We're a global leader in premium drinks, the exciting consumer products space. 200 brands. 180 countries. Diageo
Below, our Talent Engagement team share their top tips on the different stages of our recruitment process.
Optimise your LinkedIn profile
- Update your profile with a recent photo of you. Putting a face to a name gives a personal touch! Make sure it’s a close shot so that you stand out.
- Keep the headline up to date (it will appear right under your name). The headline is a fantastic opportunity to make an impactful and concise mission statement. It can also include your job title, but it’s best used to show your inspiration.
- Tailor the ‘About you section’ and allow your personality to shine through, this is your chance to tell your story. Remember, your profile helps you showcase yourself, highlighting what you have to offer professionally and represents you – use it to market your skills and experience as well as your education. It's an effective way to highlight your career history, achievements, and passions.
- Request recommendations you’d value from your network to gather testimonials that help to bring your profile to life authentically.
- Ensure you're “Open to opportunities”. This allows recruiters and connections to see that you're proactively looking for your next role.
"Take the time to tailor your CV to every job application, read through the role profile, and ensure you are showcasing your strengths. Don’t forget to harness the power of social media, LinkedIn is a primary tool for our Talent team so best to keep your LinkedIn profile regularly updated!"
Farrah Keyani
Talent Engagement Manager, Global Functions
Perfect your CV and cover letter
CV top tips
- You don't need to share all your personal information on your CV — your name, contact number, and LinkedIn is fine.
- Customise and adapt your CV to the role you're applying for by highlighting relevant skills, experiences, and achievements that match the job description.
- Be concise and include key achievements from each of your previous roles. Think ‘what legacy did I leave?’. Your CV shouldn’t be longer than two pages.
- Make sure to check for spelling and grammar errors. First impressions count!
Cover letter top tips
- Your letter should answer the following questions:
- What is your motivation for applying to the role?
- How do your skills transfer to the role profile of the job?
- Ensure your cover letter is set in letter formatting.
Do your research
- Connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram or YouTube to hear from our people and get a feel for #LifeAtDiageo
- Read different parts of our site to learn more about our business, industry, brand, people, and news.
- Our Annual report can also be a useful tool to help you learn more about us.
- Thoroughly review the job description to help you understand more about the role responsibilities. This will help you align your experience, skills and expertise to what the role requires.
- Prepare your questions for the interviewer, showing you’ve done your research, and you have an appetite to learn more.
- Find out who the interviewer(s) is/are and do some research -this might be useful during your interview to help you build rapport.
- It’s a good idea to practice answering common interview questions out loud to help you build confidence and to answer more articulately. A mock interview is also good practice for this – do it with a friend!
- For a virtual interview ensure you have good internet connection, and everything is working as it should be.
- Be in an environment that sets you up for success. Think about your video background and limit any distractions.
“It’s better to overprepare for an interview. Learning our business’ goals and priorities can help tailor your answers and shows our leaders that you’ve taken the effort to get to know who we are. And remember, as much as we are getting to know you, you are getting to know us. Come prepared with questions to ensure you’re satisfied with us as a future employer.”
Laura Heldsinger
Talent Engagement Manager, Africa
- Try to relax and just be you. Showing who you are and letting your personality shine through means we get to see your authentic self.
- Inclusion and diversity are at the heart of who we are, and we celebrate varied voices. We want to know your perspective and passions because they make you unique.
- Show your enthusiasm for us and the role you’ve applied to - this shows us your interest and commitment.
- Consider your experience, expertise, and skills and how they match to the role you’ve applied for and why they would benefit the role. Be clear on why you’ve applied for the role.
- Make sure you listen carefully to the question being asked. Take your time to consolidate your thoughts and answer concisely. If you need an interview question rephrased, don't be afraid to ask!
- Have a library of examples ready to illustrate your answers. The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is useful when giving examples of how you've handled something in the past. It’s helpful to think through the following questions:
- Situation: what was the situation you had to deal with?
- Task: what was your task/responsibility in the situation?
- Action: what action did you take to complete the task?
- Result: what was the result?
- This is your chance to ask questions about the opportunity. You typically have time during the last section of your interview to ask the questions you’ve prepared.
"Authenticity is key during the interview. We value every unique talent and skill you bring to the table. Our culture thrives on individuals who stay true to their character and leadership style—so don’t be afraid to show who you really are”
Maya Hsiao
Talent Engagement Lead - GC, Korea and Japan
To help you get off to a great start, we’ll provide all the information you need before you join us.
We’ll send you a link to our onboarding platform, where you’ll find tasks for you to complete, such as your personal information, payment election details and emergency contacts - make sure you find the time to get those done as quickly as you can! You’ll also find links to content which help immerse you into our business, our brands and overall to learn more about us before you join!
If there's something you're not sure about, just ask. We're here to support.
“When getting ready for onboarding, be open to learning and absorb as much as you can during your first weeks. Onboarding is the perfect moment to connect with your Manager, and to start building your network with key stakeholders, going beyond your function to understand the business. This is also a perfect moment to get involved with our brands and understanding how our business comes to life. Finally, don’t be afraid to be curious, ask questions and keep an open mind!”
Camila Moreno
Talent Engagement Manager,
Latin America and the Caribbean
Connect on LinkedIn
Stay up to date with Diageo's news. Follow us to see what's happening across our business.
Top Tips on Starting Your Career at Diageo
Zaira Rocchi, Brand Manager for Johnnie Walker Blue Label, and Erin McRitchie, Global Travel and National Account Manager for ANZ and the Pacific Islands share their experiences of working at Diageo in Australia.
Find out what advice they have to offer, from why to join our teams at Diageo, to how to approach internal interviews.