How many rounds of interview are in Meta?

The interview process at Meta (formerly Facebook) typically consists of multiple rounds designed to assess various aspects of a candidate's skills and fit for the company. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the typical number of interview rounds you can expect:

1. Initial Phone Screen

• Number of Rounds: 1
• Focus: Basic technical skills and problem-solving abilities.
• Format: Phone or video interview with a recruiter or an engineer.
• Content: Coding questions, questions about your background, and discussion of your resume.

2. Technical Phone Screen

• Number of Rounds: 1
• Focus: Deeper assessment of technical skills.
• Format: Phone or video interview with an engineer.
• Content: Coding problems, typically on platforms like CoderPad or similar. May include questions on data structures, algorithms, and possibly some system design basics.

3. On-Site Interviews (or Virtual On-Sites)

• Number of Rounds: 4-5
• Focus: In-depth evaluation of technical skills, system design, and cultural fit.
• Format: Series of interviews with various team members, conducted either on-site or virtually.
• Content:
  • Coding Interviews (2-3 Rounds): Focused on algorithms, data structures, and problem-solving. These rounds involve whiteboard coding or using a collaborative coding platform.
  • System Design Interview (1-2 Rounds): Assessment of your ability to design scalable and efficient systems. This includes discussing architecture, scalability, reliability, and other design principles.
  • Behavioral Interview (1 Round): Evaluation of cultural fit and alignment with Meta’s core values. This round includes questions about past experiences, teamwork, conflict resolution, leadership, and your approach to problem-solving.

Detailed Breakdown of On-Site Interviews

1. Coding Interviews:

• Format: Whiteboard or online coding platform.
• Content: Problems involving arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, sorting, searching, dynamic programming, etc.
• Duration: Typically 45-60 minutes each.

2. System Design Interviews:

• Format: Discussion-based, with the candidate explaining their design on a whiteboard or digital tool.
• Content: Design a scalable system (e.g., URL shortener, social media feed, messaging system). Discussion on trade-offs, scalability, reliability, etc.
• Duration: Typically 45-60 minutes each.

3. Behavioral Interview:

• Format: Conversational, with questions about your past experiences and how you handle various situations.
• Content: Questions related to Meta’s core values: Be Bold, Focus on Impact, Move Fast, Be Open, and Build Social Value.
• Duration: Typically 45-60 minutes.

Additional Rounds (if applicable)

1. Final Review:

• Number of Rounds: 1 (sometimes)
• Focus: In some cases, there might be a final wrap-up interview or a conversation with a higher-level manager.
• Format: Typically more conversational and high-level.

2. Bar Raiser (Rare for Meta):

• Unlike Amazon, Meta does not have a formal "bar raiser" interview, but they do have a rigorous review process where your interview performance is evaluated by a hiring committee.

Summary

In total, you can expect around 6-7 rounds of interviews when applying for a technical role at Meta:

1. Initial Phone Screen: 1 round
2. Technical Phone Screen: 1 round
3. On-Site Interviews (or Virtual On-Sites): 4-5 rounds

The exact number and nature of the interviews can vary slightly depending on the role, team, and specific circumstances. Thorough preparation in coding, system design, and behavioral questions, along with a clear understanding of Meta’s core values, can help you navigate these rounds successfully.