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I've got my first interviews lined up with Meta and LinkedIn in December. I can probably push it to January but the dilemma remains the same.

How do I effectively prepare for those interviews?

Background : 2 years of SWE experience and Electrical Engineering background.

I am pursuing my master's from Georgia Tech part time and working a full time job. I barely get 4-5 hours for myself a week and I use those to either play football with friends or watch a show with my family.

I didn't expect to get such interviews in the first place. The recruiters had reached out to me.

After Thanksgivings and up until January first week, I have the semester break. So I can prepare them effectively for around 6 weeks with my job and no master's going on then.

I am not well versed with any topic to solve a question but I remember some of the concepts from my undergrad algorithms course and the weak interview prep I had done 3 years ago.

A good thing here is that I am pursuing a graduate level algorithms course this semester but again it's purely theoretical/psuedocode based. It helps building intuition with DP, Graphs and Divide N Conquer problems. On paper I can solve those questions but may fumble with the implementation.

I'm thinking of picking questions from the frequently asked Meta/LinkedIn problems list on leetcode and preparing for the Interviews solely based on this. I don't know if any other problem set would help me now.

I'm only giving this interview because I don't want to miss out on this opportunity. I've always dreamt of such an opportunity and now it's finally coming true. I wouldn't be sad if I didn't clear the interview but just disappointed in myself if I don't give my best in the limited time available.

Please do let me know if there is anything I can do to game the system and somehow perform well.

I kind of unexpectedly got a new grad swe interview at Meta. I know there are already discussions on Taro about Meta interview, but I wanted to seek advice on my specific situation.

I am sort of new to Leetcode. I mostly interned at startups before so LC wasn't the focus (ik I still should have done LC - my bad). So here are few questions I have:

1. How much can I delay the interview? I am thinking doing it with 4 week breaks - the first round after 4 weeks from today, next round after another 4 weeks, and so on. Is that ok?

2. How many hours should i dedicate per day to leetcode, to get good at it FAST? Asking because I am also a full-time student so I am willing to sacrifice my grades if it requires putting more time into leetcode.

3. What are the HIGHEST bang for buck activities I can do? Time is extremely limited so I want to make sure I am spending it right.

FYI - I do have access to algomonster () - I am thinking of doing my LC prep there cause it's pattern based + has AI coach.

I would really appreciate some advice here. Have never interviewed for a FAANG so this opportunity means a lot. Thanks!!

(Also if you know of good resources, suggest them too! I am willing to invest in resources/mentors.)

Been on my current team for a half now and working with a teammate on an XFN heavy project. Both of us are E5. While we have split the work into different areas and are owning each area, my teammate is more tenured and has more context on certain common parts of the system, and therefore ends up participating more in the conversations in meetings. As a result, many XFN partners are now seeing my teammate as the lead for this project and independently reaching out rather than communicating with both of us. Skip is also pinging my teammate separately and in XFN groups. How can I take charge and establish myself as an equal owner of the project? Have tried to ramp up as much as possible on the common components and haven’t brought it up to my manager yet, but want to make sure I don’t get dinged in performance review for not driving enough direction. Many times, I’ll message my teammate to discuss an aspect of the project and my teammate will ping my idea immediately to XFN. I’ve brought up establishing clear areas of ownership with my teammate which we seemed to be on the same page about, but things haven’t improved. I have also written most of the docs for the project so hoping to leverage those for direction but want to make sure I don’t get dinged for this dynamic.

I joined Meta in late May 2024 as an IC5 and have been there just over four months. At my last company, I was an IC4 and on track for a promotion when I got laid off, so I’m anxious about job security given my past experiences.

I recently received feedback from my manager indicating two main areas for improvement: (1) I need to push more diffs, as my recent ones have been large and encompassed entire features, and (2) I need to be more independent. While I can adjust to (1) fairly easily, (2) concerns me more. My manager noted that I often start projects well but then get blocked and require help, in the form of pair programming or otherwise.

I've worked on three main projects since joining. For the first, I had many cross-functional issues that delayed progress but eventually delivered it. The second project, a new thrift service, I completed independently after clarifying specifics with my TL. The third involved creating a dashboard where I struggled with a specific filter due to Meta's query tool; I finished everything except adding that filter, which my TL finished as I left on scheduled PTO. I did ask for pair programming help a couple times when I first started, but haven't needed it much since.

My questions are:

1. How common is feedback like this at Meta for someone at my level after 4 months?
2. Is this a perception issue, or is there a real problem? What steps can I take to improve and aim for "Meets Expectations" or even "Exceeds"?
3. How serious is this feedback in terms of PSC? Could it severely impact my job security?

Thank you for your guidance!

I have a follow-up coding interview with Meta after the Onsite rounds. Under what circumstances is a follow-up round requested? Is it because there were some strong hire rounds and some weak hire rounds? I am looking to gather inputs/tips on how I should be preparing for this interview. Would this interview be different from the other coding interviews that have already been completed?

I completed my final rounds at Meta. I heard back from the recruiter on the same day pretty quickly that they would like to set up a call and asked for Meta references. Is this a good sign? How important are the references?

Hi Everyone,

I recently received a call from Meta for an interview for the Enterprise Systems Engineer (E4) role. So far, I’ve been focusing solely on the Software Engineer - Infrastructure position at Meta.

