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Justin C, a software engineering manager based in Seattle, had interviewed at other companies; but it was Facebook’s focus on moving fast and being scrappy that excited him most. After going through Facebook’s Bootcamp experience, he decided to join the News Feed team in Menlo Park. But when presented with the opportunity to move to Seattle and grow the News Feed team there, Justin jumped at the chance.
Now, just a year-and-a-half later, Justin has helped build and grow the team in Seattle, and has transitioned from a tech lead to a manager. We sat down with Justin to hear more about the lessons he’s learned building a team from the ground up, and his advice for other engineers looking to join Facebook.
How did the opportunity to move offices come about, and how easy was that process?
It happened pretty organically. I was working in Menlo Park, and in a meeting one day, some of the managers asked if we knew any engineers who wanted to move to Seattle to grow the News Feed team there. Having previously lived in Vancouver, it felt like the perfect fit for me. I expressed interest in the position and had the chance to try working in Seattle before fully committing. During my monthly trips there, I began recruiting a team, which was a really cool experience. We’ve grown from just four people to an end-to-end team with project managers, designers, researchers and data scientists. It has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done at Facebook yet.
How would you describe the culture in Seattle now?
We’ve built a strong culture with low turnover. We have a no-blame philosophy; if something doesn't go as planned, it’s not one person’s fault. We’re always discussing how we can make things better next time, and ensuring that we don’t make the same mistake more than once. The team is fairly self-supportive, but we do video chat with team members in our Menlo Park headquarters for top-level guidance. We have a lot of fun, too. We do a game night once a month and a happy hour every other Friday.
News Feed is such a prominent product, and used by billions of people every day. What kind of qualities are you looking for in engineers to work on such a high-impact product?
When people join the team they’re often surprised at how quickly we move. Our team in particular pivots a lot because our product is so critical to Facebook’s overall strategy. Helping people learn the ability to adapt and focus on the biggest priorities is important. We’re ok with shipping software for the purpose of learning, so that we can figure out if the changes we’ve made are headed in the right direction - and then perfect the software from there. That can take some getting used to.
What can engineers expect from Facebook’s hiring process?
One thing that stood out to me when I was interviewing is how Facebook actually listened to me and heard my concerns. They even put me in contact with a handful of engineers and managers to get a better idea of what it's like to work here. That doesn’t stop at recruiting, though. After being hired, managers always make sure that every engineer is working on a project they’re passionate about. They don’t just assign you to a team based on your skillset; they let you choose which project you’d most like to work on, which is where Bootcamp comes in.
Bootcamp is such an amazing process. The first week is orientation where you get acquainted with Facebook’s platforms and processes, and talk to a variety of managers across different projects. It was hard for me to narrow down which team I wanted to work with, so I was given the option to work with each team for one week to help determine the best fit. I went to project meetings, worked in their code base, and got to know each team better. In all, I spent about 8 - 10 weeks to make a decision. And it’s a process I wouldn’t change at all.
Now, as a manger myself, I encourage those who are in Bootcamp to take advantage of the opportunity to get to know as many teams possible.
What advice do you have for engineers looking to join Facebook?
Make sure it’s the right company for you. Facebook reaches over two billion people, and every person is very different. We’re focused on how we can create a great experience and value for all those people - every culture, every level of education, every type of person around the world.
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