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Is it hard to get a job at a big name company? If so then what are some of the best ways to get in?
I am 18 y/o, im currently trying to figure out what I want to do for a living one day. Ive always been relatively good with tech and so I feel being some type of tech engineer is a good route for me to take. #job #business #technology #information-technology
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16 answers
Updated
Rachel’s Answer
I love all the responses given, but I also believe in "it's not always what you know, but who you know". Networking is key to any area of your life. When you know what your interest is, find someone in that field or area and ask questions, go to coffee or lunch, send an email or text to ask your questions. Having a mentor will help tremendously in that area. Another option is checking with your college career center for opportunities to intern at any large companies that you might be interested in. Again, ensuring that the company focuses on your interests or career goals. Hope this helps!
I agree with Rachel. Networking is key to any area of your life.
Swarna Pratima Prabandam
Verizon its a Great company to work for!! they have a employment line, where you can reach out to find out what jobs are available i believe for most non management jobs there are test requirements, not sure about management jobs. I believe Verizon also has internships
cynthia rickard
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Heather’s Answer
Hi,
In addition to the responses above, I'll give a few insights based on recruiters I've spoken to and befriended in a large corporation.
1. It's all timing. They open applications in the order that are received because they get audited and need to show fairness. I was told to make sure applications are sent in within the first two days. They typically only open the first 15-30 applications and may receive over 200, many of which never get reviewed. Out of those 15 that get read, the first 5 that are qualified get sent to the hiring manager. You want to be in the first 15.
2. Think about your elevator pitch. Make sure your resume tells your story in the first upper third of your resume. They only read that first third and skim the rest really fast. They won't read multiple pages so make sure your key elements are on the first page on the top. In addition, make sure you use key words that are in the job description, so they can see a one-to-one match.
3. Get internships while in still school. Companies want to see relevant experience that relate to their business. If you can get an internship at a name brand company, even better. Corporations like hiring from other corporations, so they know you understand the corporate culture and inner workings of a matrix organization. Over time, if you never work at a corporation for your 20 year career, it's hard to get in. They just don't know what to do with you. I've been directly told this.
4. Many corporations have specific schools that they recruit at. If there are a lot of alumni from a specific school, you can assume they may have ongoing relationships with that school and will continue hiring from that university. But don't assume that means you need to attend an Ivy League. It may be a local state school. For example, if a corporation's main campus is NJ recruiting may happen at Rutgers, Penn State or University of Maryland, as well as other local universities.
In addition, hiring managers may have their own individual bias towards the universities they attended. Look on Linkedin to see if you can get advice from an alumni of your university that work at the company you want to get a job.
Hope that helps!
In addition to the responses above, I'll give a few insights based on recruiters I've spoken to and befriended in a large corporation.
1. It's all timing. They open applications in the order that are received because they get audited and need to show fairness. I was told to make sure applications are sent in within the first two days. They typically only open the first 15-30 applications and may receive over 200, many of which never get reviewed. Out of those 15 that get read, the first 5 that are qualified get sent to the hiring manager. You want to be in the first 15.
2. Think about your elevator pitch. Make sure your resume tells your story in the first upper third of your resume. They only read that first third and skim the rest really fast. They won't read multiple pages so make sure your key elements are on the first page on the top. In addition, make sure you use key words that are in the job description, so they can see a one-to-one match.
3. Get internships while in still school. Companies want to see relevant experience that relate to their business. If you can get an internship at a name brand company, even better. Corporations like hiring from other corporations, so they know you understand the corporate culture and inner workings of a matrix organization. Over time, if you never work at a corporation for your 20 year career, it's hard to get in. They just don't know what to do with you. I've been directly told this.
4. Many corporations have specific schools that they recruit at. If there are a lot of alumni from a specific school, you can assume they may have ongoing relationships with that school and will continue hiring from that university. But don't assume that means you need to attend an Ivy League. It may be a local state school. For example, if a corporation's main campus is NJ recruiting may happen at Rutgers, Penn State or University of Maryland, as well as other local universities.
