what to learn about a company before an interview

A friend of mine recently told me a story relaying one of the most terrifying starts to a job interview that I've ever heard (and I'thou a recruitment consultant)!

He chosen it the '10-Factor Interview.'

The company invited ten candidates to their role for vii am in the forenoon and as they arrived, they were all lined upwards, in forepart of a panel of interviewers (including the concern owner).

The entire nervous agglomeration were asked 'then what exercise you know about the company?'

Now clearly, the quicker you lot piped upwards, the easier it was to answer (you couldn't echo another candidate's answer, of course). Those who couldn't come up upwards with anything were immediately shown the door.

At present this is a pretty extreme interview and (fingers crossed) you won't notice yourself facing that firing line – but it does emphasise the absolute importance of doing your enquiry before an interview.

Beneath, here is a list of the 8 crucial things that you lot MUST research before whatsoever job interview, courtesy of our friends at The Interview Academy.

1. What They Do.

This must seem ridiculously obvious… right?

But you'd be surprised how many interviewees nonetheless show up without any real clue about what a company does – and to exist honest, it's just a bit embarrassing.

You can be almost 100% sure that your interviewer will enquire you 'what do you know about the company?' It's ane of those typical clichés and with good reason! Would yous wish to hire someone who couldn't exist bothered to even observe out what your visitor did?

The best place to enquiry what a company does is via their website – more specifically the "About The states" folio – this really is the bare minimum!

You really don't want to come across clueless and dislocated.

two. The Company Mission.

A company's mission statement basically reflects the reason why they do what they exercise; the reason they came into being and the values they hold (these normally remain unchanged).

For example, The Coburg Banks mission statement is to… 'go the recruitment company most admired for its people' and all of our values are in line with that mission.

It's highly likely that you'll detect this data on the company website (although sometimes, you may accept to practise a little digging through the mish-mash of pages), brochure or other marketing materials.

If you can't find a specific statement, then you'll have to use your initiative with the information y'all can observe out – how do they portray themselves, what values exercise they annunciate?

During the interview, make sure you take advantage of whatever yous discover, showing off how well your values match the company'southward!

three. The Company Culture.

It's pretty hard to suss out the company culture without visiting the offices or speaking to the staff… but you can get some sort of idea of how the company wishes their culture to be perceived by the public.

Social media is a great tool for discovering this.

Many companies now mail service on Facebook, Twitter Instagram and LinkedIn, showing off employee appointment, their staff, the offices, social events etc. All vital components to 'visitor culture.'

Suss it out – do they seem very professional and calm or coincidental and kooky?

Then, all you have to do is portray yourself as someone who could fit in well with that civilization, for example, 'I would absolutely love to work here considering the atmosphere seems actually modernistic, fun and vibrant!'

Recruiter Pro Tip.

Glassdoor is a pretty nifty little tool to employ during your job interview research, particularly when you're on the chase for company culture!

The site allows employees to anonymously add reviews of companies that they have worked for in the past, including perks, benefits and salaries.

Information technology'due south definitely worth a gander!

If you can't uncover anything concrete virtually the visitor culture, then enquire in your interview!

Not only will your interest and initiative impress the interviewer, but it'south also important that Yous know near the company, before you accept a job offer when it (hopefully) arises!

To discover more impressive questions you lot could be asking interviewers click here.

4. The Latest News!

adamr at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This kind of enquiry will position you every bit a cut in a higher place the residue.

Information technology shows that you're non just a lazy bum who checked out the company website so that you could slam dunk the standard questions, but yous're really committed and genuinely interested in the company.

And it's not difficult! All it takes is a fiddling browse effectually Google, the visitor blog, their newsletters etc. to see whether the company has fabricated the news at all.

It also ways that if the interviewer starts talking about a contempo success, and then you won't be left surprised – yous'll genuinely be able to discuss the topic and go on the conversation going.

Warning: don't bring up any negative press the company take had. Information technology will put a downer on the entire chore interview and is bound to irk your interviewer.

5. The Visitor's History!

This kind of enquiry is one step further yet (and a lot more than hard) – notice what you can about the company'southward history!

Learning the history of the company (things like take-overs, business organisation partners, by News stories and recruitment drives) will aid you lot to predict the futurity.

• Peradventure they've been growing more speedily over the terminal year?
• Maybe the business organisation has flourished since hiring a new MD?
• Has your new potential department but only been opened?

All of this information tin can be dropped into the conversation to show off how genuinely interested you are in the company.

vi. The Company's Competitors.

jesadaphorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You may already have faced the question 'who do you lot call back are our main competitors?' in an interview before.

Information technology's a pretty difficult one to reply, particularly if you don't know the industry (and haven't done your enquiry) so we always recommend coming up with a few good examples!

Respond well and y'all're guaranteed to impress your interviewer.

Simple actually, only people often forget this vital scrap of enquiry!

7. The Company'due south USP.

Desire to become a superstar interviewee in one foul swoop?

One time you've worked out who the company's main competitors are, go 1 step further and try to work out their USP.

What makes the company unlike?

How exercise they compete in their industry?

If you can demonstrate this noesis, then you'll show delivery, genuine interest and a whole lot of commercial savvy – you're bound to knock your interviewer'southward socks off!

8. Direction.

You should really do at least a niggling of research about the management squad of the company (although it's non the most important thing on this list).

If y'all can proper name-drop, information technology'll exist pretty impressive – then for case – if y'all know that the owner of the concern has written an award-winning book, you could bring that upwardly.

At the very least you lot should be aware of who'southward interviewing you and who your line manager would exist, with some cognition of their groundwork.

Information technology will be creepy if y'all start reeling off the names of their children and where they alive etc. just if you can say 'oh I noticed you went to Liverpool Academy too' that could be a conversation starter.

Finding common footing in a job interview is a great way to impress.

Summary.

There are, of grade, a variety of other things that you lot should be researching before entering your interview – don't neglect the manufacture, the function and annihilation else you lot recall might be relevant.

Turning up, completely unprepared is a waste of your interviewer's fourth dimension (and yours) and to be honest, it shows a complete lack of interview etiquette.

Regardless, it's absolutely within your own interests to inquiry the company earlier interview! You need to know whether you'd fifty-fifty accept the task, if offered (click here to detect out more).

Recruiter Pro Tip.

What happens if the company in question doesn't have an online presence and you tin can't find out any data?

If you're absolutely sure that yous're digging deep enough, then it is something that you can mention in the interview.

Show upwardly with a list of questions you'd similar to enquire and let them know – 'I am so intrigued to find out more than about the visitor, I struggled to observe out much online'.

Honesty is the best policy.

If you'd like any more top tips on how to prepare for your job interview – cheque out our other posts here – y'all'll observe everything yous need to know.

Like nosotros always say… neglect to prepare and you're preparing to neglect!

Proficient luck!

overstreetwidee1972.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.coburgbanks.co.uk/blog/candidate-tips/8-things-to-research-before-a-job-interview/

Share this post