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Job Interview Preparation:
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You need to properly prepare for an interview and ensure you separate yourself from the pack!
This is the first of the job interview techniques you need to master and it’s fairly simple to do.
Job interview preparation is something that needs to be done well in advance of any interview and will help to determine your ability to make it the next step in the interview process. You need to learn as much about the company as possible and you will ideally find information that is unknown to “average” people who are competing with you for the same job.
The single best way to learn about a company is from someone who already works there.
In a perfect world, you know someone (or you know someone who knows someone) who works at the company you are interviewing with, someone who will speak with you regarding the company and who can shed light on what really goes on in the company.
I’m not suggesting that the people you will interview with are going to lie to you but let’s face it, their job is to hire someone and they aren’t to find a good person by spilling the beans and telling you all the negative things that are going on behind the scenes.
No company is perfect and it’s my experience that Human Resources staff aren’t going to be the ones who tell you what is “really going on” inside the walls of the firm.
Finding an insider – someone who already works for the company – who has no reason to do anything but tell you the truth, could be very beneficial to your decision-making and your ability to really see the company the way it is.
When you interview with a company, you are on your best behaviour trying to highlight your strengths and minimize your weaknesses.
Companies do the exact same thing.
When you include a current employee as part of your job interview preparation, you have immediately separated yourself from most other people competing for the same job who won’t even think of doing this, let alone actually going out and doing it.
The knowledge you gain from this sort of job interview preparation is invaluable.
How can you find someone who works in the company?
Obviously, if you know someone already or if you know someone who knows someone, you can approach the person directly and ask them for help.
If you don’t know anyone, you might start by finding the name of someone who works there (ie. you might read an interview, press release or quote from someone who works in the company or find the name of someone from the company’s website) and you might call into the company and ask for that person.
Once you have them on the phone, tell them that you read their interview, article or press release (this helps to stroke their ego…let them know you know who they are), briefly tell them why you are calling and ask politely for 5 minutes of their time.
If you still can’t find the name of anyone who works there, you might consider calling into the company and asking the receptionist to put you through to someone who can help you learn more about the company.
Just make sure you aren’t put through to someone who you are interviewing with!
What sorts of things should you ask them?
First off, make sure they understand that you are interviewing for a position and ask that your conversation with them remains confidential.
You don’t really want them going to the person who will interview you and make them think you are doing anything behind their back. You aren’t, but there is no reason for the interviewer to know you have taken this initiative.
Secondly, make sure you don’t waste their time asking questions you can easily find out yourself. Instead ask about questions that only an insider would know:
Once you’ve accomplished this part of your job interview preparation, realize that you are already miles ahead of most people you’ll be competing with for the job.
Don’t stop there though!
Now you can supplement your job interview preparation by:
Typically, important company events that are newsworthy will be publicly announced one way or the other and knowing about them can help you during the interview process, especially if the interviewer asks if you’ve heard the latest company news.
Your job interview preparation wouldn’t be complete without talking about what interview questions you might be asked and how to answer them.
Let’s continue your job interview preparation by discussing Sample Interview Questions and Answers!
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