Researching for an Interview
Researching a company before an interview helps you mention things that matter to the company throughout your answers – this will really impress them! It also helps you think of good questions to ask them at the end of your interview. Here are some ideas of things to research.
The organisation:
Showing that you know what the organisation is up to will look good to your interviewers.
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What are the organisation’s mission and values?
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What current projects are they involved in?
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Have they been in the news?
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What’s their social media, or on social media about them?
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What are their plans?
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Who are their clients (if applicable)?
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Who are their main competitors?
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Who will be interviewing you? If you have been told or can find out who will be interviewing you, a bit of research about them (a quick look at their LinkedIn page) could potentially help reduce your nerves.
The job:
Remind yourself of the reasons you submitted an application.
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Think about why you are interested in the job/career.
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Re-read the job advert, job description and person specification.
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Find out more by researching similar roles online or if you know somebody who does the job you could see if they’d talk about their experiences.
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Remind yourself of the about the skills and qualities they are looking for.
Career progression and training
Demonstrate your commitment to training, development, and career progression.
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Is there a mentoring scheme for new staff members?
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Would a relevant qualification be achievable alongside the job role?
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What would the next step in the organisation look like? (See if there’s a copy of the organisation structure online which will show you what the next role up is!)