Do Your Homework, Get The Job

It had been a while since I went through an interview but, sure enough, walking into the meeting with who will be my new boss brought back the same nervous energy I had when first trying to get into the company. So how do you calm these nerves and get the job every time? Simple, do your homework.

It's important to understand that, first and foremost, an interview is a sales meeting. The person asking the questions has a need and you must convince them you are the best candidate to satisfy that need. As you would in any sales meeting, you must come prepared. The first step is to understand the company and what they do. Use the internet to research every aspect of their business and how they are innovating and moving towards the future. Familiarize yourself with the history and the leaders who have shaped the company. Also, understand the competition and where their strengths and weaknesses lie. I can tell you that most of the candidates will not have this information and will be at severe disadvantage to those who do.

Armed with this research, you can have an extremely educated conversation about the job and how you would fit into the company's vision for the future. Do not propose any 'revolutionary ideas' or changes to the business. This comes with time in the position.

Dig up some information on who will be conducting the interview and who your superior would be. LinkedIn and Facebook will be resources to see work history. Try to talk to someone who works at the company and find out the culture at the office. Tailor your pitch to how your strengths would gel in that particular office environment.

If you come prepared with the right information for an interview then it simply becomes a conversation. Be calm and collected. Prove through doing your homework that you have the work ethic to excel in the position.