Know your future employer
So your CV has worked its charm and you’ve been offered an interview. You’ve got your chance to decide whether you like this company and they are thinking the same about you.
You’ve done your homework and tailored your CV for the position, and the interview process should be just as tailored. It’s important to know enough about the company to hold a conversation and ask intelligent questions. Apart from the basic questions you may have about the position, show the interviewers what you know about the company, the industry how much you’ve considered this role.
Here are a few suggestions on how to do your homework before your interview
The company website
An obvious place to start, but remember that companies put information on their websites they want their customers to see. This may or may not be comprehensive, but it shouldn’t be the end of your search for understanding the company.
Industry information
Let’s say you’re going to an interview at an airline. Knowing the company’s recent performance shows you’re paying attention and care about the big picture – not just the role you’re applying for. Publically owned companies usually have their annual financial reports posted on their website somewhere (often under shareholder information), or check the Companies Office for financials. Remember, you’re looking for a positive spin on things, so consider looking at the big picture over the past two or three years and making a broad comparison (it helps if there’s a statement at the front of the annual report explaining something positive),that you can leverage. Something like, ‘Your year on year growth of 3.5% is pretty impressive, particularly as more companies have moved into the market. I’m sure it’s a consistent challenge to stay ahead of your competitors.’ Something like this can open the conversation for them to discuss the company culture or performance strategy. Or it may be as simple as mentioning the new GM as listed in the annual report and asking how this is changing the culture in the company.
Every industry is different, but here are some thoughts to get you started on researching an industry
- Check the trade association/guild/institute for the type of company to get a feel for what they consider success to look like. Examples of this type of agency might be BRANZ (building and construction industry), or REINZ (Real Estate Institute of New Zealand).
- Check government regulatory authorities for some up to date news on the industry. For example, MBIE (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) for building and housing, health and safety or science and innovation related fields.
- Reputable reports are produced for a variety of industries, for example KPMG’s Financial Institutions Performance Survey is published annually and analyses the financial services industry. A quick insight on a competitor or the performance of the company you’re interviewing at can make you look very good indeed.
- Each year Waikato University produces the New Zealand Business Benchmarking Survey. It’s a very comprehensive report, giving you an idea of performance within an industry using 35 key financial ratios. It’s expensive, so I suggest you find a library that has a copy. This order form has some sample pages to give you an idea of what’s included.
- If you’re interviewing at a smaller company or a government agency, consider checking StatsNZ for some big picture numbers or trends in that field.
- A quick media search for articles related to your industry (maybe 3-6 months’ worth) will give you some insights into what the company may be considering at the moment.
While interviews can be very unpredictable, being ready to share your thoughts on the company or industry can set you above the rest.
If you’re interested in specific industry information sources, leave a comment and I’ll post some resources.