authors: Sarah Emmerson & Denisa Madalina Birau
99% of the time your interviewer will ask what you know about them. Things like, if you know what they do, if you’ve seen their website, if you know what tech they use, and so on.
Coming to an interview prepared with this information immediately shows the company that you’re invested in the opportunity. It shows a genuine interest in them and the role, and not just the remuneration. It also saves time and allows you to focus more on why you would be a great hire for them, rather than speaking generically about your experience.
Research the company so you can arrive at the interview with relevant questions. This will help you get answers not only about the job role, but about what it will be like to work there as well. If you’re not sure how many teams there are, how the communication structures work or how your role will be managed, that’s a great starting point for a meaningful discussion. As we said in a blog before – when in doubt, ask!
If you are working with a recruitment consultant on a particular role, then they should be your secret weapon! As part of their job, your consultant should have information and insight into the company that you won’t find online. They may have been on-site, talked to different managers or even recruited some of the existing staff. They will be able to give you a unique perspective into the job role.
It’s always important to remember that you are interviewing the company just as much as they are interviewing you. The conversations you have at this stage are your best opportunity to work out whether the role, the environment, and the company line up with what you’re looking for. Better to find that out at interview than a month into the role!
Whatever your professional or life experience, you will have worked on many different projects, faced many uniquely challenging obstacles and found a way to handle various types of tricky situations. The skill is in picking out the ones that are most relevant to the role you are applying for.
Make sure you’re filtering your knowledge and experience to identify the highlights that will make you successful in this role. Even if your interviewer asks about every job under your belt, keep bringing it back to those key aspects that make you qualified.
Mention your failed projects as well. Everybody knows you cannot be successful in everything, but it’s how you learn from those experiences that makes the difference. So bring up your hurdles, but focus on how they made you improve.
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