If you’re in computer science and are passionate about social media, landing an interview at Meta could be something you’ve always dreamed of. But how do you prepare, and what Meta interview questions can you expect? The internet says they can be pretty tough to handle, but that doesn’t have to be the truth.

This article will help you develop a perfect strategy for answering the most common technical, coding, and behavioral questions you might encounter during the interview. Additionally, we’ll provide valuable tips and offer ideas for the questions you may ask the interviewer.

Let’s jump in!

Key Takeaways

  • The interview process at Meta can last up to two months, and there are up to seven interviewers.
  • Meta’s coding and technical interview questions are divided into eight categories: strings/arrays, trees, Python, Ruby, SQL, C++, data engineer, and system interview questions.
  • The best way to prepare for a Meta interview is to research Meta values, ask for help from experts, and learn how to dress appropriately.

Meta (Facebook) Interview Process

The Meta interview process may be difficult, but it’s still an attainable goal for which you can prepare.

The entire hiring procedure lasts up to two months. During this process, you may go through six to seven interviews.

These interviews include one pre-screen interview that lasts around 20 minutes and a technical phone conversation with up to two coding questions, which lasts around 50 minutes. Finally, if you pass all these, you’ll get up to five on-site interviews, each taking 45 minutes.

The on-site interviews are divided into three sections. The first is a Ninja portion, which comprises two coding interviews for which you must use a whiteboard. The next is a Pirate portion with two system design parts and a Jedi portion with one behavioral interview.

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40 Coding & Technical Meta Interview Questions

If you pass all the rounds that lead to the on-site interviews, you’ll have to answer the questions about coding. Meta allows you to choose your preferred programming language, but that doesn’t make it any easier, as you still need to come up with the best possible answers.

What follows is an extensive list of technical and coding Meta interview questions you’ll probably encounter if you get to this stage.

#1. Strings/Arrays

Strings/Arrays make up 38% of the coding and technical interview questions at Meta. Below, we’ll list some of the most common ones in this category.

  1. Given an integer array, move all elements equal to 0 to the left side while maintaining the order of other elements in the array.
  2. Given a list of intervals, move overlapping intervals to produce a list with only mutually exclusive intervals.
  3. Given the array numbs of n in integers where n>1, return an array output such that output [ i ] is equal to the product of all the elements of num, except nums [ i ].
  4. Given a string that contains only the characters ‘(‘ , ‘), ‘{‘ , ‘}, [‘ and ‘], determine whether the input string is valid.
  5. Given a non-empty string, you can delete one character at most. Decide if you can make it a palindrome.

#2. Trees/Graphs

With strings and arrays questions comprising the most significant portion of the coding interview questions, the ones about graphs/trees come second and take up 29% of the coding and technical part of the interview. Here are the common questions:

  1. Given the binary tree, find the maximum path sum.
  2. Given the root node of the binary search tree, return the sum of values of all nodes with those values between L and R.
  3. Check whether a given graph is Bipartite or not.
  4. Given a binary tree, convert it to a Circular Doubly Linked List (In-Place).
  5. Serialize and deserialize a binary tree.

#3. Python Interview Questions

Python interview questions are also an unavoidable part of the selection process, so we’ll provide some of those you may come across.

  1. Print the max element of a given list.
  2. Explain pickling and unpickling.
  3. Explain decorators in Python.
  4. Find the greatest common factor.
  5. What is a dynamically typed language?

#4. Ruby Interview Questions

With Ruby’s interview questions, you’ll come across tasks on various programming elements. Here’s what they may look like:

  1. Explain the request/response process for accessing an article list in a blogging application.
  2. Tell me more about a Gemfile.lock.
  3. Tell me how Rails manages the state of the database.
  4. Elaborate on Gemfile.
  5. Explain the statement that almost everything in Ruby is an object.

#5. SQL Interview Questions

SQL questions are about managing information in the Database Management system. Below are the common interview questions regarding SQL you may get.

  1. What are SQL joins?
  2. Can you tell me what the full form of ACID is?
  3. Find the current time and date by writing an SQL query.
  4. Write an SQL query so you can delete the duplicate database rows.
  5. Construct an SQL query that will show the third-highest age of pupils.

#6. C++ Interview Questions

C++ interview questions examine your proficiency in dealing with tasks within this programming language. Here’s what they may look like.

  1. Tell me about polymorphism in C++.
  2. What is the difference between C and C++?
  3. Tell me more about constructors in C++.
  4. What is the main difference between class and struct?
  5. What is a virtual function?

