Do You Really Want To Work There
ost job search approaches opportunity. Not only do you look
are Ready! Fire! Aim! foolish, you're now toast. You've
just been ruled out of contention
Don't do it. Do your company after a 5-minute phone call and
research FIRST. your resume has just been thrown
on the reject pile as the
What happens in the real job interviewer moves on to the next
search world is that most job candidate to call.
searchers in the interest of
generating a lot of search 2. Your resume is an application
"activity" will throw a lot of for working at this company. If
resumes against the wall and see you haven't put any forethought
what sticks. Knowing that job into the reality of this
search is a numbers game, the possibility, when are you
thinking is that a certain planning to do so? Waiting until
percentage will fall your way, so after you have interviewed for
why not stack the deck up front this position could put you in a
and follow up with those that more emotionally vulnerable
"stick"? state. Feeling more desperate to
make some change now, you tend to
Here are two big problems with overlook certain negatives that
that thinking: creep up once you get caught up
in the excitement of the
1. Having not done the basic interview process and the
research beforehand, should a possibilities of change.
call come through for an initial
phone screen, you are caught dead Here's an example from my own
in the water if you don't even career: Many years ago I was
have any basic knowledge about working for a large
either the company or the job pharmaceutical company and
desired a change to a more
dynamic company. After a few How large is the company?
months of being "available", I
had an opportunity to work for a What products/services do they
company I knew little about. I offer?
interviewed and let myself get
caught up in the excitement and Who are their competitors?
ignored the nagging doubts that
told me the job responsibilities Where do they rank in their
were not right. I accepted the market?
job offer, and spent most of the
next 11 months hating my new job. What is their financial
It was a great company, just a situation?
bad fit with my personality. I
knew this AFTER I started The advantages of knowing this
interviewing, but I found it hard information up front puts you in
to say no. If I had done my a power position when you DO
research ahead of time, I never receive a call from an employer.
would have considered this You're now in a position to talk
opportunity. intelligently about the company,
their opportunity, their
Lesson: Research BEFORE you leap products, and use this
when you're calm and rational and information to generate a
can focus your time and energy on knowledgeable conversation with
those specific companies and your caller. This signifies
opportunities where you'll feel interest and gets you to the next
more of a fit. stage: a more in-depth phone
screen or a face-to-face
You should answer these basic interview.
questions:
Here are some resources to get library).
this information:
Talk with people (social
Corporate Websites (see also software, network).
their Press Release section).
Be current on a company before
Hoovers™, Thomasnet™. you even send your resume. Find
out earlier rather than later
The Reference Section of your whether you would actually like
local public library. to work for a particular company.
It can make all the difference if
Standard & Poors®. you do the legwork up front
rather than leaving it to chance
The Business Journal, local trade late in the interview stage.
or business papers (see your
About the Author:
As a recruiter, Joe Turner makes it easy to quickly land that next job with insider tips from top recruiters. To claim your free 6-part Recruiter Secrets Mini-course, visit this link: http://www.best-recruiter-job-search-secrets.com/Opt-in_New.html
Read more articles by: Joe Turner
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