So little time to learn it
➔ Among the givens in the job search process, learning as much about your target companies the better. This is especially critical when preparing for an actual interview.
You would be wise to take an adage from a successful business colleague of ours who said that you can never know too much about your business. While that’s true about the company when you’re part of top management, the same can be said about any company with which you are going to interview.
Where to begin
So what do you need to know? Not surprising, theories abound. But let’s focus on a few commonalities allowing that these may vary depending on the company and the position for which you’re interviewing.
It’s always a good idea to know the company’s mission and/or core values. In addition to learning something, these are good conversation points during the interview and it shows that you’ve done some homework.
In this internet age in which we live, it should be relatively easy to gather information about the company’s recent news and achievements. These too can be great conversation starters and they will tell you something about where the company is and where it’s going.
Knowing the company’s competitors and market position are always good to know. While market position may be more difficult to find, competitors should be readily available.
Although this list isn’t complete, it should point you in the right direction to find about your prospective employer as well as discussing this information will demonstrate to your interviewer that you’ve taken the time to do your homework.