Facebook Recruiter Interview Questions & Answers
Table of Contents
- 1. Behavioral Questions
- 2. Communication Questions
- 3. Compatibility Questions
- 4. Competency Questions
- 5. Creative Thinking Questions
- 6. Diligence Questions
- 7. Direct Questions
- 8. Diversity & Inclusion Questions
- 9. Education Questions
- 10. Experience Questions
- 11. Leadership Questions
- 12. Problem Solving Questions
- 13. Scenario Based Questions
- 14. Teamwork Questions
- 15. Tough Questions
Behavioral
1. Facebook seeks a Recruiter who can 'Be Bold' and also 'Move Fast.' How do you react when you and your leadership team disagree on the quality of a candidate, and it sets your search back?
How to Answer
Facebook has 5 core values listed on its website. One of these core values is 'Be Bold.' This mantra is explained as, 'Building great things means taking risks.' Facebook believes that 'The riskiest thing is to take no risks.' They also go on to say, 'In a world that's changing quickly, you're guaranteed to fail if you don't take any risks.'
Another core value is 'Move Fast.' Facebook explains 'We believe that it's better to move fast and make mistakes than to move slowly and miss opportunities. Doing so enables us to build more things and learn faster.'
Each time you shortlist and present a candidate to stakeholders and decision-makers, you are taking a risk that they will say 'no' to your candidate. There will be times when you think you've hit the jackpot and found the best candidate possible for the role. You will excitedly present the candidate to your leadership team, and unfortunately, the hiring managers don't feel the magic.
The interviewers want to know that you handle disappointment professionally rather than becoming visibly upset or demotivated. Discuss in detail how you react when disappointments arise. Show the interviewers that you can maintain Facebook's core values even in the face of disappointment. Then, focus the bulk of your response on the action steps you take to pick yourself back up and move forward.
Answer Example
"In my current role as Recruiter for Company XYZ, if a leader disagrees with the quality of my shortlisted candidate, I am sure to remove any emotion from the equation and come back to them with factual data from my talent marketplace analytics and other forms of benchmarking. There are times that the hiring managers need deeper data regarding the talent acquisition landscape. When leaders can look at the full picture, they are much more likely to take an open-minded approach. This approach often clears up disagreements on candidate quality. Sometimes a disagreement on the quality of a candidate means that I go back to my search and find a couple of new candidates for consideration. Other times this situation means that we collectively compromise by interviewing the candidate one more time in an attempt to uncover the core reason the leader feels hesitant to make a job offer. I believe that it's in the company's best interest that all stakeholders agree on a candidate before a job offer is made. As a Facebook Recruiter, if I encounter a situation like this, I will be bold by pushing back when necessary; however, I will also move fast to course-correct to ensure that we do not miss out on opportunities to capture an even better candidate."
Communication
2. Facebook is looking for a Recruiter with a proven track record of building strong working relationships with leaders and influencing cross-functional partners. Do you consider yourself a persuasive person?
How to Answer
The art of being an excellent communicator is also yielding the power of persuasion when necessary. There is a difference between persuasion and debating - or even convincing. Persuasion is used when you want to influence someone rather than tell them that they are wrong and you are right. Despite some negative connotations towards the word persuasion, it is not a negative trait to be a persuasive individual, especially in highly competitive talent acquisition environments such as Facebook.
Facebook looks for recruiters who are thoughtful and highly persuasive professionals. The power of persuasion is essential if you are working to secure a passive candidate or pitching a unique hiring strategy to client groups or recruiting teams. Persuasion is also a helpful skill when you want to gain momentum with your coworkers or have your leader better understand your approach on a recruitment project. Talk to the interviewer about whether or not you consider yourself a persuasive individual, and support your reasoning.
Answer Example
"I believe that persuasion is a key skill of an effective recruiter. I recently read the book 'Pre-Suasion,' by Robert Cialdini. He speaks of the science in persuasion and that there are significant moves to be made before ever asking someone to do something on your behalf. This book has greatly influenced how I use persuasion. I am persuasive in helping department leaders, and other stakeholders understand the analysis behind my candidate submissions. Before submitting a candidate to a decision-maker, I have a persuasive case built and am ready to support my positioning with convincing data. Being an effective recruiter is similar to how a lawyer prepares for court. I must be ready to state my position from all sides and angles persuasively. When hired as a Facebook Recruiter, my recommendations will be trustworthy since I will present candidates solutions based on persuasive data which helps influence sound hiring decisions."
Communication
3. As a Facebook Recruiter, you will support an exemplary candidate experience at every stage of the process. Tell me about your approach to earning trust with candidates.
How to Answer
Facebook is seeking a recruitment professional who will foster trust-based relationships with the company's valued candidates. A Facebook Recruiter will understand the importance of gaining a close understanding of candidate requirements, concerns, and expectations. Respectful candidate relationships are essential to a company's reputation, and Facebook needs to see evidence that you can create and maintain well-established candidate relationships on their behalf.
Recruitment is a competitive industry with many companies vying for top talent. To win the best talent, the candidate must also be thrilled with your approach, have trust in you, and feel comfortable that the information you provide is accurate. Provide the interviewers with specific detail around your approach to earning and keeping trust with your candidates. If you have information regarding Facebook's hiring values, be sure to incorporate your knowledge of their best hiring practices and discuss how you plan to uphold these values when you are hired as their next Recruiter.
Answer Example
"As a recruitment professional, one of my favorite questions to my candidates is, 'What can I do today to support your passion?' I ask this question because it shows the candidate that I am ready to support their career dreams rather than only push a job opening that looks like a fit but may not feel like a perfect match. I hold personalized conversations that create, build, and maintain trust. Through active listening, I know that I do my best to deliver on each candidate's unique needs and the important expectations they have for the next steps in their career. The candidates that I work with often recognize my integrity and appreciate that I never waste a minute of their time. I check in with them regularly since the hiring process can be lengthy and have lulls. During those times, I continue to earn their trust with informative check-ins. Through the interview and vetting process, I perform regular temperature checks to ensure they are comfortable and happy with the recruitment process. The more value I add, the more each candidate will trust me; thus, trusting Facebook as a company. When I applied to this role, I read on Facebook's careers site, 'Do the most meaningful work of your career.' That phrase stuck with me, and as a Facebook Recruiter, I will ensure that each candidate I speak with is clear on Facebook's mission to have its teams working on projects that bring passion, align with their values and purpose, and that have a positive impact on the world."
Compatibility
4. Facebook Recruiters are entrepreneurial by nature. How do you embrace an entrepreneurial mindset as it relates to recruitment?
How to Answer
To be a successful recruitment professional, you need to think like a CEO, a salesperson, a candidate, and a hiring authority - all rolled into one! This multifaceted skill set requires you to be highly entrepreneurial in your actions and your mindset. Facebook expresses on its career website that they want to employ people who have a desire to 'bring your values to do work that matters--not just to you, but to the world.'
