A recent poll of 1000 American graduates asked the question ‘who would you most like to work for’? Amongst the most popular answers were Facebook, Google and Apple. These companies are clearly very successful and considered innovative by many. But, looking beyond the headlines, what is it really like to work at Facebook and what are the opportunities for employment with this iconic company?
In August last year, Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook planned to double its staff in 2012. The main sectors for staff growth are software engineers, designers, online security specialists and advertising sales people, to drive forward the growth of the company.
Facebook offices are now located all over the world. Their head office is in California, but the company is currently recruiting for staff in offices from London to India to Japan, Argentina, Madrid, South Korea, Hong Kong and beyond. If you are a bright, driven individual with the right skills you could find yourself working in just about any part of the world. But would you want to work for Facebook?
A survey by Business Insider (Dec 2009) asked Facebook staff about the main pro’s and con’s of working at Facebook.
Work At Facebook: The Pro’s
- Stock options. (This is clearly a huge benefit given the perceived value of Facebook stock)
- Flexible work hours and ability to work at home. Facebook realizes that in the modern world people work better when they are given the freedom to manage their own work/life balance and not be restricted by a daily commute and set hours.
- You get to work on a great product that all your friends will use
- An open and sociable culture
- An opportunity to shine. Facebook company wants to maintain a ‘start up’ mentality, so if you have a good idea you get to run with it with out interference from management.
Work At Facebook: The Con’s
- Inexperienced management
- Company is growing too fast, it needs more organisation
- Workplace is becoming more high pressured due to drive to succeed
- Some staff disgruntled; feel undervalued and too much work for the number of staff
Much has been written over the last few years about Facebooks’ lack of professionalism with regard to recruiting and retaining their staff. Everyone from young graduates to top executives has left, sometimes to join the likes of Google and other top tech companies. However, the reason for leaving isn’t always negative as sometimes assumed. Many who were there almost from the start have left to start their own companies, as their ideas don’t quite fit with the direction Facebook is going in. Others have ‘outgrown’ the young company culture as they marry and have kids. Some, who have been able to cash in their stock options have become so rich, they no longer need to work!
Overall, Facebook seems a great company for young, enthusiastic and exceedingly bright graduates to really make their mark. It’s likely that you won’t be there in 5 years time, but does that really matter?
What are your thoughts? Would you like to work for Facebook?