What I knew before
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Facebook is the largest social network on the planet with over 1.7 billion users
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In recent years, they have worked to acquire many other companies including Instagram
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They are very big on advertising things to you that are related to previous searches on Google that you may have had
Introduction and Expectations
I expected Facebook to be a very cool visit because of the scope and reputation of the business, in addition to what I already knew about the company. To state the obvious, Facebook is a social media site that lets people post photos, videos, statuses, share other posts, etc. and it was founded by Harvard dropout Mark Zuckerberg. While there, we met with campus recruiter George Kervitsky, who had a close connection to Claudia.
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Visit Summary
The Facebook workplace was very inviting and colorful; when you walk in, they have white walls that are covered in colorful writing from the employees. The workspace is also very modern with cool wooden staircases for people to work and eat on, and beautiful terraces that overlook the city of Seattle. George began the visit by bringing us to an Instagram exhibit where we all took pictures and proceeded to show us around the office. All of the smaller rooms were all named after movies or sports teams or TV shows, things of that nature. I saw a ton of people sucked into their computer screens at their desks, but I also saw a lot of collaborative, open spaces.
When talking with George after, he gave us a glance at the competitiveness of Silicon Valley. He said that if you were performing well, you could get promoted with a raise within just a few months. At the same time, if you are underperforming, they send you out the door immediately. The ultra-competitive atmosphere keeps employees on their toes and always putting in 100%.
Facebook also offers Work-from-Home-Wednesday in which employees have the luxury of doing their job from the comfort of their own homes. Facebook also has no titles which contributes to hack-a-month where employees can try a different segment of the business for a month, see how they like it, and then choose to either stay or return to their original position.
Key Takeaways
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Always be able to answer the, “Why do you want to work for Company X?” with a sincere, well researched answer. George said he is really looking for a lot of passion from potential employees, and this question is the place to showcase this passion.
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Silicon Valley has a darker side that can put people out of work within months, but that dark side is what keeps it so competitive. Netflix similarly showed us what causes the Valley's high turnover rate, and while it is prevalent throughout, it does not seem to be going anywhere because of the industry's competitiveness.
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Companies are starting to realize the value in instilling a desirable work-life balance in their employees. As Debrah Piscione says in her book "Secrets of Silicon Valley," Facebook has responded to vast evidence that says that employees will be more productive, creative, happy, and more if they have good health and wellness. Facebook codes its food based on healthiness, and advertise their bootcamp and yoga classes around campus.
Post Visit Actions/ Thoughts
After the visit, I connected with George on LinkedIn. When looking back on Facebook, I really expected to see a more “fun” startup culture, but I suppose at this point Facebook is well past that phase. It definitely did seem like a very cool place to work.