I had a few questions:

1. How does the Enterprise Systems Engineer role differ from Software Engineer - Infrastructure?
2. What is the typical career trajectory for an Enterprise Systems Engineer at Meta, or in the industry overall?
3. If I plan to transition to a Software Engineer or Machine Learning Engineer role at Meta after a few years, is that possible internally?
4. Is the Enterprise Systems Engineer role less hands-on with coding compared to the Software Engineer - Infrastructure role?

Thanks in advance for your insights!

I’ve recently been applying to various jobs, just in case of an unexpected layoff (golden parachute). Lately, I’ve been motivated to upskill as a developer. I’ve now reached the two-year mark at my company. After the reorg, I have a new manager, team, and director, and I really like this team. My performance over the past six months has been better than it was with my old team. Recently, Google reached out to me for an interview, but I haven’t really studied data structures and algorithms (DSA) due to work. My performance hasn’t been great, and now I also have a phone interview with Meta.

On the plus side, my company's stock has surged, and we’ve received bonuses, raises, and promotions. In my last 1-on-1 meeting with my manager, he told me I should be more independent and that my performance is great (hinting at a promotion)—fingers crossed. My family and friends are encouraging me to interview with both Meta and Google, but I don’t really want to leave my current company.

I was a former startup founder and companies like FAANGMULA (Meta, Google, Apple in particular) have reached out to interview me for senior SWE positions, how should I chose any one company (these options or others), that I think might want me to recreate the type of IP that was in my startup paying me a salary instead of acquiring me (if I were to do my company again), which they can cheap out on? If my goal is to have my own company again someday, should I work somewhere else less related to my expertise (just need it to pay the bills for a few years before trying again)? Or do I go somewhere, think I can learn, won’t necessarily get promoted or get paid more and sacrifice my IP that these companies (or other smaller startups), could actually end up owning?

I’ve gone through Taro's courses on communication and asking questions, which were insightful, especially in showing how juniors can learn from senior engineers with deep expertise. However, as an MLE, I face different challenges and would appreciate some insights or thoughts from Alex or Rahul.

For context, I majored in math and hold an MS in ML from a top 3 university, so I'd say I have a solid grasp of both the mathematical and practical aspects of ML. Machine Learning can be deeply mathematical, often requiring formal training to fully get it. Some SWEs who transition into MLE roles may lack this foundation, and while they might have been excellent SWEs, the gap in math knowledge can hinder their abilities as MLEs.

Here are a few challenges I face with some SWE-to-MLE seniors:

1. Sometimes, my tech lead asks questions that suggest a lack of understanding of ML basics. While directly correcting them doesn’t seem right, what’s the best way to handle this?
2. This becomes a bigger issue when they set project goals that are mathematically infeasible. Without a strong math background, they rely on intuition, making it hard to guide them away from misguided directions.
3. Their informal grasp of ML can also complicate design documents by introducing unnecessary features that don’t align with the project’s objectives.
4. As seniors, they can get defensive and dismiss alternative ideas, which is frustrating, especially when I would need to work on a project with a high risk of failing.

Hello folks,
I have an upcoming Staff ML Eng. interview with Meta. Could someone please suggest some good resources for behavioral preparation? I have finished the join taro course.

I’ll be starting as an E6 at Meta, working on internal tools. Currently, the headcount is really low, and people only have 60 days to match, so I decided to go with the first team I matched with, even though it’s not the most exciting option.

I’m committed to doing a great job in this role, but I’m a bit concerned about the potential impact I can have and how that might affect my performance reviews (or get me PIPd). Is this something I should be worried about? Any advice on how I can maximize my impact on a team that might not be seen as highly impactful?

I have been with my current team (a platform team) for about almost 3 years now, and I believe I have build good relationships with others in the org. I am thinking about projects that can get me to E6.

So far, the projects that I come up with, feels underwhelming after talking to more senior IC. The IC either think there the ROI is not high enough, or the project is too much of BE. For other ideas, it feels like that I would have scope collision with other ICs. I sometimes feels too tired to churn through more ideas. I am not sure if this is normal, or if I would be able to succeed in my current team to get to E6. How would you decide it is time to change teams?

I just watched . Great material! In a couple of session, it was mentioned that Infra teams works differently, e.g. there is not as much XFN. Can you shed some light on how Infra team promo works?

Hello everyone! I am really excited to be joining Meta soon as a partner engineer. I would love some advice on how to get the ground running, making sure I'd make a good impression and start contributing quickly and effectively.

I have checked out the amazing questions the community have asked on Taro, and have started looking into the , and also the .

I am wondering if there are any Meta specific tips or tips on other things I might have missed coming from a non-big tech background? Thanks in advance!

I am an E4 Machine Learning Engineer working with a (traditional) Software Engineering Tech Lead who lacks a strong understanding of Machine Learning. This gap makes it challenging for him to communicate clearly the needed technical requirements, set a clear direction for my projects, and maintain consistent priorities, which often shift unexpectedly.

As a result, I frequently feel unclear about my deliverables for this half-year and worry that this lack of clarity might negatively impact my performance review.

Do you have any advice or suggestions on how I can navigate this situation?

I will be interning at Meta as a Software Engineer. However, it seems the team I'll be joining is more focused on compliance and regulatory issues, which I would think is probably more politically-driven compared to teams that are more consumer-focused.

While I’m confident the team will be great to work with, I'm uncertain if this is an area I would be interested in working in moving forward. What would be the typical process for team matching during the transition from intern to full-time engineer?