A common bit of advice for people entering the interview process is to do your research. But if you haven’t done research for job interviews in the past, you may not know what information you should be gathering.
Essentially, knowing about the company you are interviewing with lets them know you are truly excited about the possibility of working at the organization. And if you want to learn more about how to connect with organizations that are actively hiring, talk to the employment experts at Staffing Network.
Questions to Consider When Researching a Company
When researching a business, seek out the company’s history and achievements. You can do this through an online search, by looking at both the business website itself and reading news articles about the organization and the products they produce or services they provide.
Questions to explore while doing your research:
- What does the company do?
- How long have they been in business?
- Have the products changed over time?
- Is the company planning to expand? Or has it grown recently?
- Who is part of the leadership staff?
When you have done your research, you will be able to naturally have a conversation about the posted position through the interview process. So make research a priority, setting aside time to do so in the days leading up to an interview rather than attempting to cram information in the hours before your first meeting.
Doing Legwork Proves You Are Interested
Because interviewees are often nervous, they forget that an initial meeting can be awkward for the management team conducting the interview as well. If you walk into a meeting without knowing anything about the company, the hiring manager will believe you are uninterested, and they will have to do the heavy lifting of driving the conversation from start to finish. This does not leave a good impression.
Candidates who are excited about an organization, show up to an interview on time, are dressed professionally, and are ready to discuss the company. For instance, you may discover the company is committed to a local nonprofit. Bringing this up in an interview will show you’ve done your research and you may learn about volunteer days sponsored by the business as a team building activity. If this is something you would enjoy, you have discovered a way the job would be a good fit for you, if you are offered the position.
Additionally, you can make personal connections when you do your research. For example, if you visit the company website and learn that the individual who will be conducting the interview went to the same college as you did, this could be a conversation starter. Or perhaps the company was founded in the area where you grew up.
Doing your research illustrates you are valuing the interviewers time. And it could lead to a job offer.
Is the time right for you to start interviewing? An employment expert can connect you with a range of opportunities. Staffing Network is a full-service staffing and recruiting firm that specializes in light/skilled industrial, engineering, and operations professionals. Connect with Staffing Network today.