Okay, you've landed a job interview. That's great! Now, what research should you do on the company or person that will be interviewing you? Check out this list of research must-dos before your next big meeting.
1. Start with the Company
Begin by familiarizing yourself with the company. Read their mission statement, learn about their products and services, check out financial data if you can, and see what they're doing in the news. "That will tell you a lot about where they are now and what direction they may be moving toward," says Mark Tuccelli, Recruitment Manager Per Se.
2. Research the Person
After you've done your background check on the company, research the person who will be interviewing you. "The more specific knowledge that you can bring into an interview or meeting, the better you'll fare," Tuccelli says.
3. Know the Industry
Learn all you can about the company's industry. Reading a few recent online articles about trends in that industry will give you a leg up. For example, if you're interviewing for an education job, know your stuff regarding education issues and changes taking place in your community, state and country.
4. Read up on the Hiring Manager
Even though someone within the company may have referred you, it's likely that person won't be interviewing you. "So before going into an interview," Kevin Ruda, Business Development Manager of Per Se says, "find out who will be interviewing you and research them as well."
5. Practice, Practice, Practice!
A successful interview begins with preparation. Practice your responses to the most common interview questions. Every interviewer will likely ask them in some form: Tell me about yourself; Why do you want to work for this company? and so on. Spend time thinking about and practicing your answers. You can also ask family, friends and others to role play with you.
6. Do Your Homework on the Company's Culture
If you're lucky enough to get an offer, it will be contingent upon successfully passing one or more drug tests, background checks and pre-employment screenings, including verifying your educational experiences and ability to provide references. You will need to be prepared for the company's due diligence in this regard.
"Do your research on the makeup of the company's culture, what you can expect when you work there and how others have fit in," Tuccelli suggests. Perhaps an employee has blogged about his or her experiences at the company and you can read about that. Perhaps a thread on an industry discussion board speaks to what it's like to work at this company. Dig deep and find out as much as possible before you go in for the interview.
7. Review Your Resume
If you've been invited for an interview, the chances are that your resume is definitely in the mix. You'll likely be asked questions about it during your meeting, so review it before the interview to remind yourself of everything you have to offer and what makes you a great candidate.
8. Scope Out the Location
It may not matter where the company is located, but if it does, do your research to find out as much as possible about the building and surrounding area. Ask someone who lives in that city questions like: How long does it take to drive there? Is parking available on-site or is it across the street? If there's no parking on-site, how much is it and where will you park? You want to make sure you know what your commute will be like.
9. Get the Inside Scoop
Suppose you can't reach out to a current employee about the company. In that case, Ruda advises looking for reviews on Glassdoor.com, which provides an anonymous forum for company employees to discuss their experiences at work. You can use it to get the inside scoop on what it's really like to work there.
Finally, Tuccelli points out: If someone in the company has referred you, ask if they can provide some insight into what it's like to work there.
At Per Se, we make sure that our employees are as passionate as we are about what they do, and as a result, it's been great to see those who have joined our client companies excel in their roles.