JOB INTERVIEW PREPARATIONFirst Essential Step

Good preparation is essential to a successful job interview. Here's our guide to the basics you'll need to cover to plan and practice your performance when you've been invited for an interview, your thoughts naturally turn to giving a winning performance on the day. A bit like exams, interviews can creep up on you, but good preparation is the key to success.

Overview

It's critical to have significant knowledge about a company so you can make a good impression on a potential employer.

But, these days, your company research shouldn't come from a quick Google search or fast glance at the latest news, instead it's important to gather important information and understand how to use the company info you find to your benefit.

Company Research

When you go for an interview, you should absolutely know: the company, its products, its problems, its opportunities and its competitors.

Start by looking into their future goals and plans. Conducting the interview with this in mind will make you seem like a good long-term investment. You should also be ready to talk in depth about the industry, the organization, and the position you are applying for.

Initial Step of Company Research

1. What are this organization's products and/or services? (Even non-profit organizations serve people through education, lobbying efforts, publications, etc.)

2. What direction has the organization taken within the past one to two years, and what might be expected in the near future?

3. If you will be working in a division of the organization, what is the role of that division, and how does it relate to the parent organization?

Questions Which You Should Know?

What does this organization value? Obviously, for-profit organizations value profit. But most organizations are driven by other values, as well - social conformity; innovation; teamwork; efficiency; the professional development of its employees; public service. You should search for: a) what the organization states about its values, and b) what they really are. The two are not always in agreement.

Last Question But Not The Least

Go on LinkedIn and see if you are connected to anyone who has worked or currently works at the company, and if you are call them beforehand and ask some questions. When you're at the interview, and it's appropriate, you can say 'I'm actually connected to so and so who works in marketing through a friend.'

One Of The Best Method

People do a ton of research and feel like they need to showcase that information, so doing too much research can actually work against you. I've seen people go in and say 'Why did you do this and that in Asia?' and they end up questioning the company – it's presenting the information they've gathered in a negative way.

Is there a downside when it comes to doing company research?

If you want to point to research you've done, say something like 'I saw this and I love it.' But, you don't ever want to say 'I would do this differently.' Learning about the company is also great for tailoring your interview examples and highlighting things that you see in the company that are commonalities with you and areas where your expertise could be useful.

What's the best way candidates can use the research they've done in the interview?

You don't need to. You are going to be tempted to use any information that you find there. But if you find no connecting points let it go and move on. Don't try to draw assumptions and don't make connections that don't exist. If they worked at the same company that you did, they are going to see it on your resume that's something they will bring up in an interview.

Should you Google the person you're interviewing with to learn about their background?

If you can't find any information on the company, you can say something like 'I'm really intrigued by the company and I'm really excited to learn more.' People love to talk about where they work. I think taking a look at the company Web site is good enough in this case. You can say 'I'm normally able to do some research about a company.' That is totally acceptable and can be a great conversation starter and connecting point. Once they start telling you about the company, you can say 'I worked on something very similar' and point to your experience.

What should you do if you're interviewing with a smaller company, which does not have a significant Web presence?

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