According to Facebook's position requirements, you can embrace and emulate an entrepreneurial mindset by:
- Possessing a future-focused mindset.
- Conceiving practical and creative ways to engage and hire great talent.
- Showing a passion for creating exceptional candidate experiences.
- Bringing a drive and motivation to be a knowledgeable partner to candidates and hiring managers.
- Displaying high resourcefulness and tenacity in challenging situations.
Discuss the ways that you have embraced an entrepreneurial mindset in your recruitment career. Show the interviewers how your capabilities and approach match the expectations and accountabilities placed on a Facebook Recruiter.
Answer Example
"Facebook Recruiters are builders who help to develop essential pillars of business through the attraction of top talent. This goal requires me to think like an owner, a decision-maker, and also as a candidate. As a Recruiter, I show a passion for creating exceptional candidate experiences. I work hard to conceive practical and creative ways to engage and hire great talent while looking at the immediate situation and the future. I show an entrepreneurial mindset by reading many books and keeping myself educated on the challenges that various industries face in talent attraction. I read case studies and learn from the mistakes and wins of other recruiters, which helps me keep a broad mindset and develop unique approaches to recruitment. When I join Facebook as a Recruiter, I will continue to embrace this entrepreneurial approach so that I can be a trusted resource to Facebook hiring managers and candidates."
Compatibility
5. Facebook conceives practical and creative ways to surface leading talent. What do you know about our sourcing strategies, and how will your approach be complementary?
How to Answer
Facebook Recruiters invest a lot of time activating passive candidates through a highly engaged approach. This method of recruitment is necessary for companies that operate in highly competitive tech industries. First, the interviewer wants to know if you are aware of Facebook's competitive sourcing strategies. Your level of knowledge will show the interviewer how engaged you are in your own interview process. Show that you have spent the appropriate amount of time researching Facebook and preparing yourself for a successful interview.
On Facebook's careers website, the company shares some insider information on its approach to recruitment:
'Although we've come quite a way from our startup roots, we still maintain our hacker culture and work in small, close-knit teams, move fast and make a huge impact. This is true of our engineering teams and recruiting teams. Our Recruiters and Sourcers work closely together and partner with engineering and hiring teams to help find and hire the best people. It's a team approach. We take risks and iterate a lot on our processes and tools. Our open culture enables us to find new ways of working better together. Ideas come from anyone - Recruiters, Sourcers, Coordinators, Interns - we all have the opportunity to innovate and make an impact each day. We care deeply about meaningful connections inside our company as much as we do outside. Whether it is celebrating birthdays and Faceversaries or coming together over shared passions like running, parenting, or creating inclusive communities, Facebookers thrive when we are connected.'
Now that you are somewhat aware of Facebook's approach to surfacing leading talent, the interviewer wants to know specific ways that your sourcing strategy will complement Facebook's efforts. When you respond, be as specific as possible. This approach will help the interviewer envision you working and succeeding in the company's environment.
Answer Example
"I appreciate that Facebook has worked to maintain its original 'hacker' culture and that you maintain small, agile recruitment teams. I, too, have experience working in small, close-knit teams. My current company emphasizes moving fast. I have successfully delivered results in a fast-paced corporate environment, and I attribute this success to beginning my recruitment career in a competitive agency environment. The team approach that Facebook mentions on the careers website is very enticing to me. I enjoy working with other recruiters and sourcing professionals, and taking a team approach to hiring. I understand that Facebook iterates many processes and tools, which is 100% necessary in a fast-paced and competitive recruitment environment like this. I was pleased to read that Facebook's sourcing strategy engages everyone, including interns, since great ideas truly can come from anyone. My approach is complementary to that of Facebook in many ways; however, if I could spotlight one primary characteristic, it's that I believe in building a lasting and genuine connection with my teams, stakeholders, and my valued candidates."
Competency
6. As a Facebook Recruiter, you will regularly manage pipeline activity, maintain data integrity, and proactively share data-centric updates with internal stakeholders. How do you currently use data in the recruitment process?
How to Answer
As a Facebook Recruiter, the company's hiring managers and other stakeholders will often respond best to your recommendations if they can link your findings to data. Show the interviewer that you understand how to use analytics in your talent attraction processes. If possible, give a specific example of a time when the use of data and analytics led to a competitive hire, valuable market assessment, or a successful talent acquisition campaign.
Answer Example
"Many recruitment professionals rely on the existing processes of their organization, which is an important factor; however, it should not be 100% of the work. I analyze data from our company's previous hires, successes, and failures of the past, employee attrition data, and more. Then, I make hiring recommendations based on what I see to be working for our organization in the future. I recently helped reduce our unnecessary workforce spend by replacing four low-performing employees with one full-time employee and one part-time staff member. My Director was thankful that I took the time to analyze the issues before recommending a new-hire solution that was not as budget-friendly or effective."
Competency
7. If hired, you will specialize in top pillar recruitment for roles such as Product Management, Product Design, User Research, and Analytics. Walk me through the type of positions you have filled in the last 12 months.
How to Answer
The term 'top pillar' refers to the layers of seniority in an organization. Typically the pillars, or tiers, will refer to entry-level positions, mid-level positions, and top-level positions. If hired as a Facebook Recruiter specializing in top pillar recruitment, you will be filling more complex roles such as Product Management, Product Design, User Research, and Analytics.
The interviewer wants evidence that you are ready to handle the responsibility of recruiting for tip pillar roles. Your level of accountability will be high, and your creative sourcing techniques will need to be superior. Talk to the interviewer about the type of positions you have filled in the last 12 months. These details will assure the decision-maker that you are ready for this level of recruitment.
Answer Example
"As a Recruiter for Company XYZ, I recruit many similar roles as the positions mentioned in the Facebook Recruiter job description. The past 12 months have included 4 searches for Technical Product Managers, 6 searches for Product Managers, and 3 for Product Designers. Last year I also placed a variety of Analysts and Software Engineers. I am confident that my approach to full-cycle recruitment of top pillar roles is a strong match to the agile environment present with Facebook's recruitment teams."
Creative Thinking
8. Facebook Recruiters work diligently to find and engage unique and passive candidates through creative sourcing techniques. Discuss one innovative recruitment technique you have heard of recently that you would like to try.
How to Answer
The interviewer is looking for evidence that you are interested in continually learning new ways to source and engage passive candidates. This skill is especially vital when working as a Recruiter for Facebook, which operates in a highly competitive industry where top talent for particular job functions can be difficult to find.
As a Recruiter engaged in your industry, you likely follow publications, journals, and thought leaders who discuss innovative ways to recruit. Talk to the interviewer about one unique sourcing technique you have recently learned of, and discuss how you would apply this approach as a Facebook Recruiter.
