Preparing for an Interview

a. Researching about the company

Company Research
Interviewers (or job applications) frequently ask these types of general and open-ended questions right off the bat, to see if you're worthy of continuing the interview. If you don't have a response or it's wishy-washy, such as, "Because it's a great company," you're in trouble before the interview has really begun. A great company already knows it's great. Interviewers want to know specifically why you want to work for such a great company.

It's a good idea to conduct company research before you interview, so you can step up to the challenge and answer such questions intelligently. At minimum, know what a company's products and services are, why they interest you, and how you can help support them.

Employment is a two-way street. Make sure it's a company for which you want to work, and you'll be well-prepared to answer such questions. Find out everything you can about the company, including

? Benefits
? History
? Culture
? Advancement opportunities
? Financial status
? Plans

Naturally, you may ask about some of these topics during interviews. But it's a good idea to find out all you can beforehand, to help you formulate specific questions and answers, and show that you've done your homework.

If you're a college student or recent alumni, check with the career center at your school. Many maintain libraries of company research resources.

Public libraries stock company research resources too, such as the Thomas Register. If you don't know where to look, just ask a librarian for help.

The Web is also an excellent place to conduct company research. Many companies know that you might be visiting their Web sites for exactly that reason. For example, Intel and Microsoft are very accommodating, as are many others. Study information about the company and the description of the job for which you are interviewing.

Even if companies don't provide information specifically for job seekers, most provide information for customers or the media that is also useful for conducting company research before interviews.

One of the best places to conduct company research, is straight from the source. It doesn't hurt to contact the human resources (HR) department of the company for which you have an upcoming interview. Ask about company literature, such as product brochures, job descriptions and new-hire orientation packets. They may be impressed you took the time to find out.

If you really want to get down to the nitty-gritty, scope out the company's annual report from an investor's point of view. After all, if you wouldn't risk your money in a company, would you want to risk your career?