Did you research the company before your scheduled interview?

Maybe our clinical trial staffing company is a little unique, or maybe you just have high expectations, but I hope that every candidate who interviews for a position with us has at least checked out our website and has some kind of understanding of what we make. Our website gives the candidate the opportunity to learn about our history, achievements, what we are currently working on, and our culture. Also, when I put a candidate in front of one of my clients, I expect that candidate to also know what that client’s organization does.

More importantly, by doing your homework and knowing what the company you’re applying to does before speaking with a company representative, you demonstrate your sincere interest and willingness to be part of their organization. He will also show his drive to succeed. It is important that you express that something the company does, believes or represents has appealed to you personally. By preparing, you show that you weren’t applying for just any job on the list, but show that you took the time to hand-select this particular company for a reason, just like they hand-selected you for an interview.

During the interview, the hiring manager will most likely ask questions such as “What do you know about us and what we do? How will you fit into our organization? What are your career goals and how will working with this company allow you to work towards that?” achieve those goals? He must know what the company does before he can expect to be seriously considered as a future team member!

Also, having background information on what a company does will increase your confidence. Knowing what they do will give you inside information on the questions they are likely to ask you. This knowledge will also help you build on the skills and experience you already have and give you the opportunity to blend those skills with the company’s mission and goals. You should also be familiar enough with your goals to be able to project fresh ideas and express excitement and enthusiasm for the company. And as important as these things are, they won’t matter at all if you’re not dressed appropriately for the interview.

You can also check out the company’s profile on LinkedIn, which is a well-established professional website. You can view employees, both current and past, who have been associated with this company and see where these people have taken their careers after working there.

Finally, be sure to note where you think the organization is headed based on your research. You want to convey that both your goals and those of the organization align. Be clear that where they are headed is where you would like to be and that you would like to contribute to their success.

To learn more about preparing for interviews, check out our other interview articles.

Do you have any questions? Ask the team of clinical trials staff here and we’ll be happy to help.

Invest in a successful life,

Angela Roberts