Three Research Tips to Prepare You for Your Next Interview
Tonight I thought I would share three things I do to prepare for an interview. Once you get to the interview stage, you can breathe a small sigh of relief because you know you got a callback and that you have a chance. You have submitted the application, someone has read it, and they have picked you out of hundreds or thousands of applicants. But it also causes anxiety. While you have been chosen for an interview, you still don’t have the job. You still have to wow the interviewer with your professional skills and knowledge of the company.
At this point in my COVID-19 job search, I have narrowed down the companies that I am targeting for employment, kind of like my top 10 list of places I would like to work. I know what is happening in all of the industries they are in pre-COVID-19 and currently, who their competitors are, and the latest news, product, or service is they are offering to their clientele. The tips I am sharing with you I have done for every interview I’ve ever done, both in my past jobs and in the current job search. By doing this research, not only have I been prepared for interviews that I have walked into, but I have also been able to narrow down my list of companies and why I want to work for them. Remember, they are interviewing you, but you are also interviewing them.
Read the company’s mission statement.
It sounds basic, right? But it’s so important. Often one of the first questions you are asked in an interview is, “So tell me why you want to work at x?” These are the times it’s helpful to know the mission statement of the company. What does the company do? What makes the company you are interviewing for different? What makes them unique? What value do they contribute to the community both locally and globally?
Typically the mission statement is also found on the same page as the essential leadership, the company history, information on corporate social responsibility, all things that are helpful to know before beginning an interview.
Check the company’s social media.
This is one of my most favorite ways to research. As a communications professional, I love storytelling and understanding how companies create their narrative. I follow every company that I am interested in working for on at least one if not multiple social media platforms. It is a great way to see what is currently happening at the company, to get information on leadership and to see highlights and stories of the employee experience. You can also be creative in your research and lookup company hashtags to find non-sponsored posts by employees affiliated with the companies you are interested in to get more of an inside scoop.
Read news articles relevant to the company.
This one is important. You should always know what media and external voices are saying about the companies who have selected you for interviews. This helps generate conversation topics where you can share how you might handle a situation you see in the media. It is also a simple way to impress your interviewer(s) by actually knowing the current standing of the company in external eyes.
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While I am waiting to secure a job, I am also busy. I am researching and preparing for the interviews to come. When COVID-19 settles, and we return to a new normal, I want to be prepared. I am using this time to learn all that I can through research and informational interviews, so when the calls do begin to pick up, I am ready.
Friends, I am in this with you, struggling alongside you. When this is over, I am hopeful that we will all come out on the other side employed, with the jobs of our dreams.
Keep hoping friends! We can do this!