose we have a large URL for a given page, how will you shorten it?
What are the main concerns in designing social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram?
What are the major challenges in designing apps like Quora that are both a social media platform and a message board service?
Can you design a proximity server?

Facebook Behavioral Interview Questions

Though each and every phase of the interview at Facebook is inclined towards assessing the programming skills of a potential candidate, the behavioral aspect holds equal importance too. Recruiters keep a keen eye on your body language, your social and professional adaptability, learning ability, and other skills, to name a few.

Facebook is very specific about its 5 core values. Recruiters give a go-ahead only to candidates who are culturally fit and flexible enough to accommodate some personality changes in them.

The skillset varies from role to role but the five core values are a must-have in everyone who wishes to work at Facebook. If you have applied for a senior role, be prepared to answer questions based on but not limited to team handling, leadership, ownership, delegation, hierarchy etc.

If you have applied for a beginner to mid level role, the questions will revolve around but not limited to receiving feedback, team work, collaborations, hierarchy, time management and query handling.

Here are some behavioral questions to expect at your upcoming Facebook interview:

Questions Based on Teamwork and Collaboration

Teamwork is foundational to every organization. No successful organization can function without cohesive teams that work together and towards a common goal. Among all the FAANG companies, Facebook is famous for its cross-functional teams and tasks that require every individual to be extra flexible and adaptable as per situation and requirement.

Here are some teamwork and collaboration based questions asked at Facebook interviews:

How highly do you rate teamwork on a scale of 10?
Would you rather prefer working independently? (Do not answer this question in a Yes unless you have an undeniably rocking explanation to it)
Have you ever been in a challenging team situation? What did you do to move towards a resolution?
How did you motivate your team? Was it effective?
If hired, what will be your contribution to our team culture?
How can you check the effectiveness of measures you take as a team lead?
How good are you at accepting failure?
Have you ever dealt with a team member who eats up everyone's credit? What did you do about it?
How good are your relations with your previous project team members?

Questions on Work-Life Balance and Handling Work Related Stress

Here are some work life balance questions Facebook recruiters can ask you:

Are you comfortable working 7 days a week?
Describe your typical workday?
How seriously do you take hobbies and interests?
Did you ever leave a job because of a tough boss?
How well do you take criticism?

Questions Based on Client Management Skills

Client management is an important skill to have at Facebook. Irrespective of your role, you would be dealing with some clients within or outside the company. Given the fast pace and dynamically changing environment, managing clients is an important skill to have.

Here are some client management skills related questions you can expect:

What is your typical strategy while approaching and dealing with clients? Do you follow the same approach for all?
How do you prioritize your clients? What if you are required to deal with multiple clients on a day-today basis?
How will you justify a decision that cost you a valuable client?
List out the main trigger points that indicate the company CRM needs to be revamped?
How do you gain the trust of your clients?
Do you have any testimonials from your previous clients?
What is your take on the latest market trends?

Questions Based on Relationship with Manager and Supervisor

Here are some questions based on relationship with manager asked at Facebook interviews

Describe your boss in 1 line.
Who is an ideal boss in your eyes?
What was the biggest criticism you received from your boss? What did you do about it?
What if your boss is making a wrong decision regarding a client you know well about? How will you deal with this situation?

Questions Based on Adaptability

Here are some adaptability-related questions you may find helpful:

The culture of Facebook is quite different from your last organization. How are you planning to get settled?
How hungry are you for control? How do you react to situations you have no control over?
How will you accommodate sudden and abrupt last-minute changes from the client-side?
What strategy will you adopt to implement new technology or process within your team?
How will you deal with resistance from your team on change?
What if one of the teammates follows inefficient practices? Have you ever compromised in such situations? What is your take on the same?

Questions Based on Facebook- Products and Company

What is your take on Facebook acquiring Instagram?
Are you sure you want to work at Faceook? Why?
What is your take on Facebook advertising?

Facebook Interview Questions Based on Past Projects

Past projects help recruiters understand the level of exposure you have had in previous roles.

Here are some questions:

Were you ever part of a project you did not want to take up? If yes, how did you keep up your motivation levels?
What factors make working on a project tough?
How do you react to failure? Did you ever fail in any of your past projects?

Java Interview Questions Asked at Facebook Interviews

Java is among the most preferred languages at FAANG companies. Having expertise in Java can help you get the extra edge over other candidates while interviewing at most tech companies. Here are some Java-based questions you can expect at your Facebook interview:

What are multiple inheritances? Can you do that in java? Give reason for your answer
Where do you declare Wait and Notify? Give reason for your answer
What do you mean by string immutable?
How are passwords stored in Java? Is there any specific reason for it?
What do you mean by operator overloading? How does Java environment react to it?
What do you mean by Maps in Java? List all of them
List the number of ways you can handle exceptions in Java?

Python Interview Questions Asked at Facebook Interviews

Explain pickling and Unpickling.
What do you mean by a dynamically typed language?
What is PEP8? What is its importance?
What do you mean by decorators in python?
Write a code to copy an object in python.
What do you mean by _init_ in python?

SQL Questions Asked at Facebook Interviews

Construct a SQL query to find the second highest age of students.
What do you mean by joins in SQL?
Write a SQL query to find out the maximum and minimum salary of employees in a company.
What is the full form of ACID?
Write a SQL query to find the count of employees working under project T2.
Write a SQL query to delete the duplicate rows in a database.
Write a SQL query to find the current time and date.

Conclusion

If you want to kickstart your technical interview prep, register for our webinar on acing technical interviews.