I received an email from a recruiter asking if I was interested in a position.

They then scheduled a coding interview via Skype and instructed me to review CS basics beforehand.

I completed the interview, which went acceptably, and was subsequently invited for an on-site interview day.

Although I reside outside of the US, they were accommodating and arranged my travel and expenses, completing the entire process within one week.

At the campus, I had four interviews:

• One "high-level" design interview.
• One manager interview, where we discussed the product(s), company culture, and my background, with a few coding questions at the end.
• Two white-board coding interviews.

After the first two interviews, I had lunch with a very pleasant recruiter who also gave me a campus tour.

A few days after the on-site interviews, I was contacted because the feedback received indicated a need for further evaluation.

We scheduled another session consisting of two consecutive Skype coding interviews, which went very well. A couple of days later, I was informed that they intended to extend an offer.

Total interviews: 7 Coding interviews: 5

TIPS:

• Become extremely comfortable with undergraduate CS material:

  • Classic algorithms
  • Data structures
  • Sorting
  • String manipulations
  • Lists
  • Trees
  • Basic linear algebra
  • Working with large datasets Don't just read about these topics; ensure you can code them quickly and accurately. During the Skype/phone interviews, I was asked to write code in http://collabedit.com. [I am not permitted to disclose the specific questions, apologies.]

• If you are reading this review, you are on the right track. I practiced solely by answering questions posted on this site. I first attempted to solve them independently and, when stuck, reviewed the answers and consulted Stack Overflow.

• Ensure you are well-acquainted with the company and its products. This will be a topic in every interview, particularly with the manager. Be prepared to provide excellent answers to "Why Facebook?" All seven interviewers asked me this question, and it is clearly very important to them.

• For non-US residents, arrive in the Bay Area a couple of days prior to allow for rest and to combat jet lag. I arrived 24 hours before, couldn't sleep due to excitement and jet lag, and I believe being significantly tired (especially after lunch) impacted my performance.

BOTTOM LINE:

Pursuing a position at Facebook is a significant undertaking that requires substantial time and effort. This was certainly my experience; I studied diligently and almost didn't succeed. Follow these guidelines.

String manipulation, Trees, Lists, Sort, Basic linear algebra.