Had my L'Oréal recruiter phone screen last week. 30 minutes with a talent acquisition person, not a hiring manager. Writing this up because I found zero prep material for this specific company and had to go in cold.
The role was in their consumer products digital team (NYC-based, hybrid 3 days). The recruiter was super organized and had clearly done this call a hundred times.
What they actually asked, in order "Walk me through your background briefly, focusing on the last 2-3 roles." They don't want your full life story. 3-4 minutes max. They'll interrupt politely if you go too long. "Why are you interested in L'Oréal specifically and why now?" Not optional. They probe this. I got a follow-up: "Is there a particular division or brand within L'Oréal that interests you?" Role-specific question. For me: "Tell me about a time you built a pipeline from scratch." (I'm in sales/biz dev.) For tech roles I've heard it's something like "tell me about a complex project you owned end to end." Comp expectations. Asked directly. She said "can you share a ballpark so we make sure we're in the same range." Have a number ready and know your floor. Don't dodge this one. Logistics: location, start date availability, visa if applicable. "Any questions for me?"
Things I'd prep differently in hindsight
Know their brand portfolio. Know roughly that L'Oréal has 4 divisions (consumer products, L'Oréal luxe, professional products, active cosmetics/dermatology). It helps anchor your "why L'Oréal" answer with real specificity.
Also, the recruiter mentioned the process has 4-5 rounds total for most tech roles. Ask about timeline upfront if you have competing offers.