Common fears before joining Facebook that I've since resolved:
- “FB has so many designers—I don't want to be just another cog in the wheel!”
- While true, there's absolutely no reason a designer can't have meaningful impact. We have a ton of designers because we have a lot of meaningful and exciting projects going on at any given time. There's a lot more than meets the eye.
- “What about the commute?”
- From SF, sure, it can be a toil; 1.5hrs is a long one-way drive, but I've found teams are super flexible when you own your schedule, leave and arrive at the office when it's convenient for you, and spend your time on the shuttle how you like: working, reading, napping, or hanging out with friends you make on the ride.
- “How do I grow at a place as big as FB?”
- This is Facebook's key differentiator: I haven't got much firsthand experience, but I feel as though, and have heard from coworkers, that Facebook puts more emphasis on career development than any other tech employer. They rigorously ensure that people are competitively levelled, routinely encouraged to exceed their level expectations, and rightly promoted and compensated for reaching their goals.