Researching prospective employers

So you’ve written a great, interview-gaining CV, and you’re going for the interview. Now your next hurdle is to make sure you get the job. How do you make sure you get the edge over other candidates for that job?  (Don’t forget: The employer usually interviews at least three other people.) Don’t worry: We’re there to help you. Your La Creme consultant has in-depth knowledge of the employer and the particular job they want to fill, so they have lots of useful background info.

However, there’s one more step you can take to really shine in the interview. Before your interview, find some time to sit down and look at the company’s website. In our busy world, the temptation to skip this step can be strong, but it’s really important to do to give yourself the edge, to appear informed and to make the best choices. Now with your detective hat on, look at their main corporate website and their careers section (if they have one). 

This is what you need to know:

• What do they do? (What products they make or services they offer.)
• Where are they located?
• Who are their customers?
• Who are their main competitors?
• How, why and where is it growing? (This may be related to why they are hiring.)
• What is the big news affecting their business recently?(Including the effects of the recent economy.)
• How does the company like to see itself?(Is it the biggest, the friendliest, the one that tries harder, or the most innovative?)

Look beyond their company website

You’ll need to do a bit more digging and asking around to find out the following:

How is it seen by its competition?
 

Then the big question you need to think about before you go into the interview:

What it is about working for that employer that appeals to you, based on the research you’ve done about the company?

Obviously, you won’t be able to find out everything (nor do you need to), but even a small amount of information and preparation will boost your chances of getting the job.

You may have had a peek to see if the person who is interviewing you comes up on Google, LinkedIn or Facebook.  While it may be true that any information is useful at the interview stage, remember that the person interviewing you may be doing the same thing about you. Now might be a good time to consider your privacy settings.

What do you do if the company is a start-up?

If the company doesn’t have much of a history or much information on their website, try to find out as much as you can about the sector that the company operates in. Your La Creme consultant will help you fill in the blanks about the company’s goals and origins.