Researching a potential employer is just common sense. It’s the least you can do to ensure you make a good decision about your career.
Being able to speak confidently about an organisation at interview also demonstrates interest and enthusiasm and most companies appreciate that interest.
However, the greater value of doing that research is more about ensuring the company is the right fit for you.
So how best to go about finding out more about a new organisation?
Here are 8 steps to follow to set you on the right path and ensure you go into your interview well-prepared and well-informed.
1. Go to the company’s website and read up about it. Search out any info about careers. Some-times you have to scroll to the bottom of the page to find it but check out what they say as this can give valuable information about the culture they aspire to.
2. Google the organisation name to see if you can find out anything more about it. Has it attracted media attention? What does that attention tell you? Can you see any evidence that is ei-ther negative or positive in terms of the company’s future?
3. Check if the company has a presence on Facebook. This is often slanted towards PR but can sometimes give a good feel for a company’s culture and their interest in their online presence.
4. Check out the company profile on LinkedIn. And at the same time see if there is anyone working there that you know and who could provide valuable insight either now or later.
5. Look more broadly at the sector. Is it going places and if so, where?
6. If it’s possible visit one of their premises. So for example if it’s a public place you might want to take a wander through and just observe what’s happening around you. It demonstrates active in-terest to be able to say you’ve visited a store or a hotel or something related to the organisation.
7. Check out the location where the organisation is based. Make sure it is a workable location for you.
8. And now that you’ve completed your research ask yourself the following questions;
a) What is my overall sense of the company and can I picture myself working there?
b) Can I speak reasonably confidently about what the company does when I’m at the inter-view?
Getting to this stage will either set you up to be confident at interview or afford you a reality check in terms of what this company can offer you. Either way it’s a must-do.
