Facebook Interview Questions and Process for Software Engineers

Getting hired as a software engineer at Facebook is challenging. Facebook's hiring process is rigorous, as are the Facebook interview questions for software engineers. The questions asked at Facebook technical or coding interviews are specific to the company and test your ability to learn, give and build an excellent carrer for yourself.

Facebook has been successful in establishing itself as one of the most prominent multinational tech companies. Owning almost every other social media organization, like Instagram and WhatsApp, Facebook has turned into a tech mammoth. It is one of the biggest social media networks globally and as a software engineer, recruiters at Facebook expect you to understand the pressing needs of the organization. 

With proper preparation, you should be able to answer all of the Facebook interview questions for software engineers. Being well-prepared may be the most undervalued aspect of interview preparation, but we are here to assist you in this process. 

To answer the question, “How to get software engineer jobs at Facebook”, we’ll cover the following points:

1. Facebook Interview Process for Software Engineers
2. Facebook Interview Questions with Solutions for Software Engineers
3. Practice Questions for Facebook Software Engineers Interview 
4. Tips to Prepare for the Facebook Software Engineer Interview
5. FAQs on Facebook Software Engineer Interview 

Facebook Interview Process for Software Engineers

The Facebook interview process for software engineers and software developers lasts roughly four to eight weeks and consists of nearly seven interview sessions. The interview is grueling and requires you to be fully prepared. 

Once you complete the initial application process at Facebook and get shortlisted for a software engineer interview, you will go through the following three interview stages: 

1. Phone Screen

During the tech phone screen, an HR representative will ask you about your experience and your skills. This rudimentary level will gauge your abilities, drive, and competitiveness. Typically, in the first few minutes, HR will explain how things work at Facebook and about the role. 

The last couple of minutes of the Facebook phone interview are reserved for you to ask questions and get a clear idea of the company's workings. The rest of the questions will follow the classic resume questions pattern. 

Important tip: Make the interviewer aware of what you are thinking. The interviewer cannot see you; therefore, it is important to communicate so the interviewer is on the same page as you are and can grasp your thinking process. 

Once you successfully clear this first level of Facebook software engineer interview, the next round would include a technical screening.

2. Technical Interview

This part of the Facebook interview process for software engineer requires you to go through at least two rounds of a 45-minute technical screen with a Facebook engineer. Be prepared to answer some coding questions alongside some typical behavioral questions.

Your technical skills are assessed in this step of the Facebook software engineer interview. Typically, the technical interview is conducted on the phone. However, the recruiter will inform you whether the interview will take place over the phone, via video chat, or in person.

Here, the interviewer will discuss your prior work experience and qualifications. You must prepare with a crisp, concise, and engaging account of your career choices and experiences. The questions are followed by an ask-me-anything session, where you can pose any questions you have for the recruiter.

Go through some of the Facebook System Design Interview Questions here.

3. Coding Interview

This is where things get tricky. The coding interview lasts 45 minutes and can be pretty draining. Here’s what you can expect in the coding round of Facebook interview for software engineer:

• An introductory session where you talk about your background and aspirations.
• The second part includes solving coding problems. Facebook interview questions for software engineers focus more on a generalized knowledge of algorithms, data structures, and time complexities.
• The last few minutes are reserved for your questions.

Take a look at some of the Facebook Coding Interview Questions here.

Coding interviews fall under the category of “on-site interviews.” You have to be present at the Facebook office and spend a day among professional engineers. This is an excellent opportunity for you to get acquainted with the working environment at Facebook. 

Note: During the Covid pandemic, the on-sites were converted to video calls. For the current process, please check with your HR recruiter.

Check out the Facebook Interview Process Guide for more information.

Facebook Interview Questions and Answers for Software Engineers

When hiring software engineers, Facebook looks for coding experts who are also a good fit for their work culture. Quick problem-solving skill is what would make you stand out amid the fierce competition. 

Following are some common Facebook software engineer interview questions that you can practice to develop your problem-solving skills:

1. Add two numbers and then return them as a linked list. (Solution)
2. Carry out the next permutation, where numbers are rearranged into the lexicographically next greater permutation of numbers. (Solution)
3. How do you implement an insertion sort algorithm? (Solution)
4. In a given list of interval pairs, merge overlapping intervals and return a new array as output. (Solution)
5. A string containing parentheses (, ), {, }, [, and ], numbers from 0 to 9, and operators +, -, and *. Find out if the input string is valid — an expression containing only parentheses is considered valid if it contains the correct opening and closing parentheses. Example: “{()}” is considered valid. (Solution)
6. Write a function to compute the intersection of the given two arrays. (Solution)

Know the Software Engineer Job Levels at Facebook.