Answer Example
"Many exciting trends are shaping the recruitment industry, and I am sure to remain in the know by following some of my favorite thought leaders such as Hung Lee, the curator of Recruiting Brainfood and the Co-founder and CEO of Workshape.io. I also enjoy reading informative blogs such as Jobvite. One innovative sourcing technique that I recently read about and would love to try is the further use of Natural Language Processing. NLP is said to be one of the most significant trends shaping the recruitment industry, and I believe Facebook is very well equipped to explore the use of NLP in its recruitment efforts. Using artificial intelligence to source, assess, and screen candidates, we can save a lot of time in the recruitment process while further eliminating human unconscious bias. NLP has been used for some time now; however, the use of this concept for interacting with interested candidates, such as instant and personalized chatbot technology, is fascinating to me."
Diligence
9. Recruiting in the technology industry requires a broad depth of knowledge. As a Facebook Recruiter, you may be recruiting for a position with which you are unfamiliar. How do you quickly learn industry terminology for roles that are new to you?
How to Answer
As a Facebook Recruiter, you will learn about jobs and skillsets that you may not have even known existed! It can be a challenge to keep up with all industry terminology, which is why a strong recruitment professional will have a genuine appreciation for gathering research and obtaining new knowledge.
Show the interviewers that you have an attitude of receptiveness and you are ready to learn. Discuss how you approach learning industry terminology for roles that are new to you. If you have a specific example of when you encountered this situation, this question presents a good opportunity to give a real-life example.
Answer Example
"In my current recruitment role with Company XYZ, we hire a lot of professionals with a background in healthcare and medical. I am often asked to start searching for a role where I have no clue what the job title means! For instance, last month, one of the department managers asked me to find a perfusionist. I took the job details, conducted research, and I read a few medical resources online. It turns out that perfusionists are the people who operate the heart and lung machines while patients are in surgery. I began by researching schools offering the Certified Clinical Perfusionist credential and made phone calls from that starting point. If hired as a Facebook Recruiter, I will apply this same desire to learn and understand. If I am unsure of a particular job function or credential, I will research until I fully understand. I will also ask those around me, who are more knowledgeable, for clarity."
Diligence
10. Facebook is passionate about delivering an awesome candidate experience. We believe that starts with the first conversation a candidate has with us. How will you ensure that the candidates you reach have an exceptional experience?
How to Answer
Recruitment is often like working in customer service! A mindful Recruiter will always approach candidates with respect and will take the time to ensure their candidate has a comfortable experience from the first engagement all the way to the job offer or rejection.
Facebook understands that job candidates are in a vulnerable position. Some are passively looking for work and are wary of their current employer finding out that they are interviewing elsewhere. Other candidates may have faced previous rejections and might be feeling a bit 'knocked around' by the recruitment process. These candidates will often be guarded and genuinely appreciate the care you put into ensuring their journey feels exceptional.
Talk to the interviewer about the effort you put into delivering an awesome candidate experience. Be sure to highlight how your efforts will be a match for those on the Facebook recruitment team. Provide as many details as you can, bringing your approach to life for the interviewer. If you have ever received kind words from a candidate or accolades from your employer for your recruitment approach, be sure to mention those details, as well.
Answer Example
"I greatly appreciate that Facebook places so much emphasis on differentiating the candidate experience. In fact, as I have been interviewing for this Recruiter role, I have been continually impressed with the awesome candidate experience. Your teams are responsive and generous with their communication, which is often a rarity in this industry. Some ways that I currently ensure my candidates feel cared for and valued include following up promptly, actively listening to their needs, and never suggesting moves that would not benefit them or align with their personal and professional goals. I also include detailed job briefs for every position so that the candidate has the full scope of the role, its accountabilities, the career projection, and the company culture. I am always open to hearing a candidate's questions and, once the cycle is wrapped up, I ask for feedback on my approach, which allows me to improve my recruitment approach in the future. It would be my honor to work hard and continue upholding these high standards as a Facebook Recruiter."
Diligence
11. In this Recruitment role, you will carefully assess candidates to determine appropriate next steps. When first interviewing a candidate, what do you believe is the most critical question to ask?
How to Answer
There are many essential interview questions that, as a Facebook Recruiter, you could ask a job seeker. The most crucial first step is to ensure that the opportunity you are presenting is a good match for your candidate. If you do not vet your candidate correctly, they could be a big disappointment to the company, making you appear inexperienced as a recruitment professional. Share your favorite interview question and talk about why you like to use that particular question. Show the interviewer that you dig deep in your candidate interviews by carefully assessing whether or not they are a good fit for the position.
Answer Example
"One question that I always ask, no matter the position I am vetting the candidate for, is 'Describe your ideal opportunity in detail.' This question puts the responsibility on them to tell me, very specifically, what they seek in a job. I am looking for details on their preferred workplace environment, team size, location, type of industry, and more. If their response feels like a solid match with the open opportunity, only then will I push their resume and profile further. Another no-fail question that I ask most candidates is, 'Why would you accept this job over any others you are entertaining?' I want to see their genuine desire for the role. If they cannot show enthusiasm for the position or company, I will eliminate them from the competition right away."
Diligence
12. As a Facebook Recruiter, you will screen hundreds of resumes to determine appropriate next steps. What do you look for in a resume to determine if a candidate should be shortlisted?
How to Answer
It is estimated that Facebook receives around 250,000 job applications every year. That is a quarter of a million resumes! As you know, Facebook does not expect its recruiters to comb through every single resume that comes into its candidate portal. However, the resumes that do justify getting the attention of its Recruiters are stand-out for a reason.
Share with the interviewer how you approach reviewing a resume and what you look for to determine if a candidate should be shortlisted and offered an interview. Be as specific as possible when you answer. For instance, share your thought process and outline how you assess and eliminate applicant resumes. If you use any tools in your approach, be sure to mention these.
Answer Example
"If a resume is messy or unattractive, that's the first considerable strike against a candidate. Aside from the look and vibe of the resume, I look at three primary factors regarding the content. One, I look for at least two stand-out accomplishments highlighted on the resume. Two, I check if the applicant has included measurable or tangible results. Three, I look for evidence of customization for the role to which they've applied. When a candidate has clearly put in the effort to customize their resume for my specific job opening and capture my attention with results, I am much more interested in reaching out to them for a pre-screen interview. Of course, once they have passed that litmus test, then I move on to ensure they have the best relevant experience, the appropriate education if required, and strong tenure in past positions. If a candidate meets all of those benchmarks, I give them a call! Are these similar to the determining factors that Facebook Recruiters use to assess an applicant's resume?"
