4 Tips To Researching The Company Before Jumping Into The Interview

You may have spent hours perfecting the resume and to finally get that call from the employer to come in for an interview feels fantastic, but don’t stop the hard work and start relaxing just yet. Taking time to do research before the job interview makes the difference between winning the employer over and losing your shot at the job to someone else.

Clearly, you should know some basics about the employer like what they do; what they offer; who’s their audience; where they have offices; and who are the key members of management. It also helps to know more about the individuals you’ll be meeting with. Here are tips on where you may go to find the information so you walk into the interview prepared to impress.

1. Company Website

Just about everybody is online now, which makes information readily available. Even the most basic company website offers some form of information to help you prepare for a job interview. Refer to sections like About Us to learn about the basics of the company; News / Press Releases to be informed about latest news and developments at the company; Management where you can become familiar with important names and see details of who heads the particular department you want a job in; and Locations so you see where offices are located. Depending on your field of work, like if you are in Sales or Marketing, it makes sense to also look over sections of the website that talk about Services, Products and Partners.

2. Facebook/Twitter

Not every employer will have a Facebook or Twitter account, but for those who do it’s an easy resource to go through to pull a lot of information quickly. For example, under both social networking sites you can get a general idea of what the company is about simply reading it’s About section on Facebook or the 1-2 line sentence under its Profile name on Twitter. Take a look over its Wall to see its latest post and don’t forget to also look through the Photos and Videos section too. Depending on what is shared, it may very-well give you a sense of the dress code, work environment and show you faces of important individuals.

3. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is particularly helpful because it offers most of what Facebook and Twitter offers, but more. By this we mean it can put you directly in touch with individuals at the organization through its Connections. Read up on the individuals you’ll be meeting like the HR Manager, Head of the Department for the job you want, and other workers who may work in the same department. You can even search for people who used to be in the company and even find the individual who might have held the job you are seeking. LinkedIn is much more of a professional social media platform, so you can expect its page to include business-oriented news that can help you prepare for the job interview.

4. Online News/Industry News

If you’re looking to really impress, also read up on industry news and know what’s happening in the space so you can have an intelligent conversation. Employers are impressed by applicants who not just know its business, but about its market and competitors as well. Glassdoor is a very good site to see what their employees think about the firm.

It doesn’t take a lot to come off prepared for the job interview with the various online resources readily available with information. Armed with the information, you are prepared to respond and ask good questions at the job interview so that you solidify the message that you are a serious contender.