YOU ARE NOT READY FOR YOUR INTERVIEW
Research To Prepare For Your Interview
In today's job market, any advantage that could put a job seeker ahead of the competition for that position with a potential employer, should be given serious consideration. Give yourself a huge advantage on your next interview, impress your hiring manager and look like a serious candidate that the employer is looking for. And you can achieve all of this, before your job interview.
Pre-interview preparation by researching employers is one of the best ways to become a stand-out candidate during the hiring process. By investigating potential employers, you’ll discover important details that will better prepare you for your interview.
There are several key things that your research will reveal. You will find out what the company does and what they look for in a candidate. You also gain the inside information that will better prepare your answers to the upcoming interview questions and position yourself as the best candidate.
As you prepare for your upcoming interview, here are things you should learn about an employer.
The Hiring Manager Interviewing You
Find out who the interviewer will be. Knowing who your interviewer is will help you to connect with them and build a common bond through meaningful discussion.
You may have to do a little detective work to get this information. Look at the email you received regarding the interview to see if you can find the person's name. If you cannot locate a name, reply to the email and politely request the name of the person who'll interview you. You can also call the company's HR to find this information. Remember to be polite and not pushy.
Once you acquire the interviewer’s name, visit LinkedIn and Twitter to do further research. That will help you learn about the interviewer’s position with the company, background, and even other details such as common interests or views you may share. Applying this knowledge can give you an advantage at your interview.
What Skills And Experiences Is Valued
What does the employer want in a qualified candidate for the position is the most important thing to learn. Knowing this will allow you to place yourself as the best candidate to fill that position.
Read between the lines of their job posting to find which skills and experiences is valued by the employer. You can also find out information on the employer’s career page to get an idea of the type of employees they desire. Try to reach out to current employees who work there and ask them about what their employer values most in the workplace.
What's The Culture, Values, And Mission Of The Company
A recent survey found that over 40 percent of hiring managers consider cultural fit as the most important quality looked for in a perspective candidate during the hiring process.
This should make any serious job seeker take the necessary steps to ensure that they know and are a good fit for the company's culture during any job interview. During the interview you should drop hints that show how you are aligned with the culture there.
To learn what the the values and mission of the company are, pay close attention to what you find written on their website. Often times this is found under the "About" heading. Visit the company's social media networks to learn more about the culture there.
News And Current Events About The Organization
There is nothing more impressive than a candidate who is well informed about the employer's latest news and updates.This knowledge shows the hiring manager that you are a serious candidate. It also shows that you are thorough, someone who's willing to take the necessary steps to complete their work.
Most companies have a page on their website dedicated to press releases and events. This is a great source for information regarding the company’s latest news and updates. You can even Google the company and see what comes up.
The Company's Products, Clients and Services
You need to have an idea of the type of work you’d be doing once hired. By having a general idea of who the company’s clients are and the types of products and services are offered, you’ll be more prepared for the interview, too.
Check the company's website to find out the company’s offerings. You can also read through the company’s news, blog, case studies, and white papers to give you a better idea of their accomplishments.
Important Members Of The Organization
You need to familiarize yourself with individuals who hold important positions in the company. These can be managers, department directors, executive officers, vise presidents and especially the owner/president/CEO of the company.
Look for the "About" page on their website to find the leadership information of the organization and their bios. Check out what these individuals say on Twitter and LinkedIn to learn what employees say about the company online.
The Inside Scoop
Glassdoor is a great website to help job seekers discover the inside details of a company, information that can’t be found on the employer’s website. You can find information such key members or the company and their position, responsibilities, salary figures, company reviews, application process and hiring details, and more.
This are the best information for some people who really want to excellent skills and want get that great job opportunity for a career.
Thhis is not a scam is it?
Patrick -
This is a great and useful way to prepare for any interview. Especially if/when you know with whom you'll be interviewing with. I find that it's always smart to ask questions upon the initial interview setup:
- Can you tell me the name of the person that I'll be interviewing with?
- If this the person that has the authority to make a hiring decision?
This shows that you're preparing yourself to face the person that likely will be the deciding factor on if you move forward as a potential candidate or not, so the more you can learn about them the better for you and your chances.
Touching on the other key points you've expressed is also just as important. One has to familiarize themselves with the company surface in order to express the right interest in the position applied for. The footwork is important.
I'll share a past story about me as an example of poor research. I once had an interview with Blockbuster Video long before they went out of a business. I was an inexperienced teenager who didn't understand that you had to know the basics of the company. To me, it was a job I wanted to do simply because it revolved around movies, and anyone that knows me knows I love movies. Lots of movies. I ran with the fun aspect of the job and disregarded the knowledgeable aspect of it as I didn't realize that this was an important factor.
During this time the hiring manager asked me a simple question that I got stuck on and couldn't provide an answer. He asked "if you had a recommend a family oriented movie to customer, what would you suggest?". Again, I was an inexperienced teen that understood the question asked but did have a legitimate answer simply because I was so anxious to just work in an environment that would eventually highlight suggestions for me as time went on. In addition to this, I don't come from a family oriented background, nor was my upbringing surround by family, and with the amount of movies I watched growing up (alone) it should've been an easy answer for me, but it wasn't. It was disappointing not to get the position but it was also a lesson learned into understanding the importance of research and preparation beforehand.
Yet again another great article from the amazing Patrick Coppedge . He has a wonderful way with words that convey is expertise on the job search, and worklife issues.
I recommend anyone who has an upcoming interview to read through this article. If you have questions, Patrick is more than happy to answer them and clarify how his advice can help you and your situation.
Thanks for sharing this with us!!
Convincing a hiring manager to offer you a job for the mere fact that you “need a job” isn’t going to seal the deal for a job opportunity at any level; entry, profession, or other! Arming oneself with company information around new products, services, and dedication to customer/client service is going to help applicants pose a stronger argument as to why they are the best candidate for the job.
Interview prep is key. I don’t think anyone ever fully masters the interview process but we can improve our performance. Lot’s of excellent information here. Thanks for sharing Patrick Coppedge
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the hiring process. It's very true these are the most important things to be aware of when job seeking and faced with an anticipated interview. I still use these methods right now. It's never a bad idea to be well prepared and more informed. Continue to share your knowledge with others, we appreciate the tips!