#7. Data Engineer Interview Questions

Data engineer interview questions represent tasks that will help recruiters see how proficient you are in the field. They can look like this:

  1. Tell me about the loop that goes on forever.
  2. Identify the absolute minimum difference between an array and the set of elements.
  3. Does the database occupy the disk space view copy?
  4. By using SQL only, perform a merge sort.
  5. Create a dashboard for highlighting an aspect of the user behavior.

#8. System Design Interview Questions

System design questions can be very difficult, and they’re presented as specific tasks that system designers receive daily. Here are a few examples:

  1. Could you design an API rare limiter?
  2. How would you redesign the Instagram feed? Which algorithms would you use?
  3. Walk us through designing a file-sharing storage app similar to Google Drive.
  4. How would you shorten a large URL for a web page?
  5. What would you list in prerequisites and requirements while designing a web crawler?

Behavioral Meta Interview Questions

Behavioral interview questions are designed to closely examine your skills, working style, values, and ethics. Let’s see some examples of what they may look like:

#1. If you had the opportunity to ask Mark Zuckerberg anything, what would you ask?

By asking this question, your interviewers want to see whether things you’re passionate about align with their values. Moreover, they want to peek into your priorities and what you strive to learn about the world of Big Tech.

A great question to ask in this case would be, “What quality do you find the most important for people who have recently started working in the social media industry?”

If you go with this question, you’ll show that you have a strategic mind. You’ll also show that you want to find out what qualities you should work on to become competitive in the social media branch and possibly get a job at a company like Meta.

The answer is subject to your modification, but do not add anything that may seem too informal or like a private reference to it.

#2. What kind of tasks and responsibilities do you not enjoy doing?

When you get to this question, note that the job interviewers want to identify your potential weak spots. You won’t get many points if you say that you don’t enjoy specific tasks which are often part of the job. But the trick is that you can’t know all the job duties, so you need to make a smart move here.

Avoid saying you’re not fond of those tasks that have even the slightest connection to coding. Instead, here’s what you can go with:

Sample answer: I don’t enjoy repetitive tasks that aren’t directly related to my job, but I still do everything to complete them with the same meticulousness as all others. My strategy is to do one regular task and then go on to the repetitive one. I place the tasks I don’t enjoy as the odd ones so I don’t lose focus or get bored while working.

#3. Why do you want to work for us?

This question directly examines what motivates you, and by asking this, the interviewers want to see whether your goals fit into what they offer.

Avoid mentioning social status or compensation as your primary reason for pursuing the job. Instead, settle for something unique to you. An answer like this one could do the work:

Sample answer: The first month Facebook launched, I signed up for it and started using it to network with people in my close circles. However, one day, I got a request from a friend who lived on the other side of the world and whom I had met only twice when I visited my cousins in that country.

I instantly realized the power of this network to connect people and revive relationships. I want to be part of something that will enrich people’s lives, even when they think certain things are bound to remain memories.

#4. Do you prefer to work as a part of a team or independently?

With this question, the interviewers want to dig deeper into your preferred type of getting work done. They also like to see if you can work solo and if you have teamwork skills.

As much as you dislike one or the other, never say that you only prefer working independently or in a team. Conversely, don’t say that you like both equally because they expect to hear a preference.

Sample answer: I find great joy in working in teams and on my own, but a team environment is slightly more enjoyable. Whenever I have a task I must complete independently, I feel engaged and committed, but team effort gives me a sense of fulfillment.

So, if I had a job to work independently at all times, I would stay motivated and determined to provide excellent results, but working in a team constantly would still be a plus.

#5. How well do you handle criticism?

Negative feedback is part of any job, so your interviewer wants to know how receptive to criticism you are. They want to see if you have the capacity to learn from mistakes and if your attitude can match the company’s work environment.

Naturally, never reply that you aren’t that great at handling criticism because that could be the instant reason for rejecting your application. On the other hand, this response may be a good option:

Sample answer: I see both negative and positive feedback as an opportunity to learn, so I can say that I’m great at handling criticism of any sort. Whether in terms of my performance or interpersonal skills at work, I see it as an excellent ground to grow.

#6. Tell me about your greatest achievement

Interviewers want to discover what you’re most proud of in your career and see if your values resonate with their principles.

Indeed, no one expects a Turing award, so go with your own greatest accomplishment, no matter how small it is. More importantly, never exaggerate or make up the achievements—they must be genuine.

Sample answer: I worked as an IT manager for five years, and my greatest achievement was leading a team to a point of excellence in performance and innovation. I managed to help the team improve the numbers, and together, we launched software that people use even today. At the end of the year, we received an award for being our country’s most successful IT team.

#7. What was the most challenging project you worked on?

