CAREER TIPS AND STUDENT SERVICES

Career Tips

Research the company prior to an interview.

Before you have an interview, prepare by getting background information on the company. You now can accomplish such research easily, thanks to the Internet. Visit the company’s web site and check out the following:

• The company overview: so you’ll understand the corporate culture and philosophy.
• The careers they offer: so you’ll know where and how you might fit.
• Recently-completed projects or those underway: to see where your talents might be put to good use, or to see if you might have just the right kind of experience for work that’s being done.
• Statistics, such as rate of growth, recent acquisitions, and income—if posted—so you’ll have a sense about the company’s health, if there are international opportunities, and if there’s a match to your ambitions.

Ask the recruiter questions about the company/position/job expectations.

When the recruiter asks you if you have any questions—and you can be sure that he or she will—have some in mind. Don’t ever say, “Thanks, you’ve answered all my questions,” or simply, “Thanks for your time.” Recruiters want to engage candidates and you should want to engage them back, showing them that you are the solution to their challenges. To prepare:

• Reflect on your research and frame appropriate questions, such as, “What were the challenges your company faced during its recent expansion,” if there was an acquisition.
• Ask questions about the position itself, such as what the job entails, what the weekly hours can be expected to be, if and how often you might work more than a forty- fifty-, or sixty-hour week, and what challenges the successful candidate can expect to encounter.
• Offer some solutions to a challenge you learned about on the web site. This helps you position yourself as the person who can help the company solve problems.
• If you discover the recruiter can’t answer your questions, turn the queries into observations so he or she will know you’ve done your homework and also indicate that you’d like more information.