How to ace an interview at companies like Google and Facebook, according to execs who work there

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Hone in on the company’s core values — Facebook global head of recruiting Miranda Kalinowski

Sarah Jacobs

If you want a job at Facebook, make sure to tie your own passions and abilities back to the tech company’s core values.

“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,” Facebook global head of recruiting Miranda Kalinowski told Business Insider. “Once you know it, be able to demonstrate it. Think about your own Facebook story.”

Be specific about what you want to do — Google senior vice president of platforms and ecosystems Hiroshi Lockheimer

Google’s Mountain View headquarters.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Google’s a big company, with numerous products, services, and offshoots.

So you need to be specific about exactly what you want to work on if you want to land a role at the tech giant.

“It’s important to know what you are passionate about,” Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google’s senior vice president of platforms and ecosystems, told Business Insider. “It’s not just, ‘Oh, I want to work at Google’ — but I’ve heard some people say that.”

Emphasize your impact — PayPal chief learning officer Derek Hann

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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.

“What are the fingerprints that you left behind?” Hann told Business Insider.

Highlight your curiosity— VP of HR for IBM Watson Obed Louissant

Hollis Johnson

Want to impress your interviewer at IBM? Highlight your pursuit of lifelong learning.

“I think one of the things that bind a number of IBMers together is an endless curiosity,” Obed Louissant, the VP of HR for IBM Watson, told Business Insider. “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.”

Speak up — RBC Capital Markets managing director and head of US human resources Liz Lieberman

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‘Yes men’ might run into some trouble when interviewing for a job at RBC Capital Markets.

“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,” managing director and head of US human resources Liz Lieberman told Business Insider’s Frank Chaparro.

So speak up and share your thoughts from the get go.

Stop saying ‘I’ so much — Jet.com president Liza Landsman

Sarah Jacobs/Business Insider

You’re expected to talk about yourself in job interviews. Just make sure you don’t overdo it.

“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.”

Know what you want to do after you leave the company — LinkedIn head of recruiting Brendan Browne

Sarah Jacobs

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.

“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,” he told Business Insider’s Rich Feloni.

Ask questions you can’t get answers to elsewhere— ex-global head of human capital management Goldman Sachs Edith Cooper

Reuters/ Lucas Jackson

Never show up to a job interview empty-handed. Before you head in, think up some informed and thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer.

“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,” Cooper told Business Insider.

Examples could include, “How has this position evolved?” and “How would you describe the company culture?”

Follow up with a thoughtful ‘thank you’ note — PwC US talent acquisition lead Rod Adams

Glassdoor

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.

“When the follow-up is personal, that’s when it stands out,” Adams told Business Insider. “They picked up on something in the conversation that they referred back to in the follow-up.”

So put some thought into your next thank you note and refer back to something you discussed during the interview itself.