In addition, hiring managers may have their own individual bias towards the universities they attended. Look on Linkedin to see if you can get advice from an alumni of your university that work at the company you want to get a job.
Hope that helps!
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Monica’s Answer
I believe the answer to your first question depends on different factors: is the company you are trying to get in aligned with your strengths, areas of expertise, interests, and overall background? and if you have already decided you want to actually work for a big company. In my case, I've had the chance to work for two big companies and one relatively small and I do prefer working for a bigger one. The main reason is because they seem to be more organized, have clear work objectives and in turn makes you spent less time trying to improve processes or fix gaps in existing ones. However, it depends on where you feel the most comfortable.
As with your second question, there are several ways you can get noticed. As Craig mentioned, a cover letter is one. But you can also get noticed by your previous work experiences or even non-paid experiences, extracurricular activities (job-related like volunteering in a foundation or organization that may benefit from your skills i.e. engineers without borders), and even former professor's endorsements. Polishing your LinkedIn profile every now and them is also a great way to get yourself noticed.
As with your second question, there are several ways you can get noticed. As Craig mentioned, a cover letter is one. But you can also get noticed by your previous work experiences or even non-paid experiences, extracurricular activities (job-related like volunteering in a foundation or organization that may benefit from your skills i.e. engineers without borders), and even former professor's endorsements. Polishing your LinkedIn profile every now and them is also a great way to get yourself noticed.
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Brad’s Answer
The competition can be intimidating when interviewing at larger companies so it is important to differentiate yourself from the field. The first step would be to expand your presence on applications like LinkedIn. This will provide networking opportunities with individuals that might hold roles within organizations you are considering.
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Elizabeth’s Answer
Great question! Build your LinkedIn network, and look for opportunities to volunteer or intern in your chosen field. You can connect with various recruiters that assist larger organizations find talent. A recruiter can provide guidance, direction and insight to help you land an entry level job. You can also search for mentors, many larger scale organizations have mentoring programs to help you grow your network too!
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Craig’s Answer
I would write a nice cover letter with your motivation , background and interest in the company and say how interested you are to even work for free for a period to get some experience.
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Michael’s Answer
The short answer is no, not necessarily ... Large companies hire some of the brightest out there and competition is keen. But interviewing and how you answer questions in the interview is very important. Being able to speak in front of groups and communicating your experience effectively to others is also important. Learn to be confident by increasing knowledge base i.e. taking speech classes , motivational course/s and also looks good on your resume.
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Peregrin’s Answer
As noted in many responses, there is a lot of good advice in all the answers above.
One option that you could also look at is starting out in a consulting firm. Large consulting firms will usually have quite a lot of opportunity for entry level positions, as their model tends to be to reduce total staff cost by putting junior staff on with some senior staff oversight. This also would give you opportunity to engage in a variety of projects, likely for various different customers and types so that you can really get a feel for if what or where you would want to work. Additionally, it allows you to develop your presenting skills and create a network of people, all of which would be very helpful in landing a job a a company that you dream of.
Best of luck.
One option that you could also look at is starting out in a consulting firm. Large consulting firms will usually have quite a lot of opportunity for entry level positions, as their model tends to be to reduce total staff cost by putting junior staff on with some senior staff oversight. This also would give you opportunity to engage in a variety of projects, likely for various different customers and types so that you can really get a feel for if what or where you would want to work. Additionally, it allows you to develop your presenting skills and create a network of people, all of which would be very helpful in landing a job a a company that you dream of.
Best of luck.
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Matt’s Answer
There are many factors. For one, it depends on which division of the organization you want to go into. If you are looking to be a software engineer or developer, you will need an appropriate degree to get that position. Work to get internships early and often as that will separate you from the pack of all of your peers who haven't interned. In addition, you meet individuals who are already employed by the company, who are older than you and have lots of experience and advice, and you will learn a lot about business and etiquette in general. Many interns end up getting hired by the company that they interned with, and even if you don't you have now met many of those folks who can potentially help you. Also it's a big resume builder that again will separate you from the pack, giving you much better odds of getting called for an interview over someone who hasn't.
