Interview process in a big company

Working for a big company certainly has positives and negatives.

A cog in the machine where individual contributions seem meaningless keeps many candidates away. But, big companies can offer some spectacular career benefits for those who like to be part of something much bigger.

Being recruited by a big business in the first place is a major accomplishment. Only the best graduates will be considered but then can expect to be groomed, supported and mentored towards success. Demands on the elite are enormous but the rewards can be spectacular, even eye-watering. If you are experienced already it is very likely you will only be considered if you are from another big business, in the same industry, and have a perfect track record.

Big businesses don’t take hiring risks on outliers.

So, if working for a global business behemoth is your dream how do you get in and what’s the process?

The route for many is on a graduate recruitment program. Major companies work closely with universities and specialist graduate recruitment companies to attract top graduates.

Once you’ve left university the route become much more complex and challenging. As mentioned above elite organizes tend to hire from similar organizations.

Be clear on one thing. Large corporates know what they want. A look at the LinkedIn profiles of your prospective comrades will give to an idea. In short, these companies are looking for impeccable candidates with a strong education and relevant experience. They want the best.

If you’re not already a winner your chances are slim.

Big companies are rarely interested in taking a risk on anyone unless you are hired as part of a diversity program.

If you are one of the best then you can be sure you will be put through a gauntlet of interviews, tests, and assessments. You will be expected to invest many hours in preparing presentations designed to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that you’ve got the right stuff.

Very large companies can have 100,000+ employees and like governments have complex hiring processes. There will be many people involved in making the final decision. You will be put through a series of, often duplicate, interviews so that every potential touchpoint has input on your candidacy.

How long can this take?

Well, if you are hired within 6 weeks, you’re lucky. 2-3 months is more typical and 4-6 months is not uncommon.

So, if working for a global machine is your dream be very good and very patient.

Is it worth it? For some certainly. But if your dream is to one-day launch an industry shattering start-up? Probably not.