Now that you've gathered all this raw data, how do you apply it to the interview? Here are some questions your research should answer:
- What is the prospective employer and what does it do?
- What has the organization done in the last three years?
- Where is the organization headed? What new products or services are on the horizon?
- What/who is the competition? Where is this organization at an advantage or disadvantage?
- What are the success factors?
- How can the job you are pursuing contribute to the organization's success?
Granted, translating columns of numbers and sales slogans into tangible answers to these questions takes some thoughtful application on your part. However, don't let it scare you into not even trying. For starters, pick up a copy of Lelia K. Kight's Getting the Lowdown on Employers and a Leg Up on the Job Market (Ten Speed Press) for some down-to-earth, instructive steps in interpreting annual reports. Be sure to read the CEO's message at the beginning of each report. This carefully crafted editorial sets the tone for the year past and the organization's direction in the years ahead.
Researching the Job
If you became aware of the job opening through an advertisement in a
publication or online, start with the job posting that led you to it. Study it
well and become aware of the skills, keywords, buzzwords, and concepts it
uses. If any are unfamiliar to you, do your research and find out what they
mean.
If you found out about the job through networking and don't have a job posting to refer to, you can request a description of the job from the company. Many companies are required to write detailed descriptions of the job's parameters and needed skills. This information is gold when you're preparing for an interview.
You can also use your network to find someone who works in a similar job. Ask that person what it takes to succeed in the job; then find ways to communicate these qualities to your interviewer.
Researching the Interviewer
Ultimately, when it comes to finding out information about your specific
interviewer, you may have to rely on the telephone once again. If you
know any of the current employees, politely and unobtrusively ask them
about this person's style of work, how he or she spends the day, what types
of behaviors earn a frown from this person, and so forth. The information
you can dig up could be invaluable.
You'd be surprised what you can find out about people if you "Google" them on the Internet. Basically, go to your favorite search engine (such as Google or Yahoo!) and type the person's name, surrounded by quotation marks, in the search box. Several articles might come up, some of which could be about the person you will be speaking with. For instance, you might learn that your interviewer volunteered to train runners for the local charity marathon. Or you might hit pay dirt and find a press release about the company's new product that specifically quotes your interviewer. You have to use your judgment here, though, because lots of people in the world share the same name, and the information you dig up could be about an entirely different person.
Key Points:
- Being well-informed about the industry you want to join will help you present yourself well in the interview and during salary negotiations.
- Learning more about your career area can help you discover career paths you may not have considered before and better target your interview responses and resume to the skills your career requires.
- You can find information about the employer and the position you are applying for from former or current employees, trade publications, or the company's Web site or publications. This information is indispensable in preparing for an interview.