When you interview, PREPARE. Do as much research on the company and the people you will be interviewing with. Have set questions you want to ask them, tell them how much you have learned about their company and that you WANT to be a part of the team. Don't just show up and react, they want to know how you can help them and that you want to be a part of the team.
One other thing, you may not get your dream job out of college, most people don't. Most people leave their first job after college after a year. The key is to work hard and do well at your current job and you can then use your experience and knowledge to move to a Google/Apple/Microsoft or whomever you desire.
Secondly, there are many positions at these larger companies where you don't need an engineering background. You can be part of Operations, Accounting, Sales, etc. I am in sales for a large software company and have no engineering or software background. But, I have a lengthy sales background. And i didn't start at a large software company. Out of college, competition was really high and i was unproven. I took a sales job at a used car dealership and grinded it out for 2 years. After about a year or so, I wanted to get into technology as income/salary potential was higher but i had no background or experience other than car sales. So I began submitting applications and attending career fairs to get my name out there, and began doing interviews. It was hard. I probably applied to 40 companies (small and big), was interviewed by maybe 7 or 8, but with each interview I got better and learned to really prepare for them.
After about 6 months, I received an offer for an outside sales role from a small, local IT company (~50 employees) that was willing to train me on the IT aspect of it. It wasn't a high paying job and wasn't even a pay raise over my car sales job, but it got my foot in the door. I busted my butt to learn the product and was studying even after work hours. Then I was knocking on doors and making about 50 cold calls per day to begin making sales. After about a year, i now had 3 total years of sales experience with 1 year of successful IT sales experience. I began applying for higher paying, larger company software jobs. Eventually was hired by a fast growing software company (~1,000 employees) who was about a year away from being acquired. It wasn't much of a pay raise. However, there was much more potential here. Again, I went the extra mile in terms of learning the product, communicating with customers and internal management, and really succeeding in my role through effort and a positive attitude. We were acquired by a massive Software company a year later.
I continued to perform through meeting sales objectives and quotas and slowly received pay raises. Over time, I have went from entry level salary/income to a very healthy number. At this point in my career with 10+ years of software sales experience, I can nearly pick which company I want to work for. The engineers/developers/operations/accounting/recruiters with similar experience are in even higher demand.
The biggest key IMO is to make the most of where you are currently, you may not get your dream job or salary right away, but don't give up, keep a positive attitude and keep succeeding wherever you are and you will eventually get to where you want to be.
When you interview, PREPARE. Do as much research on the company and the people you will be interviewing with. Have set questions you want to ask them, tell them how much you have learned about their company and that you WANT to be a part of the team. Don't just show up and react, they want to know how you can help them and that you want to be a part of the team.
One other thing, you may not get your dream job out of college, most people don't. Most people leave their first job after college after a year. The key is to work hard and do well at your current job and you can then use your experience and knowledge to move to a Google/Apple/Microsoft or whomever you desire.
Secondly, there are many positions at these larger companies where you don't need an engineering background. You can be part of Operations, Accounting, Sales, etc. I am in sales for a large software company and have no engineering or software background. But, I have a lengthy sales background. And i didn't start at a large software company. Out of college, competition was really high and i was unproven. I took a sales job at a used car dealership and grinded it out for 2 years. After about a year or so, I wanted to get into technology as income/salary potential was higher but i had no background or experience other than car sales. So I began submitting applications and attending career fairs to get my name out there, and began doing interviews. It was hard. I probably applied to 40 companies (small and big), was interviewed by maybe 7 or 8, but with each interview I got better and learned to really prepare for them.
After about 6 months, I received an offer for an outside sales role from a small, local IT company (~50 employees) that was willing to train me on the IT aspect of it. It wasn't a high paying job and wasn't even a pay raise over my car sales job, but it got my foot in the door. I busted my butt to learn the product and was studying even after work hours. Then I was knocking on doors and making about 50 cold calls per day to begin making sales. After about a year, i now had 3 total years of sales experience with 1 year of successful IT sales experience. I began applying for higher paying, larger company software jobs. Eventually was hired by a fast growing software company (~1,000 employees) who was about a year away from being acquired. It wasn't much of a pay raise. However, there was much more potential here. Again, I went the extra mile in terms of learning the product, communicating with customers and internal management, and really succeeding in my role through effort and a positive attitude. We were acquired by a massive Software company a year later.
