Essential News

Finding a job is hard.  Finding the perfect fit is even harder!  Being prepared before you next interview is crucial.  Do your homework and you stand the best chance of finding a role you love.

So, what should you do before a job interview?

Review the company website.

• Why:
  • Understand what the company does and get a read on culture.
• How:
  • Review “About Us” pages to understand products/services.
    • Make sure you know who their customers/clients are and how they make money.
  • Review “Meet the Team,” “Testimonials/Case Studies” and similar pages to look for evidence that:
    • Employees enjoy working there.
    • They have happy clients/customers.

Check out social channels

• Why:
  • See how the employer interacts with clients, customers, and employees on social.
  • Learn about the company’s brand, as well as recent news or developments, so you can speak intelligently about them in the interview.
• How:
  • Visit the company’s LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages.
  • Review recent posts and comments
  • Take note of anything newsworthy to discuss- and prove you’ve done your homework.

Research key players in the organization

• Why:
  • Get a sense of the background and experience other employees have.
• How:
  • Use LinkedIn to find profiles of the company’s employees and key players.
  • Do some research on the hiring manager so you’ll know who you’re talking to in an interview.

Learn the company’s mission, vision, and values

• Why:
  • In the interview, you can explain how you align with the company.
• How:
  • Search for mission, vision, and values on the company’s website
  • Explore social channels to get a sense of company culture and values

Get a general idea of salary

• Why:
  • Even though the topic of salary may not come up in a first-round interview, it’s good to be prepared because:
    • Salary will come up if the job is offered.
    • You want to make sure you’re being paid what you’re worth.
  • How:
    • Use Glassdoor, Indeed or Payscale to research the typical salary range for the position you’re interviewing for.
    • Find company reviews from former employees, which may include salary information.

Gain insights into competitors.

• Why:
  • Make an impression on the hiring manager by showing that you understand:
    • The company’s main competition
    • The industry the company works in.
  • How:
    • Google to find out what competitors do differently, better or worse.
    • Make notes to use as discussion points or ask follow-up questions.

Ready to put your job preparation to good use?  Connect with a recruiter today to find your next great opportunity.  www.essentialpersonnel.com.