Preparing for the interview

Interviews are a two way process. As much as the company is investigating you as to your suitability, so will you be investigating the company to see if they are right for you.

What you should know about the company before the interview.

• Who owns the company? Private or public? Find out about the company and job that you are applying for- conduct some research. Obtain a copy of the job description or any publication that is relevant to the post you are applying for and also of the company. Knowledge of recent news about the company will indicate a pro-active interest.
• Who are their main competitors? Obtain knowledge about the economic sector of the company participates in as well as some understanding of its competitors.
• How are they viewed in the market place?
• What service or products has it to offer?
• What is the current growth of the company and what potential is there for the future?
• Make sure you know the exact location, time of your interview, who you are seeing, what their position is within the company and how to pronounce their names.

Time spent on research prior to your interview will pay off on the day.

The Interviewer will want to know:

• Can you do the job? Do you meet all the criteria in the job description?
• Will you do the job? Have you the right attitude and motivation? Is the job realising your career goals?
• Will you fit into the team? Will it be the right culture match?

You should be asking yourself these very same questions. Think about it.

Further interview resources:

Content. Monster

Careerlab  

Last Update: 21 June 20101