I continued to perform through meeting sales objectives and quotas and slowly received pay raises. Over time, I have went from entry level salary/income to a very healthy number. At this point in my career with 10+ years of software sales experience, I can nearly pick which company I want to work for. The engineers/developers/operations/accounting/recruiters with similar experience are in even higher demand.
The biggest key IMO is to make the most of where you are currently, you may not get your dream job or salary right away, but don't give up, keep a positive attitude and keep succeeding wherever you are and you will eventually get to where you want to be.
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Richard’s Answer
Applying early and often is a great way to land the job. Applications can number in the hundreds for a given position and those reviewing those applications may not get to your application the first time around.
Internships are also a fantastic at gathering work experience that will make your resume more attractive to the employer. Depending on the employer, they may make getting the position you are interning for easier. Additionally, they are great tools for networking with people at that company.
Internships are also a fantastic at gathering work experience that will make your resume more attractive to the employer. Depending on the employer, they may make getting the position you are interning for easier. Additionally, they are great tools for networking with people at that company.
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Heather’s Answer
Hi There! I agree with the answers provided. For added insight, when applying for a large company always set a saved search and apply right away. Don't delay, some need to go in FIFO order. Also, add all skills to your resume, often times recruiters use skill search searches to further narrow the pool. And go even one step further on LinkedIn. Make sure your profile is sharp and reach out to recruiters who work for the company you are interested in. I live by the motto "if you wait until the job is posted to network, you're too late". You want to make sure you are in the recruiter's thoughts so they can pipeline you for a role down the road. Hope that helps!
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Claire’s Answer
In addition to the answers above - internships can be incredibly helpful in both getting your foot in the door (as well as gaining experience that would be attractive to other companies!) With some internships, if you are a good fit for the role/company/team (and they have an upcoming opening!) they may extend a full time offer or an offer to return for another internship (depending on your year). This also helps build your network - as many other answers have mentioned, it can really matter who you know!
Also - depending on where you are in life, if you're attending a school (whether that's a 4-year university, community/junior college, etc.) they might have a career center or resources available to help you prepare for interviews, build your resume, or make other connections. The career center at my school helped me get my first internship, which eventually led into a full-time position.
Best of luck!
Also - depending on where you are in life, if you're attending a school (whether that's a 4-year university, community/junior college, etc.) they might have a career center or resources available to help you prepare for interviews, build your resume, or make other connections. The career center at my school helped me get my first internship, which eventually led into a full-time position.
Best of luck!
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YC’s Answer
Chance favors only the prepared mind. During your study, equip yourself with the knowledge and skills to prepare yourself for your future career which you aim to be. Get internships in your preferred field and build your network via attending seminar and related event. Certainly, with a good resume and interview skill is a plus.
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Jai’s Answer
Not really as long as you have a credible profile to convince them you are the best candidate for them. A lot of folks graduating every year so competition is getting bigger and harder, and big companies have finite positions so they want the best to be picked.
Start with a good sTEm degree, target for high scores, pick a right project based on latest tech in demand (e.g. Cloud/AI/ML/Analytics/Security/etc), target for campus selection or follow a multinational graduate programme. Alternatively you can join an apprentice programme with a company earlier in your career and build upon it. Following a degree path will be a better option due to your learning and better future prospects connected to it. Build your network by attending recruitment/industry events and participate in various college/uni co-curricular activities and build your market profile on them. Value the time try to stay ahead of it -the more active you would be in your earlier student days better it would be for your career later.
Last but not least - interviews and interview skills are a great art so make sure you master it!
Start with a good sTEm degree, target for high scores, pick a right project based on latest tech in demand (e.g. Cloud/AI/ML/Analytics/Security/etc), target for campus selection or follow a multinational graduate programme. Alternatively you can join an apprentice programme with a company earlier in your career and build upon it. Following a degree path will be a better option due to your learning and better future prospects connected to it. Build your network by attending recruitment/industry events and participate in various college/uni co-curricular activities and build your market profile on them. Value the time try to stay ahead of it -the more active you would be in your earlier student days better it would be for your career later.
