Here’s the one thing that will make you stand out at job interviews

We can’t do what we do without our amazing employees. And, since we’re growing, we’ve been hiring a lot of new staff and faculty members lately.

As such, we’ve had a lot of great opportunities to see some people who are really good at job interviews. And some, alas, who still need some work. 

Everyone has a different set of skills, but there’s one thing that absolutely anyone can do to help set them apart from other job candidates: Spend a little time getting to know the organization before the interview starts.

Read everything you can on the organization’s website. If it has been in the news, make sure you read that, too. Do a little Googling to get to know the company’s leadership team. And if you know the name of the person who will be interviewing you, do some online research on them, too. All of this will allow you to tailor your answers to the industry you’re asking to be a part of, in general, and to the organization specifically.

Consider, for instance, the difference in answers to the question: “Why do you want to work here.”

Candidate 1: Well, I think it sounds like an interesting job and I’m a really good worker. I enjoy being part of a team, and your organization seems like a great one to be a part of.         

Candidate 2: Your mission statement, which talks about always putting students first,  really appeals to me, and I love the fact that your leadership has been so dedicated to helping people, not just through your organization, but in their private lives as well. 

Which job candidate would you hire? The second one stands out, doesn’t she? (We think so, too.) 

Before you go to your next job interview, spend an hour doing some research. You won’t regret it.