Direct
13. Name one thing you could improve in your recruitment approach.
How to Answer
This question is another way for the interviewer to ask about your greatest weakness. Discuss an area of responsibility you could grow into; however, you must avoid mentioning an area for improvement that will be one of your primary accountabilities as a Facebook Recruiter. Instead, discuss an area where you could improve your performance and respond with a solution. The interviewer will want to know, in detail, the action steps you are taking to improve in this particular area.
Answer Example
"I often speak too quickly on the phone. Of course, it's out of complete excitement, but sometimes it's challenging for candidates to keep up and fully understand all of the job details. I am working on slowing down my speed in candidate conversations. I have also started sending a follow-up email to each candidate post-conversation, with the specifics of the position we discussed. This way, the candidate has all of the important position details, and they can review them at their own pace before committing to an interview. If I am chosen as a Recruiter for Facebook, I will be diligent in continuing to improve this area of my recruitment approach while also being mindful of tailoring my work to fit in with the existing recruitment team."
Direct
14. If hired for this Recruiter position, you will improve and scale Facebook's recruiting operations and results continuously. As a current candidate, what aspect of our recruitment process would you improve immediately?
How to Answer
This type of question can be challenging since the interviewer is looking for constructive feedback on Facebook's existing recruitment process. More than offering criticism, the point of your response is to show the interviewer that you are engaged in their process and that you have been observant along the way.
Facebook may be a world-renowned company, yet they still understand that they need to hire individuals invested in continued improvements that help the company remain competitive. Provide an insightful response showing the interviewer that you know what it takes to improve and scale recruiting operations.
Answer Example
"Trends in hiring and recruitment are always changing. Since the 2020/2021 global pandemic, I have kept an eye on digital hiring trends and the use of digital hiring technology. However, going digital and remaining personal in the talent attraction and recruitment process remains challenging for most companies. From what I have observed and experienced in Facebook's recruitment process, the company is doing an exceptional job remaining top-in-class with current trends. However, I feel there is always room to bridge the gap between digital hiring technology and the personal connection. If hired for this Recruiter position, I will help Facebook keep a keen eye on human connection efforts while supporting best use of the company's digital hiring technology and digital hiring process."
Diversity & Inclusion
15. Facebook seeks a Recruiter with impactful and strategic diversity sourcing and recruiting experience. If hired, how will you help Facebook continue to improve its diversity recruitment plan?
How to Answer
If it were in your hands to improve Facebook's diversity and inclusion recruitment plan, the interviewers would like to know what you would include. This question is an excellent opportunity to explore your knowledge of diversity and inclusion in recruitment. If you are not familiar with diversity recruitment and Facebook's stance on D&I in their talent attraction strategies, it's important to do this research before your interview.
A company can face significant diversity issues in their talent attraction and recruitment strategies, including bias in the application process, a lack of accommodation for physical disabilities, and a recruitment culture that encourages ageism.
There are many strategies available today to improve diversity recruitment efforts. These include:
- Writing new job ads and revising old job ads to capture a broader audience.
- Look for candidates from multiple places rather than sticking to one or two favorite job boards.
- Ask for candidate referrals from your existing team members who have a broad network.
- Reach out to post-secondary schools that attract a diverse student population and offer internships
If you have ever introduced new diversity recruitment strategies, be sure to provide details of these efforts in your response.
A company that embraces diversity will see many benefits. The company gains new perspectives, better methods for problem-solving, and increased creativity. Also, employee engagement increases, resulting in less turnover. When it comes to profits, a company can see an increase in sales because its reputation improves, and its employees feel more attached to its mission. The interviewer wants you to discuss ideas on how a company can strengthen its focus on workplace diversity.
Answer Example
"As the lead Recruiter of a mid-level organization, I have learned to be highly conscious of potential biases occurring in the workplace. This year I led our company in a new technology implementation meant to reduce bias in the talent screening, hiring, and evaluation processes. As a result, our hiring process has become fair to genders, races, religions, and other social categories. The process is not perfect; however, we have seen a significant increase in diversity hires and a boost in overall company morale. I believe that embracing, encouraging, and increasing diversity starts with the talent attraction process. First, recruitment efforts must include diverse talent pools and advertising on various platforms, casting a wider net for attracting a range of talented individuals. When it comes to the interview process, a company can have a diverse panel of interviewers versus leaving the hiring decisions to one person or a group of similar individuals. Another way a company can embrace diversity is to offer sensitivity training to all hiring authorities and leaders. All hiring managers and decision-makers should be aware of the range of workplace issues to avoid making discriminatory hires. If chosen as Facebook's next Recruiter, I will genuinely embrace everyone in the organization and treat everyone with the utmost respect. I will show cultural understanding and help my co-workers to build their competency and understanding of others. I also plan to support your anti-discrimination policies by continually educating myself on emerging inclusion programs and practices."
Diversity & Inclusion
16. Facebook seeks a Recruiter with a proven interest in learning to identify and engage diverse talent. Name one creative idea you have that could enhance Facebook's diversity recruitment strategy.
How to Answer
The interviewers want to know what you would do if it were in your hands to add to Facebook's diversity recruitment plan. This question addresses a few factors:
1) Your creative thinking abilities.
2) Your knowledge as a recruitment professional in today's hiring landscape.
3) Your level of knowledge of Facebook's existing diversity recruitment plan.
Facebook claims on its careers website that 'diversity isn't optional.' Their vision is clear: 'To bring the world closer together, diversity is a must-have for Facebook, not an option. Hiring people with different backgrounds and experiences helps us build better products, make better decisions, and better serve our clients. We're committed to building a workforce that's as diverse as the communities we serve and strive to provide the best possible care and resources to help all of our employees thrive--at work, in their personal life, and across every life stage.'
Take your time to research Facebook's efforts toward recruiting a diverse workforce. These efforts include various programs to help employees find community, tackle bias, and build an inclusive workforce. Facebook puts effort into increasing representation among its people. The company also offers community and belonging opportunities in the form of peer support groups.
Answer Example
"If I were to suggest to enhance Facebook's ever-evolving diversity recruitment strategy, I would make suggestions for additions to the employee benefits package that would draw in a more diverse group of applicants. These offerings would include a 100% flexible schedule, additional paid leave options for unique challenges that people of various backgrounds face, and recognition of a wider range of religious and cultural holidays and celebrations perhaps absent from the traditional calendar. I would also suggest creating mentorship plans so that team members could mentor someone with characteristics different from their own, allowing people to expand their understanding of others. Facebook is a very well-meaning company, and I have seen its diversity recruitment strategy grow exponentially. As a woman, it's fantastic to see Facebook's 'women@' community where women are committed to connecting and building a community that feels open and connected. I appreciate that the group empowers women through professional development opportunities, and they engage with men as equal partners in advancing gender diversity and inclusion. I look forward to adding to the unique contributions that Facebook offers its people."