More Practice Questions for Facebook Software Engineer Interview:

1. Show the algorithm to reverse a string.
2. Explain a palindrome string with an example.
3. How to get matching characters in a string?
4. List the procedure to show that two strings are anagrams.
5. Show the step-by-step process to verify a string.
6. Show a simple procedure to calculate the total numerical digits in a string.
7. Search for a missing number in a string containing integers from 1-100?
8. List the steps to delete repeated numbers in an integer string.
9. In any integer array, try moving all elements that are 0 to the left (in-place).
10. Display the node values of the given binary tree.
11. In the given two strings, find the minimum window in one string, which will contain all the characters in the other string.
12.  In the given array of strings, try grouping the anagrams.
13.  Compute the length of the diameter of the given binary tree.
14. Determine whether the given graph is Bipartite or not.
15. Serialize a binary tree.

Check the Salaries of Facebook Software Engineers here.

Practice Questions for Facebook Behavioral Interview for Software Engineers:

1. Have you ever had a tough time with your superior at work? Recount that experience.
2. Tell me about the best project you worked on and what you accomplished while working on it.
3. Have you ever struggled with a software project? Tell me about it.
4. How important is this job position for you?
5. The culture of Facebook is quite different from your last organization. How are you planning to get settled?
6. How hungry are you for control? How do you react to situations you have no control over?
7. How will you accommodate sudden and abrupt last-minute changes from the client?
8. What is your take on Facebook acquiring Instagram?
9. How will you justify a decision that costs you a valuable client?
10. How do you gain the trust of your clients? 

Click here for more Facebook Behavioral Interview Questions.

Tips to Prepare for Facebook Software Engineer Interview

Here are some tips to ensure your Facebook software engineer interview prep covers all ground:

1. Create a list of all the topics you need to cover and tackle them one by one.
2. Expand your knowledge about Facebook's office culture and the core values practiced by their employees.
3. Practice for the software engineer interview by solving problems and going through step-by-step methods to answer common questions. Click here for more practice problems.
4. Go over all the critical technical projects you completed and your experience and learnings while working on them.
5. Practice mock interviews with hiring managers who are well-experienced and know the level set for Facebook interview questions for software engineer developers. 

6. Practice some tough interview-style coding questions on a whiteboard without using a compiler.
7. Most importantly, be prepared with at least three questions to ask at the end of each interview session.

At Interview Kickstart, you get the unique opportunity to learn from and practice mock interviews with actual hiring managers and tech leads from FAANG and Tier-1 tech companies. Join our FREE webinar to learn more.

FAQs on Facebook Software Engineer Interview

Q1. How difficult is the Facebook software engineering interview?

Facebook has an acceptance rate of less than 2% for software engineering positions. Facebook interview questions asked are quite tricky and complex, and require you to possess good problem-solving skills.

Q2. How many Facebook software engineer interview questions are asked on coding?

At the Facebook interview, you’re usually asked one or two coding problems in the Technical Phone Screen round and one or two coding problems in the On-site interview round. 

Q3. What are the important coding topics around which Facebook software engineer interview questions are asked?

Important coding topics for the Facebook software engineer interview include arrays, strings, linked lists, sorting algorithms, recursion, hash tables, graphs, trees, greedy algorithms, and dynamic programming. 

Q4. How many coding rounds are there in the Facebook software engineer interview?

The Facebook software engineer interview typically has 2 or 3 coding rounds. One coding round takes place during the technical phone screen interview and one or two coding rounds take place during the on-site interview. 

Q5. How many interview rounds does the Facebook on-site interview have?

The Facebook on-site round typically has 3-4 rounds. They include 1-2 coding rounds, a systems design round, and a behavioral round. 

Are You Ready to Nail Your Next Facebook Interview?

Since its inception in 2014, Interview Kickstart has helped thousands of experienced engineers realize their true calling. We aim to help engineers get better acquainted with the intricacies of their chosen field and provide them with all the guidance they need to clear interviews with tech giants. 

Knowing very well that clearing an interview requires much more than sound technical knowledge, we train you in a manner that helps you develop a winner's stride. IK is your golden ticket for all engineers who want to land the job they deserve.

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