A great way to screw up an interview is to show up
completely unprepared. You would be surprised at just how many people show up
to an interview with no idea what the company does, let alone the company name!
Once I as an interviewer realize that the interviewee hasn’t taken the time to
learn anything about the company, the interview is as good as over. Funny
enough, the first question in these cases is one I can predict 99% of the time
– how much does it pay? There seems to be a strange correlation between a lack
of homework, and this question.
If this is a common tactic for you, I can assure you that
this is why you are not getting offers. If you aren’t embarrassed by it, you
should be. In a nutshell – correct it! The following are a few methods to use
in order to make sure that you are prepared with understanding that the company
does, a little about the interviewer, and the company’s name.
First, visit the company web site and Google the company
name in order to pull up articles or related info. Taking a little bit of time
to read about the company will not only give you a background of it, but should
also prepare you with good questions to ask during the interview.
Follow the company on LinkedIn. Not only can you find some
valuable information about the company itself, but you also can see company
profile updates as well as updates regarding new employees who have joined the
organization, and employees who have recently left. This can prove very
valuable in getting a gauge on the culture, and the types of employees who are
employed there.
There are instances from time to time where the name of theinterviewer/hiring manger is not provided. Don’t despair though because there
are still ways to figure it out. We live in a Google and online world. You can
literally find just about anyone or anything. With that being said, do a Google
search of the company name along with key words such as the title (or presumed
title) of the manager, or "jobs," "employment," "human
resources" to see if a similar posting has been archived from the past
with the contact name listed. You can also try searching LinkedIn and Facebook
using the same type of clues. LinkedIn in particular is about the easiest
method for finding someone – I do it all the time. IF those don’t work, pick up
the phone and make a call to the main line of the company. Ask for the name of
the hiring manager. Be conspicuous, and not too obvious so as to not blow your
cover. Finally, there are an increasing number of search engines popping up
such as Pipl, Wink, Zoominfo and Zabasearch. These sites are touted for being
able to search deeper into the web than an engine like Google.
The moral of the story is that if you show up to an
interview with no knowledge about the company, what they do, or even the name, you
cannot expect to have success. Take 15-20 minutes beforehand, and do your
research. This small investment of time could end up paying dividends.
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