After Applying for a Job, Do Your Research!

One of the most important things to remember when interviewing is to do your research beforehand. A couple of standard questions that most organizations ask are – what do you know about our organization and why are you interested in working for us? This can be asked very early on in the process to help weed out candidates who don’t display an interest or have not taken the time to do their research on the company or position that they have applied to.

You should have a good understanding of the company that you are applying to and the position before you even send through your resume. The last thing you want to do is to be caught off guard when the company calls you for a phone interview and asks you what you know about the company and you don’t know how to answer. Take the time to understand their business, products/services, who their customers and competitors are, their mission, etc. Know if the organization has offices in Ottawa or Toronto, or London for example– and mention those details in the interview. It shows you have taken the time to look at their website and gain more information on their business.

Doing your research is just as important if you are an entry level or senior level. Just because you have been a Controller in an automotive manufacturing facility doesn’t mean that you understand the business of a Controller in the pharmaceutical manufacturing facility. Take the time to understand each unique organization and discuss how your experience will be beneficial in that company/industry.

For every job posting there are a lot of qualified candidates that apply. Ensure that you are the qualified candidate that displays the best knowledge of the company. Do your research!

Jennifer Charron
Recruitment Partner, Lucas Professional Search Group