I remember refreshing my email every ten seconds as I waited to hear back from the recruiter. I was nervous, excited, and simultaneously terrified. After refreshing for the 419th time, it was there.
“We’re pleased to offer you a position as Product Designer at Facebook.”
I walked onto campus as a Facebook employee on June 25, 2018 — I was so nervous to become part of such a well-known corporation! Before June 25, I had been doing Design at smaller companies with scrappy teams of go-getters, and I’d gotten used to the “family” feel of the office.
As I walked through the security gates toward first day orientation, the enormity of “FB HQ” started sinking in. I kept pushing down that voice, saying, “I don’t belong here…I slipped through the cracks, they’re gonna find out!”
Imposter syndrome.
That “imposter” voice sometimes still creeps in, but I’ve recognized that Facebook is a company of product specialists. Some are ridiculously talented at debugging backend code while others are really great at making sense of millions of data points from a global audience. We’re all great at what we do, and not-so-great at the things other disciplines have been hired for.
There’s a poster on campus that sums it up well:
Throughout the last year, I feel like I’ve started to settle into my role as a Product Designer at Facebook, and wanted to shed some light on what it’s like. I’ve noticed a similar set of questions amongst friends and family, and I thought it’d be fun to document them here.
** Also check out Working as a Product Designer — 2 Years Later **
Are you still enjoying it?
Absolutely! I’m having a lot of fun getting to know teammates (and other teams) and feel like I’m learning a ton about how products are built and all the things to consider while building them. Building products is tough work! There’s a lot to consider, especially at Facebook’s scale, but I’m enjoying the challenge. It makes everyday a little different.
What’s your favorite thing about working at Facebook?
The (free!) food is delicious, and I love taking a walk break on the rooftop garden…especially when I get to see a local “Facebook Fox” up there! But I think one of my favorite things is the energy at the office — it’s an unspoken, but powerful feeling that we’re trying to do our very best. We definitely understand that Facebook is making an impact on friendships, communities, and even governments so we take our jobs very seriously, and I really appreciate that. My team is particularly close because of it.
What’s your least favorite thing about working at Facebook?
I feel like this question really depends on when it’s asked. If it’s July or December, I’d say the PSC (bi-annual performance review) process — it’s incredibly detailed and takes too much of our time, in my opinion. I’m also not fond of how many meetings we need to be a part of. Both these things are necessary though, and I certainly understand the role they play. But I also believe there could be a more efficient way for these processes.
What have you learned since starting at Facebook?
I’ve learned so much, it’s difficult to put into words! For the first few months, it felt like drinking out of a fire hose — there is SO much information to soak up here. But that’s given me a good reason to stay in “sponge mode” and continue strengthening the various Product Design attributes I’m aiming for.
I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is the importance of effective communication. When we’re communicating our ideas, questions, and qualms in a productive way then it will be reflected in the product experience. This is why I love designing things — it refines the people around it too.
Have you ever met Mark Zuckerberg?
Formally, no. We haven’t like, shaken hands while sharing tea and crumpets. But I did almost speed-walk straight into him one day.
I was staring down at my phone while trying to message a coworker after a meeting, and (fun fact about me) I tend to walk quickly. Big strides, I guess. While I was blindly streaking down the hallway, my Spidey Senses kicked in and I did that awkward jolt-stop-look-up thing that people do when they notice they’ve been asleep at the wheel.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! That was my fauuul….oh, uhhhm, hey Mark!”
I can’t remember exactly what he said because the blood in my veins became ice water and my stomach did a triple backflip. But he was smiling, and I didn’t get fired, so that’s good.
What advice would you give someone who wants to work at Facebook someday?
Know your stuff, and love what you do.
Passion is strikingly evident, and it’s certainly taken into account when hiring for Product Designers. You have to love what you do to succeed at Facebook. It’s also equally important to have a good set of experience under your belt — not because we don’t want junior Designers, but because the problems we’re asked to solve are complex and ambiguous. The job requires being able to do a lot of things at once, so the core parts of your Design Process and presentation skills need to be second-nature.
Also, get out there and network with people! You’ll make friends and some of those friends may know somebody who’s looking for a solid team member.
How long do you think you’ll stay at Facebook?
Facebook has lots of room for growth, and there’s a lot of support and encouragement to try different things. I’m having a lot of fun with my current team and don’t have plans to switch anything anytime soon, but maybe someday!
Actually how long will I stay with Facebook as a company? Who even knows. The tech world moves quickly, so it’s tough to predict what life will be like five years from now. But after one year I can confidently say I’m enjoying the experience!
TL;DR
The free food, big campus, and Facebook foxes are all fun to talk about but when it comes down to it, I really enjoy being a Designer. I like solving problems, and I love thinking about the people involved.
Any other questions? Leave a respectful comment and I’ll do my best to leave a quick response! Design is everywhere, keep creating!
