Any good career advice you receive will start off by saying “do your research.” What’s meant by this is that you should go into your job interview knowing a good deal about the business you’re hoping to work for. This advice might seem great until you realize you have no idea what you’re supposed to know about the company or where to find it.
Have no fear, here are a few things to know and a few places to look:
Know the broad information about the company not the nitty gritty details
A great place to start is the company website – if they have a media room, look there. You can check out the latest press releases, news headlines and a fact sheet if the company provides one. It also doesn’t hurt to do a quick Google news search for the company to brush up on current events.
Other sites to explore are LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. If the company has an account, you’ll learn about its use of social media and the presence it keeps online. Additionally, the business may be on Glassdoor.com, a website that allows employees or candidates to post about their experiences with the company. Glassdoor may even be able to give you personal reviews and salary information.
Know about the interviewer but stay away from overly personal information
Check out the manager’s LinkedIn profile to get a look at their career arc. If you see they started out in your position, you know they’ll have a thorough understanding of what an inspired candidate for the job needs.
If you learn you have something in common, feel free to bring up that topic in conversation. This can help build a rapport between you and the interviewer. If you discover the manager has run your city’s marathon for the last few years and you’re an avid runner as well, slip that fact into your “about me” speech.
Be careful researching personal information about a hiring manager. It’s easy to find a personal social media account but knowing about the manager’s family or most recent party isn’t the information you need to get the job.