Last but not least - interviews and interview skills are a great art so make sure you master it!
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Mickael’s Answer
Hi Ever,
Every company has a different policy about who they are ready to hire. And companies in the same areas are fighting to get the best candidates they can get. And it is not because the domain you seeking job has a ton of opened positions that it is easy. Companies are looking for people that they feel will give them results.
How hard? Depends on you and the domain you are looking.
To make your way easier there are, I think, common points:
- get experience through projects and internships. Internships are usually easier to get because the expectations for an intern are way lower than for a hire. They are great to get experience.
- learn and be motivated to always learn.
- have a resume that concisely summarizes your academical training and skill in the domain, the projects and what you learn
- when you have an interview, be able to articulate clearly the ins and outs of the projects you worked on and be ready to be challenged.
Then it's all up to you and the company you are applying for. As a technical recruiter for my company I am looking at:
- Will I be able to properly work with this person (how do you fit in team work)?
- If this person does not know something (and nobody knows everything) can I teach him? Will she be able to learn?
- Can I expect this person to actually do something?
- Does this person understand what it means to work for a customer?
If I feel like you get a yes in them, you're in. The bar will be higher as your experience grows. I do not expect the same from an intern as I would from a 16 years old experienced person of course.
Every company has a different policy about who they are ready to hire. And companies in the same areas are fighting to get the best candidates they can get. And it is not because the domain you seeking job has a ton of opened positions that it is easy. Companies are looking for people that they feel will give them results.
How hard? Depends on you and the domain you are looking.
To make your way easier there are, I think, common points:
- get experience through projects and internships. Internships are usually easier to get because the expectations for an intern are way lower than for a hire. They are great to get experience.
- learn and be motivated to always learn.
- have a resume that concisely summarizes your academical training and skill in the domain, the projects and what you learn
- when you have an interview, be able to articulate clearly the ins and outs of the projects you worked on and be ready to be challenged.
Then it's all up to you and the company you are applying for. As a technical recruiter for my company I am looking at:
- Will I be able to properly work with this person (how do you fit in team work)?
- If this person does not know something (and nobody knows everything) can I teach him? Will she be able to learn?
- Can I expect this person to actually do something?
- Does this person understand what it means to work for a customer?
If I feel like you get a yes in them, you're in. The bar will be higher as your experience grows. I do not expect the same from an intern as I would from a 16 years old experienced person of course.
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Rebecca’s Answer
Working in Tech is challenging and there is some new technology emerge everyday. If you really like the technology, it is really an interesting job. First of all, you can explore more on Tech industry. There are many different types of careers in Technology, e.g. Developers, System Engineer, Technical Support, Application Support, Database Administrator, System Administrator, etc. You can find out more on the different careers in Tech and further develop in that particular aspect.
On the other hand, what is the reason you would like to work in big names? There are pros and cons working in Big Names vs Smaller Companies/Startup especially in Tech. In Big Names, the organization is big ,well developed and better staff benefit. They may more staff and have expert teams in each aspect. On the other hand, for smaller companies/startup, their teams is small. It may give you more exposure and learning opportunities to different areas. The smaller companies can also develop into big names in the future. It also subject to your preference and whether you can get an offer.
If you are really interest to find an offer in big names, you can keep an eye on the recruitment post on their website. Sometimes, they may host some graduate programs in colleges.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
On the other hand, what is the reason you would like to work in big names? There are pros and cons working in Big Names vs Smaller Companies/Startup especially in Tech. In Big Names, the organization is big ,well developed and better staff benefit. They may more staff and have expert teams in each aspect. On the other hand, for smaller companies/startup, their teams is small. It may give you more exposure and learning opportunities to different areas. The smaller companies can also develop into big names in the future. It also subject to your preference and whether you can get an offer.
If you are really interest to find an offer in big names, you can keep an eye on the recruitment post on their website. Sometimes, they may host some graduate programs in colleges.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!