Research for a Job Interview
Research is an essential component to your interview armament. Without this, you’re walking into a meeting where you know nothing. Not a sensible place to be. Given the easy of online searches these days, there’s really no excuse to have at least not reviewed the company website.
- Online Search: Visit the company’s own website and explore any supporting pages (including brochure downloads). Review the latest products, services and media releases being offered on the site and externally. Remember, you’re looking to educate yourself on the company and their market. However, don’t get lost in the world of online research, and limit the information you print out or try to digest. Sometimes, less is more.
- Speak to the company's HR Department: Just pick up the phone, call and say you have a forthcoming interview (granted, they may already know this), and explain that you would like to find out more about them prior to interview. Providing they have this information to hand, they’ll be more than happy to send you a brochure and supporting data.
- Speak with the Recruitment Agent: Ask the recruiter to send you the full job description and supporting company data (if they have this). Find out what you can about the recruiters understanding of the role, the company and the person hiring. Remember, it's in the recruiters best interest that you are successful i.e. if you land the job, the recruiter gets paid a nice (often hefty) fee.
- Check the financials (if possible): For higher level roles, it's essential that review a copy of the company financials and that you’re happy with the cash position of the company. For more senior appointments, you may want to engage a specialist agency to complete an industry specific checks and research on your behalf.
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