Nailing Informationals

Different companies have different recruitment processes, and you may or may not end up talking to a hiring manager before being invited for a phone screen or an on-site interview. Companies that hire generalists in large numbers, such as Google and Facebook, usually do not require an informational or a phone screen with the hiring manager. On the other hand, managers at companies that typically employ a team-based hiring process (e.g., Netflix and Salesforce) drive a lot of hiring for their respective teams. With these companies, a candidate may be asked to do an informational with a manager.