Land your dream role at Visa

Hilary Aslaksen was thrown into the recruitment space as an intern right out of graduate school.

“It was sort of a fluke introduction,” she says with a laugh. “At the time, a lot of things were happening inside the company I was working at, so interns were put wherever they were needed, and they stuck me in recruiting.”

Turns out, she loved it.

“I had a knack for it. It was just exciting to me that you would be able to really help somebody achieve their career goals,” she shares.

Two kids, three dogs, and several career opportunities later, Hilary still gets to do exactly that. And now, she’s connecting professionals with one of the top companies to work for in 2023 — Visa.

We asked Hilary to give us the inside scoop on Visa’s recruitment process and what to expect each step of the way, including how you can stand out as the top candidate.

Why Visa?

Landing your dream role involves aligning yourself with a potential employer’s mission and values.

And if you ask Hilary, Visa checks all the right boxes — both in their market-leading technology and phenomenal work culture.

“Visa is at the forefront of transformation,” she says. “But fundamentally, the people are what brought me here, and that holds true today. It’s clear in decisions like how we’ve supported Ukrainian and Russian employees during the conflict or even how we support our employees’ ability for financial gain,” she says.

“And I love that diversity is a core value. We ensure that there's a diverse slate of candidates for 100% of the roles we recruit. We have an assessment tool that allows us to really bias-free look at talent across the board. I think that really sets us apart.”

What to expect in the recruitment process

If Visa sounds like the right workplace for you, Hilary emphasizes the importance of preparing for the recruitment process.

After applying, here’s what to expect:

1. You’ll receive an email confirming receipt of your application.
2. Candidates that meet the minimum requirements will have an introductory conversation with a recruiter. The goal is to figure out if the role matches your career growth trajectory and objectives.
3. If the role aligns, you’ll coordinate with the hiring manager to schedule a series of interviews with various team members. Visa wants you to be able to assess if their workplace is right for you, and vice versa.
4. Throughout each touch point, Visa will check in with you for feedback. They constantly strive to improve their recruitment process and ensure you’re finding value at each step.
5. Once an offer is accepted, Visa has a robust onboarding program to ensure you’re successful in your new role, including a buddy system and individual coaching.

8 tips to stand out as a top candidate

Understanding the recruitment process is only one part of the equation. To stand out as a top candidate, Hilary shares a few inside tips:

Be authentic

“Be true to who you are because that's how you're going to show up in the workplace, and you want to make sure that's what works with the organization.”

Share personal experiences

“Talk about both the good and the bad of what you've been able to do in previous roles or in school, depending on where you are in your career. Point out what you've learned from that and what you took away that you will then apply (or not apply) the next time you find yourself in a similar situation.”

Don’t be afraid to share your accomplishments

“A lot of people feel like this is boasting. But we want to hear it. Certainly, give credit where credit is due, but recognize that you were part of the outcome, and share what impact you had.”

Do your research

“Come in and know that Visa is not a credit card company. Know that we're a technology company. Come and understand what we do as an organization and how you can add value there. It’s also great to have a point of view on the industry.”

Ask questions

“Ask about topics like the performance rating system. Ask about vacation days or other benefits. This shows that you’re interested in the role.”

Prepare a 30, 60, and 90-day plan

“Come with an action plan. What would you do with the first 30, 60, 90 days? Even earlier in your career, you can still think about this. Think about how you’re going to be effective in this organization. I think that shows good planfulness and that you're career driven.”

Show how you align with the company values

“What’s top of mind for us here at Visa is are you curious? Can you work in a team? Do you have the skills, ambition, and drive to do it? That's really what we're looking for.”

Confirm your interest in the role

“I always say this to everybody: make sure you leave saying whether or not you're interested in the role, because we like to know you want it. Those are the people that I think are really successful here.”

The last piece of the puzzle

Hilary leaves us with a final (and key) piece of advice.

“You may start in a role that doesn’t feel like your dream position — but know that you drive your career,” she says.

“If you want to expand your skills, there are plenty of opportunities to do that at Visa. We offer opportunities to spend a couple of months with another group and learn what they do for a percentage of your working day. There are opportunities where you can enhance your skills and become better prepared to take that next-level job. People need to own that. And if you wait for your boss or your boss' boss to make these decisions for you, you're not driving your career, right? You own your path here at Visa.”