Diversity & Inclusion
17. Facebook is looking for a Recruiter who will evolve into a subject matter expert in diversity recruiting. What training have you completed related to D&I in recruitment, and how will you continue expanding your diversity recruitment knowledge?
How to Answer
As a working professional, you should be ready to take your education, life, and career experiences to help you succeed in a diverse workplace environment. Discuss your exposure to the topic of diversity in the workplace, show that you have a solid understanding of the depth of diversity and inclusion in business environments, and assure the interviewer that you will succeed in their diverse work community.
Answer Example
"I aim to deepen my understanding of unconscious biases continually, how they influence my behavior, and impact others in the workplace. This year I have taken a keen interest in diversity and inclusion efforts, especially in light of the Black Lives Matter movement and other calls for equality. Over the past six months, I have immersed myself in multiple online courses, including a course called Race and Cultural Diversity in American Life and History. I took another course on what it means to identify as transgender and gender non-conforming since, admittedly, I had a lot to learn. I am pleased to say that I have learned a great deal about other groups and myself along the way. I am thankful to have worked for highly conscious companies on their diversity efforts and inclusion programs. Some of the efforts I have been part of include changing job ads to include only inclusive phrasing and information. I will continue to educate myself and broaden my knowledge as I believe this topic demands more attention from most working professionals. I am eager to take this knowledge and my inclusive mindset to support your organizations' diversity efforts."
Education
18. As a Facebook Recruiter, you should have a broad understanding of human resources topics and recruitment best practices. Walk us through your related education and training, and describe how it will benefit you in this role.
How to Answer
In many of its job postings, Facebook does not ask for a specific educational background of its Recruiter candidates. Depending on the focus of the recruitment role, you may benefit from various types of formal education and training. For instance, Facebook hires recruiters for university recruitment, technical recruitment, engineering recruitment, data center recruitment, leadership recruitment, diversity recruitment, and more.
The interviewer wants to know about your training in hiring and recruitment-related topics such as best practices, compensation negotiations, or navigating complex HR-related situations. Think about the ways that your education and training have prepared you to succeed as a Facebook Recruiter. When outlining your education and training for the interviewer, be sure to mention the learning opportunities and experiences most relevant to the recruitment position (and department) you are interviewing for.
While attending post-secondary studies, you likely learned core skills that are transferable to any career path. For instance, if you worked on group projects in school, you could share how your education improved your ability to collaborate in environments like Facebook, which has cross-functional and multi-departmental teams.
If you do not have a formal post-secondary education, that is okay! Self-learning and work or life experience are all forms of education, too! Discuss what you have learned outside of any formal education and talk about your plan to apply that knowledge to benefit Facebook when they hire you.
Some of the skills you may have gained outside of formal education might include:
- Time management (relates to 'juggling multiple complex searches').
- Creative thinking (relates to 'creating innovative sourcing strategies').
- Teamwork (relates to 'collaborating closely with hiring managers').
- Research (relates to 'market mapping and competitor analysis').
- Communication (relates to 'proactively sharing data-centric updates with internal stakeholders').
- Analysis (relates to 'analyzing requirements to determine target profile needs and matches').
- Public speaking (relates to 'leading meetings and key initiatives with client groups and recruiting teams').
Answer Example
"I earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Economics from University XYZ, intending to place myself on a Human Resource Management career path. I really enjoyed the international business classes and decided to participate in the school's international business exchange program. This exchange allowed me to intern with a technology company in Singapore for 12 weeks, which was an incredible experience. During that time, I learned how to speak a little bit of Malay and Mandarin Chinese. While my primary education focused on business and strategic management, I also took coursework in critical thinking, ethics, and research methodologies, which will help me succeed as a Facebook Recruiter. My education in critical thinking will allow me to perform well when creating innovative sourcing and engagement strategies to bring the best talent to each role. My depth of knowledge in business ethics will ensure that I am mindful of remaining actively engaged in Facebook's diversity and inclusion hiring strategies. Last, my training in various research methodologies will help me to effectively coordinate closely with recruiting team members to innovate Facebook's research strategy for talent pooling, market mapping, and competitor analysis."
Experience
19. Facebook is looking for a Recruiter with experience mapping target companies, leveraging open source communities, and using creative sourcing techniques. Tell me about a time when you utilized your industry network to source exceptional talent.
How to Answer
As a Facebook Recruiter, it's essential that you can be creative and competitive in your sourcing techniques. Three specific methods for uncovering candidates in a competitive industry include talent mapping and leveraging open source communities.
- Talent Mapping: This term describes the practice of building an organizational chart to determine where viable candidates within your competing companies might be hiding. Talent mapping ensures that you don't miss a potentially excellent candidate because you spend time looking through the cracks. For instance, talent mapping might uncover that you should entertain one of your candidates' leaders who is more suited for your open position.
- Open Source Communities: A group of people (typically developers) who collaborate on building a product of shared interest. You can find open source communities online in places such as GitHub.
- Other Creative Sourcing Techniques: Moving your recruitment efforts beyond Boolean search and your company's ATS, consider other methods such as reaching out to potential candidates on platforms such as Medium or checking in with your competitors' newest hires and temperature test them for job satisfaction.
Talk to the interviewer about your creative candidate sourcing skills. Show that you understand the efforts you will need to be an impactful Recruiter for Facebook and its industry which often requires highly competitive talent attraction and candidate sourcing strategies.
Include a brief story describing when a specific creative sourcing technique helped you find and hire a terrific candidate. You can use the STAR answer method for delivering your story-based response. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result.
- Situation: Provide the contextual information the interviewer needs to know to make sense of your story.
- Task: Continuing to set the stage, give the interviewer an idea of your role and responsibilities in this story.
- Action: Next, offer a detailed description of the steps you took in this story.
- Result: Last, talk about the specific, measurable outcomes that resulted from your actions.
Answer Example
"One of my strongest skills as a Recruiter is my ability to develop and execute fully comprehensive sourcing plans. I understand that Facebook is highly competitive in its candidate sourcing and talent attraction strategies, and I come prepared to be an active and impactful leader in these efforts. (Situation & Task) As a Recruiter for Company XYZ, we also face the highly competitive candidate market that comes with the tech space. I often need to source candidates who seem nearly impossible to find; however, it's a wonderful feeling when I uncover the right fit! (Action) Just last week, I was sourcing for a Technical Program Manager with experience in AI and ML hardware. The individual needed to have leadership experience in technical program management in a matrix organization and bring knowledge of infrastructure engineering. Rather than begin looking in the company's ATS, I decided to start with competitors with the same need. I went on LinkedIn and filtered my search to individuals who had just started working for a competitor in a similar role. I found three individuals in total. Although I was aware that these individuals were passive candidates and may not be looking for a new position already, I was equally aware that they might be dissatisfied with their new position and desire to leave. (Result) In the end, one of the three people that I sourced was, in fact, dissatisfied with their newly secured role. We are currently entertaining them and will likely be putting out a job offer next week. This is just one example of how I have positively impacted my current employer as a creative and diligent Recruiter. I look forward to doing the same for Facebook!"
