How To Research Your Prospective Company

Proper preparation for job interviews is the crucial difference between interview success and failure. A prospective employer wants to know if you have spent sufficient time finding out about the company before the interview. This indicates your commitment and interest in the job and employer.

You may have heard the advice that it’s important to have some questions for the hiring manager when you’re interviewing for a job. While it’s true that interviewers will expect you to be curious and interested in their organization, and to show that by asking questions, it’s also true that you should come to the interview with a good baseline of knowledge about the company.

Doing a quick internet search on the prospective employer is a start but the successful job candidate needs to go beyond that. The questions you ask in the interview and the way you respond to the interview questions you are asked will reflect the depth of your knowledge of the organization, the industry and the job.

Hopefully, you’ll learn a lot about the company during the interview—like whether the organization and the company culture are a good fit for you, for example. But during the interview is not the time to learn basic information about the company. You should know all that before you set foot in corporate HQ.

The good news is that it’s easier than ever before to learn about an employer before the job interview. Take some time, in advance, to learn as much as you can online. Then, tap into your real-world network to see who you know who can help give you an interview edge over the other candidates. Do your research, and you’ll make a much better impression on the hiring manager.

Here are some resources for researching companies before the interview:

1. The Company Website

The obvious starting point is the company website. Use the website to find out the following:

A brief history of the organization.

Organizational structure, subsidiaries, branches, and holding company.

Major competitors.

All products and services.

Company culture including mission and vision.

Most recent news and happenings (read through the latest media releases and visit the company's Facebook page)

2. Other Online Resources

Corporateinformation.com - Provides information on both US and international companies including company profiles, earnings details and analyst reports.

Business.com - Provides news and research for a large number of public and private companies in a variety of industries.

Searchsystems.net - A Public Records Directory that provides free information on a private company

3. Get The Latest News Reports

www.newspaperlinks.com - Provides links to online newspapers throughout the world. Search for your local newspaper and research back articles on the company.

Google News - Search for company information. Provides company news and updates.

Bizjournals.com - Provides access to over 40 business journals where you can search for periodical articles that provide valuable information on the organization.

4. Industry Information

Preparing for job interviews includes updating yourself on the industry in which the company operates. Find out the the current industry trends, the leading companies in the industry and new developments in the industry.

www.corporateinformation.com - Provides links to resources for over 30 industrial sectors.

finance.yahoo.com - A valuable source of industry news.

5. Social Media

Search for company information and news on social media and networking sites including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Use your information to tailor your interview answers to be as relevant to the company as possible. Highlight areas that you can add value to. Ask insightful questions that demonstrate your hard work in preparing for the interview.

Follow Me For Weekly Informative Articles Patrick Coppedge