This question assesses how you handle stress and what mechanisms you use to create solutions. Remember not to choose a challenging project you didn’t fully resolve or come up with one that’s hard to explain. Here’s an answer you can use as inspiration.

Sample answer: When I worked as the head of IT, our company worked hard to prepare a project for a crucial client, but suddenly, our client decided to change everything. We were surprised and didn’t know how to sort everything out in the very short time we had available.

To save our mutual efforts, I decided to focus on delegating the tasks so we could make the most of our performance. Almost 80% of what we did needed to be changed, so I put the most skilled employees in charge of repairing the core parts and hired two experts to help us.

Ultimately, we succeeded in making our client happy, but it took great effort and mental stamina to get it all up and running before the deadline.

#8. What is the purpose of hashtags on Meta, and can they be abused?

This question has the goal of assessing the knowledge you have about specific Meta features. Try not to provide an answer that is too broad—stick to one or two main points.

Sample answer: The purpose of hashtags on Meta is to turn phrases and topics into clickable links so users can easily find the content they’re interested in. However, users can abuse hashtags by overstuffing them in posts, which leads to spam. Moreover, hashtags are often tools for spreading false information that can lead to hate speech and harm public safety.

Other Behavioral Meta Interview Questions

In what follows, we’ll list 10 more behavioral questions you may get at the job interview for Meta. Take a look at the questions, and plan answers for each of them.

  1. Users under 13 cannot use Facebook. How would you identify those on Facebook who are under 13?
  2. How would your last employer describe you?
  3. What’s your ideal day at work?
  4. If we give you several words, how would you calculate the number of letters in these words?
  5. What qualities make you a great team leader?
  6. Have you ever worked with a cross-functional team? Can you share your experience?
  7. How would you approach dealing with hate speech on social media?
  8. How do you manage large-scale projects?
  9. What would be the greatest challenge for you if you were hired?
  10. Do you have any ideas on improving Facebook notifications?

5 Questions to Ask at the End of the Interview

As the interview is coming to a close, you should ask the interviewer some questions, too, because it shows that you’re determined to find out more about the company and the job. Here are some examples:

  • Could you tell me more about your typical day at work?
  • How do you define success at Meta?
  • What were the things that surprised you when you first started working here?
  • Are there any opportunities for career advancement within the role?
  • What’s your least favorite thing about working here?

 

With this set of questions, you gather valuable information and display your professional curiosity and ambition.

Questions to Ask at the End of the Interview

3 Tips on How to Prepare for an Interview at Meta

Here are three tips on how to prepare for an interview and land your dream job at Meta:

  • Get help from recruiters and experts. Many people don’t know this, but you can reach out to your interviewer and ask for tips on how to prepare. They may share helpful information you can’t find online. Additionally, there are courses you can attend, and experts in the field can guide you through the technical part of the interview.

 

  • Research Meta’s core values. Research these concepts and mention them during the interview. The fundamental Meta values are:

 

  1. Move Fast
  2. Focus on Long-Term Impact
  3. Build Awesome Things
  4. Live in the Future
  5. Be Direct and Respect Your Colleagues
  6. Meta Metamates and me

 

A better understanding of these principles can give you an advantage because recruiters may see that you put effort into understanding the company values and that you fit in with them.

  • Dress for success. Companies like Meta don’t have a strict dress code and don’t require you to wear a suit and tie. Still, try to stay within the formality range. A nice plain shirt or t-shirt can be paired even with jeans since the company is okay with business casual dress attire.

Final Thoughts

If the big day is approaching and your Meta job interview is coming up soon, use the information we provided to land the lifelong dream of many professionals. Make the most of the tips in the article, and thoroughly study the sample answer we included.

To further your effort, practice answering the additional questions we listed and tailor them to your own experience.

Remember, excellence is attainable if you put your mind to it and give your best.

Good luck!

Meta (Facebook) Interview Questions FAQ

#1. Is it hard to get hired at Meta?

Getting a job at Meta is hard because the company receives many applications whenever they have a vacancy. The best way to prepare for the interview is to research the interview process, Meta’s values, and the questions interviewers may ask.

#2. Are interviews at Meta difficult?

Whether your interview at Meta will be difficult depends on your skills and experience, but generally, these interviews are highly challenging. You’d go through up to seven interviews, almost each requiring exceptional technical skills.

#3. How do I prepare for a Meta behavioral interview?

The best way to prepare for a Meta behavioral interview is to find a list of common questions people already had in the interview and come up with your answers. You can also get help from someone at Meta and ask for ideas.

#4. Can I apply for multiple jobs at Meta?

Yes. Meta allows candidates to apply and interview for more than one position simultaneously.