Company knowledge is power during the interview process
It goes without saying that you won’t land the executive position you want without going through at least one or two interviews to get it. But what sometimes gets forgotten in the interview process, or perhaps ignored by those seeking a career change at the management or C-level, is that being in an executive position already doesn’t earn you a free pass on interview preparation for the next phase of your career.
Now, this might come as a shock to some folks. Maybe you think the conversations you have with your current and previous bosses, with sales prospects and existing clients, even with vendors and peers, might automatically qualify you to nail an interview if one was offered unexpectedly, like a pop quiz.
Some might be aghast at the notion that they aren’t automatically well-prepared for job interviewing. Of those who’ve been in the job market for years and are making a career change, interviewing, the attitude might be, is second nature.
But here’s the one thing you may be forgetting. To really nail the interview, you’ve got to be up on the latest information about the potential employer, and (bonus!) learn as much as you can about the interviewer as well.
Do this, and you’re going to come up with questions for them. Which is good, because you’d best be prepared to ask some excellent questions about the company, and the role you might play in its growth. Without this preparation, you’re not someone who stands out as a candidate for THE job – you stand out as a candidate who wants A job.
There are plenty of ways to find out about a potential employer besides the company’s own website. Sites such as Hoover’s will tell you about what the company does, what its stock is selling at, and what its future might look like. News clipping services such as Business Wire, PRNewswire and PRWeb can provide information about the firm and the recruiter and alert you to new developments each day, as can Google Alerts. Social networking sites, especially those geared towards businesses, can help you find out if the recruiter has any blogging employees or Web 2.0-savvy profiles.
Get creative. Learn all you can. When you do, you’ll be interviewing with ease – and with success.
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