Two Minutes of Research Might Have Saved My Interview

Two Minutes of Research Might Have Saved My InterviewResearch Might Have Saved My InterviewTwo Minutes of Research Might Have Saved My InterviewThere are plenty of ways to blow a job interview, but beingunprepared is probably the most common. Despite knowing that, I once lost out on a great job in marketing communications at a hospital because I didnt bother to do my research before the interview. Why did I pull such a dumbass move? Well, I thought the commute would be too long so I wrote the opportunity off before I gave it a chance. I went to the interview feeling 99% sure I didnt want the job. But, as Murphys Law would have it, it took me a perfectly reasonable 30 minutes to get to the interview. Plus I liked the hiring manager a lot and the job seemed ideal. Naturally, the hiring manager began the interview by asking what I knew about the hospital. But having failed to do any research, all I could come up with welches Um, I know it has an excellent reputation.Hint This is a bad a nswer for anyone to give, but its a REALLY bad answer for a marketing person whose job would be to promote the hospital.She just stared at me in silence for a moment, then said, OK, then Ill start by telling you a little bit about us. Ouch. That was the moment I knew the job opportunity ship had sailed and I wasnt on it.To illustrate how truly inexcusable itwas to be so unprepared, heres what I found out in literally two minutes on the hospitals web siteThis hospital has centers specializing in musculoskeletal disorders, cancer, childrens health, womens health, and emergency/trauma, but its probably best known for its cardiac programs. It ranks 1 in the state and 2 in the country for surviving a heart attack. It earned the Society of Thoracic Surgeons highest designation. It also earned awards for programs to prevent medication errors and promote patient safety. And it offers a range of health education programs and services to the community.Now THAT would have been a good answer to the hiring managers question How to Research the CompanyDoing research on an organization is really quite simple. Just check the employers web site and Google the company name and management team to see what comes up. If youre applying to the one business on earth that doesnt yet have a web site, look for their advertisements in newspapers or in the yellow pages. Public records, annual reports, and industry periodicals might have helpful information. If possible, ask current employees about the company. If you have a LinkedIn account (which you should), query your contacts to see who might know someone there. Basically, you should find out the following about your would-be employerWhat do they do? Do they manufacture products? Distribute products? Provide services? Exactly what kind? Who are their customers? Do they target individual consumers or other businesses? If they market to consumers, is there a specific group they target? (Families? Nurses? Retirees? Heart patients? Sports fans? Pet owners? Coffee drinkers?) If they sell to other businesses, what kind? (Factories? Financial institutions? Schools? Insurance companies? Hospitals? High-tech laboratories? Restaurant chains? Dairy farms?) Who are their main competitors?How big are they?How many employees? How much money do they make? Are they local? National? Global?What are they known for? Are they the best at something? Have they received awards or recognition? Have they been in the news? What do they brag about?With a little homework and a little web research, youll be well prepared to stand out among all the job candidates who think they can just wing it in their interviews.