Recruiters’ Playbook: Strategies for Interview Success and Personal Branding

If you’re committed to growing your professional skills, “don’t be afraid to get the tough, constructive feedback,” advises Kalyn Hundley Elliott, the Director of Executive Search at DTCC. “It’s critical for growth and reaching the next level. Surround yourself with leaders you admire, and be a sponge. Use their knowledge and advice to help craft your career and leadership style.”

Focusing on expanding and diversifying your skillset is key, agrees Elliott’s colleague, Camila Godoy, an Early Career Talent Advisor. “As times are changing, it’s important to stay current and flexible, which will increase your value and potential to your employer or future employers,” Godoy shares.

Of course, finding a place that will enable you to find the talented people and skill-building opportunities you need is another important part of this process. This is where places like DTCC come in! At DTCC, “we have a significant number of tenured employees and contribute that success in part to internal mobility throughout the firm, allowing for growth and greater exposure to additional functions,” Elliott tells us. “Joining DTCC is not just a job, it’s a career choice and opportunity — with the ability to impact not just your role but economies around the globe.”

Here, Elliott and Godoy dive into one aspect of professional growth — the interview — and share advice that will help you excel during all parts of the interview process…

Part 1: Interview prep.

How can candidates prepare for an interview? What’s the information they must know when interviewing at DTCC?

Elliott:

• Review our website and information on our core products. 

• Understand that we are a global operation, and we do much more than Post Trade Security Clearing.

• Keep in mind that we are a highly regulated environment that requires many niche/specialized skills.

Godoy: 

• Checking out our social sites along with our website is a great way to prepare.

  • Many students won’t know what we do until they finally intern with us or begin their career; however, knowing a few bits of information and learning more about our company culture is key. This will help a candidate formulate why they want to work at DTCC. We are not looking for you to recite our “About Us” section, but we are interested in finding out what attracted you to DTCC.

What’s a top piece of advice to keep in mind throughout this process?

Elliott: Always do what’s right, even when you don’t want to.

Godoy: Perception is reality. How you are perceived will impact thoughts and attitudes toward you.

Part 2: The interview.

What are your top pieces of advice for acing an interview?

Elliott:

1. Be early.

2. Be presentable and personable.

3. Come prepared. Review the company details, see what you can find out from your hiring manager, review the job description (JD), and be confident when discussing what’s required of the role and why you are a fit. And be equally as comfortable discussing and acknowledging where you may need some ramp up time. 

4. Always be honest.

5. Don’t talk too much, answer the questions, and remember to pause. 

Godoy: 

1. Always dress professionally. It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed. Being that most of our interviews are virtual, making sure that your background is free of any distractions is key as well.

2. Ask questions! It shows that you are curious about the company and engaged in the interview.

3. Ask for next steps and express that you are interested in moving forward in the process. 

As a recruiter, what are your go-to interview questions for all candidates? 

Elliott:

• What attracted you to this role and how is it aligned with your current skills?

• What do you know about DTCC?

• Are there any primary drivers that have you exploring the job market currently?

Godoy: 

• What attracted you to our early career programs?  

What about the top three qualities you look for when you’re interviewing a candidate for a role in your industry?

Elliott:

1. Executive presence, gravitas, and communication.

2. Personable/approachable demeanor (we are a highly collaborative company).

3. Domain expertise (pertaining to the function of the role).

Godoy: 

1. Willingness to learn.

2. Flexibility.

3. Collaboration.

Part 3: Post interview.

Finally, what should you do (or not do!) after the interview?

Elliott: 

• Following up with your interviewer is a good practice and shows interest. 

• However, be aware of when it’s too much. We promise, as recruiters, we want to give you an answer ASAP. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work like that as most of the time we are waiting on hiring managers and/or interview panelists to get back to us with next steps or feedback.

  • As always, we want to do our best for candidates to have a positive experience, but we do appreciate flexibility as well.

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