Company evaluation before interview – you may be better equipped to help the company, if you learn these essentials about the company before your interview.
You can always be at the winning edge in your interviews if only you do your homework on time, that is research enough about the company, its objectives, missions, past, present and future goals, accomplishments, strength and weakness before you finally aspire to be a part of the company or even go and shake hands with your prospective boss!
Along with the answers to the probable questions that you rehearse before that important job interview, if you also focus on the organization essentials, you will not only be able to assess and analyse if the company is the right fit for you, but it will also give you deeper insights on what position and job profile in the company would be your best suit and will let you fix a better salary during the interview, not to mention the better answers you will be able to craft, keeping in mind the company’s requirements, goals and objectives.
You can also ask valuable questions and have better, more constructive talks with your interviewer. Employers obviously do not expect a candidate to know everything, but they certainly would like it and have a better impression of you than other candidates if you come prepared not with information that Google or the latest news has offered you, but your own research and understanding of the job you have applied for and the company itself.
You may be better equipped to help the company advance in its goals and have a better standing at the company and the job, if you learn these essentials about the company before your interview:
Company’s impression in the media and rapport in the social media networks
If you are selected for an interview for a large corporation, MNC or creative firm, you might find the company being in news, find out what the local and national news channels and reports say about this firm and how is it trending on the social media. Even if it is not a big organization, there might be a marketing team issuing press releases on the website or the company blog, in an online newsletter/journal and even on the social media sites like Facebook and Pinterest. You can also look for information on the company on websites that are company industry research centre and give an overview of different firms.
Structure of the Firm
Check out the different positions applicable in the company. This way you will be able to understand the job profiles and the chain of command in the company, for instance, the entry-level associate, content heads, department supervisors, assistant manager, regional manager, manager, district/zonal manager and the board of directors. Find out if the company has registered and corporate offices at different places or cities and where its headquarter is located, if any. You may also choose to set how the company differs in its corporate sector and the regional sector.
The Basic Daily Operations of the Company
There are many job-seekers who do not know much about the company’s regular workings and are too overjoyed at the fact that they have received this offer to even check what the company deals in. You will get a competitive edge over other candidates and be in the good books of the potential employer who will appreciate your efforts of finding out about the company dealings. Also assess how the company’s workings fir with your own career goals. You are sure to find this information on the ‘About Us’ or ‘Home’ page of the company website. Here, in addition you will also find more information about the history of the company, when and how it got launched and the services and products it deals with as well as the customers’ review.
Mission or purpose of setting up the company
Just making a mental note or taking a glimpse of the ‘Mission and Vision’ page of the company website would enable you to have a fair idea on the company’s representation of itself to its audience, and the purpose or meaning why the company was set at the first place. The company’s values and objectives in the near future will also be clear to you and you can come to know if these values are in tune with yours and frame your answers for the interview accordingly. For instance, if the company focuses much on the social or environmental responsibility or charity events, you can speak about the same during your interview and how you too feel the same way about these values and objectives.
THE BOSS, the Community and Employees
You must know the people you are working with, the people who will be in charge of your duties and in-charge of major activities in and around the company. You can look on LinkedIn and Facebook for employees and communities of the company and see if you can chat with some of them about the company objectives, accomplishments and the latest events that the company has participated in. you can also get an insight into the company culture by finding out some information about the qualification, work styles and the professional/corporate beliefs of the employees and the person(s) in charge.
Know who the company is competing with
You must know what special attributes the company has that holds it different from its competitors. You may choose to visit the competitor’s company websites to know about the products/services, opinions by professionals, and values that might differ. If you find that this company fairs better than its competitors, you can use these points to impress your hiring manager! What more?
As you research about the company ideals, motto, achievements and news, you also need to see if your profile on social media websites, your blog and other online appearances are in tandem with the company’s goals and values. Your presence on the social media and blogging sites should be made clear to the recruiter as anyhow, the company might want to find out about your online presence.
So research well and lessen the interview stress! All the Best!
