As you read the following erroneous scenario, ask yourself if this has ever happened to you. Jane is in the interview process. She has applied for twenty jobs, three of which have asked her for an interview. In the first interview, she walks into her room and is invited to sit across from the interviewer. Apart from her welcome, the first thing she says to him is: “What do you know about our company?” With a blank stare, Ella Jane sits there and smiles trying to remember every bit of detail she can. However, she cannot because the company is not a brand and she was not one of her references. Saying, “I’m not that familiar with your company,” causes the interviewer what can be defined as “exasperation.”
If you even said it happened once, that’s too much. I think that possibly the most embarrassing thing that can happen to a candidate during an interview is forgetting information about the company, the position or the interviewer.
In the news
According to a recent CNN report, most job candidates are unprepared when they arrive for an interview. It’s important to know that many organizations rely almost strictly on performance during an interview to make final decisions. In other words, if you are dealing with two candidates with almost identical qualifications, but one of them represented himself better in the interview, the better prepared person will almost certainly get the job offer. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the potential employer sees your “best self” throughout the entire process. This means knowing not only yourself, but also the industry and the company. According to his recently published book, “Job Interview The Next Day,” author Michael Farr says, “The more you know about the job, the industry, and the employer, the more likely you are to present well at the interview.”
Tips of the trade
So how can you be better prepared and informed when your next big opportunity presents itself? Here are some tips:
With future vision
While you are in the job application process, create a file where you can save the following:
- your summary
- Each custom cover letter by position
- The contact information of the person to whom you wrote the letter.
- A copy of the job description for each position.
be thorough
As soon as you’ve applied for a position, do your research on the organization, the department and its general responsibilities, and any other information you can find on the Internet or through your reference/source. These days, you can learn a lot about a company simply by accessing press releases. A general Google search may show such information. If this doesn’t work, check the company’s website to see if they maintain a library of archived PR material. You can also gather additional information by contacting current or former employees, or even asking the interviewer ahead of time, if you can receive information such as brochures or pamphlets. This will provide you with the type of information you need to formulate a good company profile and develop insightful questions for the interviewer.
Just remember that knowing general information, such as the type of industry and current stock valuations, is often not enough on its own. You must be thorough and gather enough information to know if this potential employer is a good fit for his needs, goals, and personality. You should not view an interview as a one-sided event. As you well know, not every interview that results in an offer is the one you should accept. You should be interviewing the company as much as it is interviewing you.
Think: bigger than the box
I’ve found that interviewers/recruiters are especially impressed when you can sit down to the table knowing not only the ins and outs of the organization, but also your insight into how you can add value to the potential role. This can be found in the post, and if you wrote your cover letter well, it should be included there as well. Note any areas that particularly relate to your experience in the description, and be sure to mention them when asked why you are the perfect candidate.
Review and study your research
Once you’ve been asked for an interview, go back to your folder and extract all the information related to that position. Read it immediately and then read it again before you go into the interview. If there are areas you don’t understand or areas you may not qualify for, such as software skills you don’t have, or a particular area of study you’re unfamiliar with, run background searches on those as well so that at least you can talk to them intelligently. This can help minimize the fact that there is a learning curve and show the potential employer that you are serious enough to have done your research ahead of time.
Be careful
While having knowledge is the key to your success, having too much knowledge can seem arrogant. For example, don’t tell an interviewer that you reviewed their website and “Here are 101 ways to make it better.”
one last word
While being thorough is your best bet for success during an interview, there are some questions to ask the interviewer that will go the extra mile to demonstrate your interest in the position. Just one pair includes the following:
- Was that position created recently and has it been in existence? If it is a new creation, make sure the interviewer can adequately explain why it was created and the expectations of the new role. Don’t challenge. Instead, ask probing questions that lead to the conclusion he’s looking for.
Ask the manager or interviewer what they think is the biggest challenge facing the organization, ie the department you would be hired to work for. This demonstrates your interest, your realistic approach to the situation by gathering information from all sides, and will also tell you if you have any special talents or abilities to help deal with or solve that/those challenges, which you can then discuss with the interviewer.