Experience
20. As a Facebook Recruiter, you will be asked to facilitate and lead meetings, present key initiatives, and discuss projects with department leaders. Tell me about your experience in giving presentations to groups of decision-makers and stakeholders.
How to Answer
Recruiters will often have to pitch and present ideas and approaches to department leaders and other internal stakeholders. These presentations may persuade others to buy into a new talent attraction strategy or pitch a new candidate.
Show the interviewer that you have experience in pitch preparation by discussing the types of meetings you have facilitated in the past. Mention the job titles of those you have presented so that the interviewer understands the level of responsibility you have held in past positions. Also, mention if you have completed any training in pitches and presentations or even public speaking.
If you are an experienced Recruiter, you may have put in project bids or filled out requests for proposals (RFP's) in the past. Or, perhaps you have assisted with collecting the data required to draft a compelling pitch or proposal. Discuss any exposure you have with bids and proposals. If you have training in writing bids, be sure to mention this training.
Answer Example
"I am comfortable with public speaking and addressing decision-makers in formal and informal settings. Most of the presentations I participate in address the decision-makers of the organization. These groups include Executives and leaders from various departments. When I first started working for Company XYZ as a Recruiter, I was newer to my career and lacked experience giving presentations, public speaking, and addressing stakeholder groups. To improve my skills and confidence, I took a training course in writing pitches. It was called 'Pitch Anything' by Oren Klaff. This course changed how I approached nearly every meeting. I now go into a presentation with a much clearer idea of my purpose, and I am more persuasive when approaching internal stakeholders. If you would like, I can send you one of my previously delivered presentations to see the style I utilize in my meetings. I am eager to bring my experiences to this Recruiter role, collaborate with, and be an active partner to Facebook's talented leaders."
Experience
21. Facebook Recruiters must have an in-depth knowledge of full-cycle recruitment. Please walk us through your experience in full-cycle recruitment, including sourcing, screening, engaging, and closing candidates.
How to Answer
As a Facebook Recruiter, you will be expected to manage full-cycle recruiting activities, including pipeline searches, creating and executing innovative sourcing strategies, and engagement to bring the best talent. Another significant aspect of working as a Recruiter at Facebook is coordinating numerous talent acquisition projects.
The interviewer wants you to discuss the various recruitment activities you are best versed with. Walk the interviewer through your experience, including the tools you use to succeed in your role. The hiring authority must be able to picture you succeeding and fitting in as their new Recruiter, working well with existing processes, and meeting Facebook's performance expectations.
Highlight your experience managing the interview process, taking care of candidate documentation, and taking action steps critical to successful new hire onboarding. Take the interviewers through your processes, and be sure to include details of any software, tips, tricks, and tools that you utilize to ensure you remain on track and organized as a recruitment professional.
Answer Example
"In my current position, I am responsible for the talent acquisition of approximately 60 new hires every year. I also help HR lead new hire orientation sessions. During all of this, I keep my department managers, company directors, and candidates in close conversation throughout the entire interview and offer process. I ensure that proposals do not go sideways due to bad communication or unrealistic expectations from either party. This year, I have facilitated 18 job offers so far, managing negotiations from salary to start date and even benefits. I keep up to date on market trends and what our company competitors are offering. I know what employees are earning based on their location, education level, and years of experience. I am 100% comfortable taking full control during job offer negotiations. This volume means that I require complete organization, and every step needs immediate documenting. I lean on Sage People, a cloud-based HR system that allows me to track every action we take with a candidate. I book interviews and track them in Outlook, which everyone on our team uses. I have excellent follow-up habits, which is a must to staying organized and well-coordinated as a busy Recruiter."
Leadership
22. In this role, you will partner closely with a community of Facebook Recruiters to build the team's new recruiting approach. What do you believe are the most critical areas to focus on when changing the recruitment landscape in the tech industry?
How to Answer
There are numerous social issues to consider regarding ethical and responsible recruitment in the tech industry. Over many years, Facebook has been diligent in continually improving its efforts to ensure a positive recruitment experience for its candidates and employees. These efforts include an improved focus on removing unconscious bias from the selection process and putting talent sourcing efforts into reaching more diverse candidate groups.
The interviewer wants to hear what you believe to be the most important focus areas to continue these efforts. When looking at changing the recruitment landscape in the tech industry, some critical areas include:
- Removing antiquated and obsolete practices that slow down the recruitment process.
- Leveraging new tech such as AI and NLP to improve processes and reduce candidate bias.
- Shifting the conversation away from recruiters waiting for candidates to apply to recruiters who actively source.
Answer Example
"For the past three years, I have worked as a Senior Recruiter for Company XYZ. Part of my job description when hired was to help form stronger hiring strategies and identifying weaknesses in the company's current recruiting processes. What I have observed in this process is how challenging it is to reach and engage candidates from diverse communities who are not readily found in the world of tech. We need more intentional recruitment efforts to reach Black, Latinx, and women professionals interested in STEM. Another area of concentration directly tied to this diversity issue should be addressing the location concentration of tech company head offices, which limits our ability to reach talent outside of these saturated regions. There are many antiquated processes and procedures in the recruitment industry, and it's very refreshing to see companies like Facebook so willing to implement change and change the outlook of the industry's recruitment landscape. I look forward to helping Facebook continue to make an impact and improve the recruitment landscape for the tech industry."
Leadership
23. Facebook Recruiters proactively recommend and drive process improvements that impact candidate identification and engagement. If hired, how will you contribute as a thought leader for Facebook's recruitment team?
How to Answer
The interviewers want to know that you are an active contributor ready to act as a thought leader to benefit from Facebook's teams and recruitment efforts. The hiring landscape is continually changing. As a Facebook Recruiter, you must keep your recruitment knowledge fresh, keeping you on top of your game as a thought leader and persuasive and influential person who can advocate for the best possible recruitment strategies and candidate experiences.
Highlight the efforts you currently take and discuss the actions you will continue to make to ensure your position as a thought leader and trusted advisor in the recruitment space.
Answer Example
"For the past six months, I have been posting personally curated articles on LinkedIn weekly. It's important to me to get my thoughts out, pose questions to my network, share what I have learned, and contribute to the conversation around recruitment and fair hiring practices. I enjoy writing these articles and am always thrilled when someone comments to deepen the discussion or shares my posts with their network. In addition to these efforts, I am always reading and educating myself to have knowledgeable conversations with the Executives and department leaders I support. When I join Facebook as a Recruiter, I will continue to contribute as a thought leader by sharing important content, sending resources and tools to department leaders, and being prepared to contribute research-backed ideas and opinions in every conversation."
