Master Career Counselor

Carla Hunter, President of Career Span, Inc. is a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association and a Certified Career Coach by the National Board for Certified Counselors. She is an expert in writing resumes, effective job search strategies and interviewing success. Most recently, with over 20 years of navigating the complexity of today's world of work, she published "Finding Your Place in the World of Work", a career interest inventory (2014) and CareerView, an iPad app. As a private practice career counselor and a workforce development consultant, this blog is Carla's trove of ideas, trends, forecasts, and career tips for finding meaningful work.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Successful Interviewing Research Guide

In a previous post, I discussed the variables you can control in a job interview. Read it here.  A job interview places tremendous stress on a job seeker to get it right with little room for error.  This makes the preparation all the more important and vital to a successful interviewing outcome.  You must remember the interview is about your resume in high definition.  It is the reason you got the interview.
The employer wants to know how you are the solution to their problem. 

 The non negotiable activities for success include these two important steps:

1. Research and complete a background check on the company.

Before you enter the premises of an interview (starting the moment you park your car), you must inspect, examine, study and accumulate a vast knowledge of the company. This empowers you to know if the company is a place where you want to work.  

  • Call your local better business bureau for any consumer complaints
  • Check your local chamber of commerce to see if the company is an active member
  • Talk to anyone you know who may work there to find out the major reason they are hiring (sometimes that isn't always good)

2. Be an interviewing sleuth and track your potential employer's progress.

You are in the driver's seat ready to determine if you want to spend the majority of every working day with this potential employer. As you prepare for an interview, find the answers to the following questions to make an informed choice and to prepare you for questions you may be asked. 


THE INTERVIEW PREPARATION RESEARCH GUIDE


  1. Who is this company and how was it founded?
  1. Who does it do business with?
  1. What does this company do for the benefit of customers?
  1. Who are its major competitors?
  1. What is the potential for growth of the company in my area? 
  1. When did it begin? 
  1. What is its mission statement?
  1. What is the main website address and social media emphasis?
  1. What geographical location does this company reach?
  1.  How many people work there?
  1.  Is it public or private?  
Also, think about answers to the following personal questions as the fuel of your interviewing engine:

What are five reasons I want to work here?

What are the top five skills I offer this company?

Does my resume translate into the solution this company needs?

Could I envision myself working here and enjoying it?

If you're a jobseeker, utilize this post as a tool to empower you. The result may include NOT wanting to interview with the company, saving you time and energy. Hopefully, it solidifies the reason you want to be hired.

Researching the company before the interview is the foundational principle of successful interviewing.

Are there additional questions you would include in this guide?  

Next post will include the important sites to do your research.


1 comment:

  1. I read your guide. This is really very interesting and useful information. This is really helpful to all the people who all going to interview.

    ReplyDelete