Job Search – Researching Companies You Want To Interview With

Researching a company before interviewing has a large number of advantages. For one, doing the legwork ahead of time prevents you from wasting your time interviewing for an employer who is not a good fit for you. Second, finding out about a company’s background allows you to collect intel to better prepare for your interview. The following are strategies on researching employers during the pre-interview stage.

Online Searching Basics

To get started on researching a company, visit their business website. An “About Us” section will likely detail the history of the business and may highlight their missions and values. Staff bios may be found on the website—allowing you to see the credentials and positions held by current personnel. Stop by the company’s social media pages and follow all of them to receive updates. Company websites and social media accounts give you a strong sense of how they want their customer base to perceive them. Run the business name through Google News to find out any newsworthy items that may have recently come up.

Another source for online company research is Glassdoor. Glassdoor posts employee reviews with a section for both pros and cons. Although, don’t be discouraged by one bad review, a slew of negative feedback is a red flag.

Before an interview, make sure to research the company’s competitors as well. You can find similar companies by using the “Other Companies People Viewed” feature on LinkedIn.

Career Fairs

Locating potential employers in your industry is typically the reason most people attend career fairs. However, career fairs also give you a chance to get more information on a company that may have already been on your radar. You get to meet a representative from the workplace and have an opportunity to ask questions before an interview. Google can’t reliably give you in depth information about company culture or the success rate of newcomers who join the team. For instance, if you’re looking to get an esthetician job at a spa, you may learn at a career fair that the spa doesn’t have a certified laser tech on the team. Once you’re at the interview stage, you’ll have the advantage of seeing a familiar face amongst the staff who may have already recommended you for the position.

The New York Institute of Beauty assists with helping students launch their careers. Check out upcoming events including exclusive career fairs by visiting the website.