Leadership
24. As a Facebook Recruiter, you will know how to prioritize business needs and push back on stakeholders when appropriate. Tell us about a time when you influenced hiring practices.
How to Answer
Possessing the skills to change or improve a hiring practice in the workplace is a valuable asset for any recruiter. When working at Facebook, it will be essential for you to push back on thought patterns, antiquated mindsets, or other decisions - when appropriate - to protect the company's best interests and uphold the integrity of the recruitment process.
When asked a behavioral or scenario-based question like this one, be prepared to support your response with a real-life story example. A response based on a story of 'a time when...' can be crafted using the STAR method. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result.
- Situation: Provide the contextual information the interviewer needs to know to make sense of your story.
- Task: Continuing to set the stage, give the interviewer an idea of your role and responsibilities in this story.
- Action: Next, offer a detailed description of the steps you took in this story.
- Result: Last, talk about the specific, measurable outcomes that resulted from your actions.
Talk to the interviewer about a time you recognized a need to change or enhance a hiring practice. Touch on the steps you took to implement the change and how you measured the success of this initiative. At the end of your response, make a connection between your influence and how it will benefit Facebook should they hire you for this recruitment position.
Answer Example
"(Situation & Task) When I first started as a Recruiter for Company XYZ, the standard interview practices were not consistent between department managers. Too often, when new hires arrived, we found they lacked the behaviors that would enable them to be successful within our work environment. I knew immediately that this process needed improvements if the company was going to have a successful talent acquisition plan. (Action) I took the initiative to implement more behavioral interview questions in the interview process. I also introduced online skills testing for most roles. To achieve this, I gained buy-in from our leadership team by including them in creating the interview questions and determining the set benchmarks for each role. We all worked together to create a system that would equip our leaders and department managers with the skills to effectively and consistently interview candidates. Then, we measured our success by monitoring turnover, retention, and time-to-hire metrics. (Result) We changed the process and improved our turnover rate by 15% in the first 3 months. When I join Facebook as a Recruiter, I will make decisions and take actions that prioritize business needs. I will apply my experience with candidate care and balancing processes to ensure positive candidate experiences. I will also continue to exude confidence when I speak openly and respectfully with stakeholders and other decision-makers."
Problem Solving
25. What do you believe will be Facebook's biggest recruitment-related challenge in the coming years? How will your skills and expertise help us to overcome this potential challenge?
How to Answer
As a skilled Recruiter, you should be thinking ahead to what is in store for the recruitment industry in the years to come. Events such as economic recessions and global pandemics have put the recruitment industry into a tailspin of change in the past. You likely know that this change will continue gaining momentum, and the interviewer would like to hear how you believe these changes will impact Facebook in the coming years.
Facebook is looking for a recruitment professional who remains in the know on industry topics such as changes in the recruitment landscape. Talk to the interviewer about the ways you ensure that your knowledge is up-to-date. Assure the decision-maker that you are the right person with the interest and expertise to help support Facebook in the midst of current and future change.
Answer Example
"I actively keep tabs on the happenings in recruitment, and have been immersing myself in articles discussing recruitment in the coming 12 months, and into the longer-term future. One of the most significant recruitment-related challenges that I believe Facebook will encounter shortly is revamping traditional and sometimes antiquated employee compensation packages. The time is coming for companies to comb through compensation offerings and truly decide if they are attractive to the modern candidate. For instance, with many employees expecting remote work to be the default, there should be allocations specifically set aside for employees who have to work on location. This could include transportation and clothing-related benefits, for instance. I believe that customized benefits are the way we are going in the coming years. Facebook should continue to keep a keen eye on ways to boost engagement and morale by offering enhanced compensation options. My formal education is in Human Resources. In addition to my HR degree, I have recently completed coursework in compensation and benefits. If hired as a Facebook Recruiter, I will lend my knowledge of compensation legal frameworks and requirements. I will help analyze currently established pay structures while also utilizing my recruitment network to help identify external compensation competitiveness. I have training in developing unique incentive plans and strong knowledge in building a competitive total compensation strategy."
Scenario Based
26. Tell me about a mistake you made in the recruitment process. How did you fix the issue, and what did you learn from the situation?
How to Answer
The hiring authority at Facebook is interested in your ability to identify areas for improvement and learn from your mistakes in a positive, constructive way. Accepting feedback and learning from mistakes aids in your professional development as a recruitment professional. Your continued growth also benefits your employer. Talk about a time you made an error in the recruitment process. Briefly discuss the situation, how you course-corrected, and what you learned in the process.
STAR method, an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result.
- Situation: Provide the contextual information the interviewer needs to know to make sense of your story.
- Task: Continuing to set the stage, give the interviewer an idea of your role and responsibilities in this story.
- Action: Next, offer a detailed description of the steps you took in this story.
- Result: Last, talk about the specific, measurable outcomes that resulted from your actions.
Answer Example
"People are an organization's most valuable asset. Hiring top talent derives from an effective interview and vetting process. Early in my career, I relied heavily on assessing a candidate's previous employer references and education match. This heavy focus caused me to miss an opportunity to weigh their experiences or analyze how they executed their work. My team collaborated and made changes to the interview and qualifying process to improve our results. We learned that asking better questions would help us better assess candidates. We worked together to come up with deeper interview questions to help us make more informed hiring decisions."
Teamwork
27. Facebook seeks a Recruiter experienced in partnering with hiring managers, interviewers, and team members throughout the hiring process. How do you help your current company to make sound hiring decisions?
How to Answer
Bringing the best talent to the role is one of the primary objectives a Facebook Recruiter must achieve. There are many ways that a Facebook Recruiter can achieve this goal, and a significant part of reaching this target is successfully partnering with the company's hiring managers, team members, and stakeholders.
The interviewers want to see evidence that you can positively influence sound hiring decisions and your teams succeed through challenging talent acquisition projects. Show that you are ready to be a listening ear, an educated hiring partner, and a recruitment professional with sound judgment. Support your response by providing measurable examples of how you help your current company make the best hiring decisions.
Answer Example
"I am wholly committed to acting as a solid hiring partner to my company, and will do the same for Facebook. In my current role, I support the management team by helping them craft unique and engaging interview questions and competitive candidate attraction strategies. I also help the management team extend offers, lead professional negotiations, close candidates, and generate offer letters. Many of the hiring managers that I work alongside rely on my expertise in competitive hiring. In fact, just this year, we have managed to attract and poach 3 key department managers from our strongest competitors. Since I joined Company XYZ as a recruiter, our new hire retention rate has increased by 25%. I believe this increase is a result of careful talent attraction and mindful hiring processes. I look forward to delivering positive results like these as a Facebook Recruiter."
Teamwork
28. As a Facebook Recruiter, you will establish and maintain meaningful relationships with management and key cross-functional stakeholders. Tell me about a time when you collaborated with an internal team on hiring initiatives.
