Get into the Facebook RPM Program in 2022

Just as prestigious as Google, but open to a much more diverse set of candidates, the Facebook Rotational Product Manager (RPM) program is a coveted role. If you think it might be for you, there's a lot you need to know. From the application to the return offer, we have all the details.

Before we get started, some logistics:

Dates to remember:

• July 11, 2022: Applications open
• August 12, 2022: Application deadline
• January 2023: First start date
• July 2023: Second start date

Cities you can be in:

There are five Facebook offices that support RPMs: Menlo Park, Seattle, New York City, London, and Tel Aviv.

RPM is a remote-eligible position in the United States. RPMs hired as remote employees must reside in the United States or be able to relocate to the United States by their start date.

What is the Facebook RPM Program?

This is an 18-month program, during which you work on 3 different product teams. Each of the 3 rotations is 6 months long to allow for broader exposure to diverse product areas.

The RPM program is designed for you to be a full-fledged product manager at the end of it.

This is a very difficult field to break into and Facebook showers their RPMs with coaching, exposure to meaningful projects and support in the organization.

At the end of the 18th month, everyone who does well can stay full-time at Facebook, with the chance to return to a team they had on rotation or find a completely new team. It's rare for an RPM to leave after the program, but a few have explored starting their own companies after graduating.

Who gets in?

You don't have to have a CS background.

While Google selects for folks with engineering backgrounds, the PM interview at Facebook prioritizes what they call "product sense". In other words, the program looks for potential and creative problem solving above all else. RPM assembles teams with cognitive diversity in mind.

RPM is for individuals completely new to product management. People with more than 1 year of PM experience (including PM internships) should apply for PM roles found on Facebook Careers.

Successful RPM candidates exhibit:

• Analytical and problem-solving skills: can define and analyze metrics to make informed decisions
• Organizational and leadership skills: can explain instances where they've helped others utilize their strengths, working with co-workers to prioritize tasks and get things done in a fast-paced environment

Both Google and Facebook recruiters screen 8000-10000 applicants every year for their PM programs. Google accepts about 45, and Facebook accepts around 15 people.

That's a <1% acceptance rate!

How do I make my application stand out?

Improve your resume to become a Facebook RPM

While Google has a strong preference for technical background, Facebook's RPM program selects for people with consulting, founder, or civic engagement backgrounds. As a new grad, one of the most important things you can do to stand out is showcase projects you've participated in or ran independently.

Facebook looks for individuals with a lot of potential. This often means they select 'dream resumes' with top schools, top grades, and a strong track record of 'getting things done', despite not having much full-time experience.

But not always.

Very frequently, folks from lesser known colleges or employers will get offers, as long as their resume shows a very strong track record of accomplishment.

In your resume, lean on skills and accomplishments Facebook values:

1. Highlight product management skills you learned building side projects
2. Showcase product sense by attaching a portfolio and showing user empathy
3. Emphasize project management skills you learned as a leader in school or at work
4. Show you're analytical and make data-driven decisions

If they like your application...

You will receive an invitation from a recruiter after applying directly on the facebook site here ( http://fbrpms.com ), getting scouted, or getting referred in. 

Some (but not all) strong applicants will be looped in to "invite-only" informational sessions with recruiters. A Deloitte junior employee recalls an event she attended:

"I applied last night. Attended a few of their invite only info sessions, and they really seem to value consulting experience. Tips on the interview is to tie your story and your case into facebooks mission, and align towards their core values. They’re big on that and their culture. Good luck!"

What does the interview process look like?

Rotational Product Managers are given real projects and responsibilities on the product team. Since they're significant contributors to the company, the interview process is incredibly selective. Here's how it's structured:

1. You will first be invited to a recruiter phone screen
2. Next, there is a first round of pm interviews conducted over video call. It focuses on product sense and execution.
3. Some candidates are invited to second round interviews, if the calibration of their first round interview was unclear.
4. Finally, there's an "onsite" interview, which is now done remotely, and finalists are selected for the rotational program.

The RPM interview process strays from the typical behavioral interviews where you talk about your past experience. The focus is on case studies where you'll think through problems as you would on the job.

They'll be paying attention to how you approach problems, think about tradeoffs, empathize with users, think about user segments, and your overall creativity.

The interview process involves three key types of questions...

See all Facebook RPM questions + answers from last year here.​

How do I prepare for the interview?

While the process for many tech company PM programs is similar - Facebook is completely unique. What flies at Google or Microsoft is not going to work here. So if you want to make it to the final round, follow this advice carefully:

1. Stop reading books like Decode and Conquer by Lewis Lin. This may have worked 20 years ago, but you will actively sabotage yourself if you use this for your prep now. The techniques are outdated and methods like CIRCLES are actually looked down upon by interviewers and recruiters alike.
2. Stop mocking with peers. Mock interviewing can help you get more eloquent, but will not improve your content. In fact, since you and your peer both don't have the job, neither of you is qualified to give advice to the other. Instead, join communities like this one where you can practice privately and get feedback from senior professionals. 
3. Stop looking at Glassdoor for interview questions. Since the RPM program only happens yearly, the questions become stale quickly. Instead look here for recent product management questions, which are much more likely to appear on your interview.

See all Facebook RPM questions + answers from last year here.

The perks of the program

According to Facebook, the RPM program is all about career development. They make a huge investment in their cohorts because most RPMs take full time jobs with Facebook at the end:

Mentorship is at the core of the RPM program. Each RPM has a PM manager who stays with them throughout their program experience. Your manager is responsible for making sure you're developing and growing in your career. In addition, each rotation is staffed with a PM mentor to guide you through the more tactical pieces of the day-to-day job. The program also provides other resources, such as learning and development classes, internal and external speakers, and learnings from peers to help you grow into a well-rounded, versatile, and innovative product thinker.

Research trip

RPMs embark on a research trip with the goals of developing user empathy, researching international technology trends, and meeting with business partners. You visit 3 countries for two weeks!

Community events

From quarterly offsites to the annual RPM holiday party, the RPM program creates a vibrant, international community of current and former RPMs.