Before the age of Myspace, Facebook, Google, and the Internet, job seekers had to go into interviews relatively blind. With only their resume and perhaps a vacancy announcement in hand, the 20th century job seeker had to go into interviews without much knowledge about the person interviewing them and without the convenience of being able to troll corporate websites for important information about a company’s mission or current operations. Of course, in the age of Facebook and Google, all of this has changed—most information is literally only a click away. Whether or not they know it, job seekers stand to benefit from this great proliferation of online resources and the dawn of the social network. In the Information Age, clever job seekers can get a decisive leg up in the interview process.
Specifically, Heather Huhman, writing for U.S. News and World Report, recently singled out five things job seekers should research before heading to their next interview.
- “Conversation starters.” Look at the person’s online profile to see if you can find things in common that you can discuss, recommends Huhman. “Finding commonalities can make the interviewer seem less scary and help you relate to him or her during the interview.”
- “Interview style.” Part of what makes an interview so scary is not knowing what questions an interviewer may ask; therefore, research what style of interview your interviewer might conduct. Huhman suggests that job seekers looking for articles they may have written on the subject, reviews of their interviews, and their social media profiles.
- “Important skills and qualifications.” ALWAYS enter an interview prepared to discuss your catalogue of relevant past professional experiences and how your skill set and qualifications match that, which is outlined in the job description. Huhman recommends doing additional research, beyond a simple review (or all-out dissection) of the vacancy announcement. She states, “perhaps the company website emphasizes teamwork on the jobs; if so, remember to discuss your experiences with working in a team at previous workplaces.”
- “Potential questions to ask.” If ever asked by an interviewer if you have any questions about the job, the company, etc. never respond, “No.” This question is asked by almost every interviewer and can be used as a means of gauging interest. Always prepare questions beforehand that you can ask during the interview. “Make a note of anything interesting about the organization or the interviewer that you’d like to ask during the interview,” says Huhman.
- “Friends or colleagues in common.” Part of being a good interviewee is not only being able to expertly answer questions, but being able to drum up conversation. If the discussion feels awkward to you, it is quite likely your interviewer is feeling a bit awkward, too. A topic that is easy to discuss is friends or colleagues you may have in common. If the conversation lends itself to it, discussing common friends “can be a good way to start the conversation and potentially make the interviewer remember you better.”
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