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So, you have an interview with your desired company. The first thing to do is to learn as much as you can about the company and department you will be working for. The first port of call should be to check if the company have a website. Either a quick Google or a phone-call to the company should get the website address. If the company is a medium to large sized company, there should be a huge amount of data to use. Try to find out the following information:

The company’s location. It may seem obvious, but make sure you find out the exact location and how to get there on time. The last thing you want is the interview setting off on a bad foot with unpunctuality. An employer will have expected you to account for rush-hour traffic or train delays! It is also worthwhile to research how you could get to the office for the normal working hours, as this could be a interview question.

The company’s official name: If the company is called by an acronym or has a local informal name, always know the official name or what the acronym stands for.

What the company does: If the company is a services company, for example a large law firm, ensure you understand what kind of services the company provides. It may specialise in certain types of services or consultancy. If the company is a product company you should understand what those products are, what they do and the customers.

What is the company’s mission statement or ethos: This type of knowledge can help you stand out amongst candidates as it adds another dimension to the stock answers to “do you know what we do”

Company Structure: Find out who is the CEO or managing director, and try to find out a little about his/her background. If possible find out how the company is run, who is on the board of directors, who is in senior management. If you are applying to a particular department, find out as much as you can about the work your department does.

Company Salary Benefits: You may not ask these questions in the interview, but you should always know this information before an interview!

Coming Next…. How to Give the Perfect Answers