Everyone dreams of working in a multinational, with big pay, amazing benefits and all.
How about an opportunity to work with companies like Google and Facebook? That’ll definitely be a dream come true.
But, how does one land jobs at such companies?
In an interview with , executives at top companies like Google and Facebook shared job interview advice that’ll help you ace interviews at their companies.
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Hone in on the company’s core values
Facebook global head of recruiting Miranda Kalinowski – “My advice is, know or explore your passion around connecting the world, because it is at the heart of every single thing we do here. Once you know it, be able to demonstrate it. Think about your own Facebook story.”
So, in order to land a job at Facebook, all you really to do is tie your own passions and abilities back to the tech company’s core values.
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Be specific about what you want to do
Google senior vice president of platforms and ecosystems Hiroshi Lockheimer – “It’s important to know what you are passionate about. It’s not just, ‘Oh, I want to work at Google’ — but I’ve heard some people say that.”
To land a job at Google, you should know exactly what you want to do there. Why do you want to work at Google? How do you intend to use your skills to be of impact at Google?
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Emphasize your impact
PayPal chief learning officer Derek Hann – “What are the fingerprints that you left behind?”
Job interviews are basically conversations about the value a candidate can bring to a company and vice versa.
That’s why PayPal chief learning officer Derek Hann said he wants to learn about the value and impact candidates had in former roles. If you can convey the results you’ve been able to bring about in the past, you’ll be in good shape.
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Highlight your curiosity
VP of HR for IBM Watson Obed Louissant – “I think one of the things that bind a number of IBMers together is an endless curiosity. It is a significantly scaled organization and we’re always going into new ventures, so our people have to be able to share that attribute around being curious and tenacious.”
Want to impress your interviewer at IBM? Highlight your pursuit of lifelong learning.
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Speak up
RBC Capital Markets managing director and head of US human resources Liz Lieberman – “I’m drawn to people who show a natural proclivity towards learning and individuals who aren’t afraid to have an opinion and challenge others,”
If you’re used to saying yes at everything you’re told, if you’re a ‘Yes man’ with no opinion of your own, you might run into some trouble when interviewing for a job at RBC Capital Markets.
So speak up and share your thoughts from the get go.
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Stop saying ‘I’ so much
Jet.com president Liza Landsman – “People who only use the pronoun ‘I’ in interviews are a washout for us,” Liza Landsman, president of Jet.com, told Business Insider. “There are very few tech-centered organizations that don’t require a high degree of collaboration.”
You’re expected to talk about yourself in job interviews. Just make sure you don’t overdo it.
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Follow up with a thoughtful ‘thank you’ note
PwC US talent acquisition lead Rod Adams – “When the follow-up is personal, that’s when it stands out. They picked up on something in the conversation that they referred back to in the follow-up.”
For many recruiters, following up with a thank you note after the interview isn’t just a nice touch on the part of the candidate. It’s a necessity.
PwC US talent acquisition lead Rod Adams told Business Insider that certain follow up messages can even boost a candidate’s chances.
So put some thought into your next thank you note and refer back to something you discussed during the interview itself.
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Ask questions you can’t get answers to elsewhere
ex-global head of human capital management Goldman Sachs Edith Cooper – “By asking questions along the way and helping drive the conversation, you’re more likely to make a connection with the interviewer and leave a positive impression,” former global head of human capital management Goldman Sachs Edith Cooper wrote in a LinkedIn post.
“The best questions that candidates ask in an interview are the ones that they can’t get an answer to in other places,”
Never show up to a job interview empty-handed. Before you head in, think up some informed and thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer.
Examples could include, “How has this position evolved?” and “How would you describe the company culture?”
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Know what you want to do after you leave the company
LinkedIn head of recruiting Brendan Browne – “I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure we paint that picture for you and we can have you join the company.”
It’s a good idea to have a general career roadmap sketched out in your mind, in case you’re asked about your long term game plan.
Brendan Browne, LinkedIn’s head of recruiting, told Business Insider he always wants to know what candidates plan to do after they leave the networking platform. It’s a tactic for discovering whether or not the candidate’s goals “align” with LinkedIn’s.
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