How to Answer
Promoting team collaboration is an essential skill for you to possess as a Facebook Recruiter. When critical hiring decisions are made, many stakeholders will weigh in on the decision. It's up to you to ensure that these relationships are built and maintained. As a Facebook Recruiter, you will often collaborate with hiring managers and client groups. You will also establish and maintain meaningful relationships with management and key cross-functional stakeholders internally, including Recruiting, HR, Compensation, and Diversity teams.
Provide the interviewer with an example of your excellent collaboration skills in action. Share a story of a time when you collaborated internally on a specific hiring initiative. Try forming your story using the STAR answer method. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result.
Answer Example
"I have many effective approaches for promoting team collaboration on hiring initiatives. These include openly communicating expectations and timelines and ensuring the team goals are clearly defined. (Situation & Task) Recently, my team was mandated to recruit a Software Engineer for a specifically challenging project. Company XYZ's key partners disagreed on the direction we should take to find fresh and competitive talent. The conflict was threatening to hurt our hiring deadline. As the Senior Recruiter, I felt entirely accountable if the project went off the rails. (Action) I jumped into action and called a meeting with my team of three recruiters, the recruitment assistant, the HR Manager, and the two Department Managers to whom this position would report. First, I pulled reports from our company's Applicant Tracking System and analyzed the data surrounding the current search activity, and highlighted where our teams could dig deeper. I reminded everyone that we were in this search together, and if we disagreed, causing us to leave this critical position vacant, we would all fail together. I asked each recruitment team member how they were using the company's existing recruitment tools. Then, I requested that we all brainstorm unique sourcing methods we could utilize immediately. I wanted us to generate ideas that went further than LinkedIn Talent Hub and the company's ATS. (Result) After this meeting, the team felt more encouraged, and they actively began exploring some of the unique search methods we brainstormed. By encouraging these stakeholders to share their insights with the recruitment team, we generated a more collaborative work environment. Just one week after this meeting, we sourced 3 talented candidates, and the first round of interviews is underway. If chosen as Facebook's next Recruiter, I will be diligent in establishing and maintaining meaningful relationships with management and key cross-functional stakeholders. I will encourage the sharing of ideas and information because I wholeheartedly believe there is always room for improvement when we look at the way cross-functional teams collaborate."
Teamwork
29. Facebook Recruiters are consultative in nature and leverage their interpersonal experience to communicate across all levels of the organization, internally and externally. In which ways do you act as a partner and consultant to your colleagues?
How to Answer
Facebook Recruiters act as consultants and project partners to various client groups, recruitment teams, and department leaders. You will help these leaders form talent attraction and hiring goals and build strategies around specific recruitment targets. The interviewers would like to know the different ways that you collaborate and communicate with your internal partners and others across your current company. Think of the ways that you act as a consultative partner in your current or most recent position. The details you provide should show the decision-makers that you are ready to be a reliable partner and consultant to others when hired as a Facebook Recruiter.
Some of the ways you can act as a partner and consultant in a recruitment role include:
- Ensuring you are well-informed on hiring needs.
- Possessing a strong grasp of industry terms and hiring trends.
- Be an informative connection and resource for recruitment-related topics.
- Maintain high-quality work, further proving your role as a valued team member.
- Continually introduce modern, thoughtful, and impactful recruitment processes.
When responding, highlight your interpersonal experience and emphasize how you communicate across all levels of your organization. Last, be sure to express how you plan to act as a partner and consultant to Facebook when you are hired as their next Recruiter.
Answer Example
"As a Recruiter, I am mindful of assuming the role of strategic partner and coach, as I forge strong relationships with my co-workers and leaders across departments. I currently achieve this by first ensuring a full understanding of each departments' hiring needs and expectations. I spend time listening to each department leaders' needs while learning the culture of their existing team. Then, I create a customized search strategy based on that information. Using this approach, I build the trust required to push back if a leaders' candidate expectations are misaligned with the competitive market. I also act as a partner by respecting all candidates with whom I have a touchpoint. This approach ensures that I model professionalism on behalf of every department. I remain educated on the news and concerning topics such as discrimination so that I remain seen as a trusted and knowledgeable consultant. When I join Facebook as a Recruiter, I will quickly become a trusted partner to my new colleagues and leaders. I will continue to educate myself on the hiring market, specifically within the tech industry, allowing me to make recommendations based on a 360 view of the market and competitive landscape. This approach will help us all to make well-educated and data-focused decisions that boost Facebook's recruitment practices and influence sound hiring decisions."
Tough
30. Facebook has a world-class team working together to help drive our ambitions and scale to the next level. If hired as a Recruiter, how will your experience and approach benefit Facebook?
How to Answer
This question is another way for the interviewer to ask why Facebook should hire you. For this reason, your answer must directly address the ways that hiring you will benefit Facebook.
First, consider the hard skills and soft skills you bring that are a match to Facebook's Recruiter job description. Hard skills can include specific knowledge you have gained through your recruitment or HR-related training and post-secondary education. Soft Skills can be the traits you possess, such as emotional intelligence and sociability. Think about any industry accolades or career achievements you've achieved. Perhaps you have taken the initiative to complete additional job training or learn a second language.
Next, comb through the job description very carefully. It's essential to answer this question in a way that places less focus on your needs and focuses more on Facebook's needs and the benefit of hiring you as their next Recruiter. Looking at this specific Recruiter job description, you can quickly determine what Facebook is really looking for in their successful candidate. Ensure you are fully prepared to connect the dots between what Facebook needs and what you can deliver.
Avoid giving a drab recap of your resume and instead point out exceptional highlights from your career thus far. Offer details of accomplishments you are proud of and even consider incorporating a story. Whatever your approach, ensure that your response stands out from the typical generic response many other candidates will give. This question is an opportunity to sell yourself for the role, after all.
Answer Example
"I understand that Facebook is seeking a Recruiter with a proven ability to manage full-cycle recruiting efforts for multiple, complex searches. The company also seeks a Recruiter capable of creating innovative sourcing strategies and engagement to bring the best talent to each role. My recruitment experience, and past results, align very well with these needs. I am an experienced Recruiter, having led full-cycle recruitment efforts for complex searches in the tech industry for nearly 8 years. This year, for Company XYZ, I have helped fill over 50 complex technical roles, including Technical Project Managers and Senior Software Engineers. Over 80% of my shortlisted candidates have been hired, putting me on the leaderboard for top recruitment activities company-wide. I am a passionate recruiter who is very hands-on and approachable. I continually research new ways to source passive candidates strategically, ensuring my employer can choose from top-tier talent every time. It would be an honor to bring my knowledge, skills, and traits to Facebook as your next Recruiter, helping the company achieve its goals of scaling and reaching new heights."