A successful job interview starts long before you walk into a company’s lobby and wait to start your meeting. Before you even pick out your outfit for the big day, make sure you’ve done your research so that you seem prepared, interested, and excited about the opportunity.
Stumped on what to look for? Here are seven things to check out before you head into any office.
- First and foremost, do you understand the mission statement? Apply these four quesitons to ensure you have an idea of what the company values (and not just what goods or services it offers). (Forbes)
- Don’t just know what the company does—know what it’s accomplished, too. Use Google Alerts to research recent achievements and accolades. (Careerealism)
- Stalk your prospective employer’s social media presence on sites like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to see what the team deems important for the world to know about. (Business Insider)
- Check out the corporate blog to learn more about the culture. What specifically should you be looking for? Here’s a great list. (Inc.)
- Use Glassdoor reviews as a resource to learn more about the company’s hiring practices as well as how others felt about the organization. (The New Talent Times)
- Once you’ve done your research, think about ways to show an employer in an interview that you have, in fact, done your research. (Investopedia)
- The best part about this whole process? You’ll be able to anticipate the interview questions that people will be most likely to ask. (The Daily Muse)