When preparing for your time in the interview hot seat, knowledge of your employer and their company is your greatest source of power. Whether you’re a current university student applying for a job, a recent graduate getting prepared for a graduate position interview, or applying for a new role at any stage throughout your career, these tips will help you get prepared and help you feel ready to walk confidently into the interview room. From keeping up with industry trends and news, to searching the company website and knowing potential interview panel members, here’s how to research your employer so you can be as cool as a cucumber during a job interview. The Career Development team at Student Services have a range of information that can help make sure you’re as prepared as possible and will make the best first impression at your interview. Find out more. social.usq.edu.au | careerhub.usq.edu.au

1. How to be cool in
the job interview
hot seat
We show you how to research your potential
employer and stay cool, calm and collected
during a job interview.

2. When walking into a job interview, it’s normal to be a little jittery
about the whole process. Your potential employer has your entire
profile of work history and skills right in front of them and you don’t
really know the first thing about them, right?
Actually, before you enter an interview there are many things you can
research about your potential employer. By doing this, you’ll stand
out from the other applicants and feel confident and prepared for
whatever might be thrown at you. It’s true that knowledge is power
and the more you know, the better you’ll do in an interview.

3. So, where should
you begin?
While a Google search can answer most queries these days, when it comes
to researching a potential employer you’ll need to dig a little deeper.

4. Here are the things you
need to research.

5. The company website

6. The company website
A company’s website should be the first place you look when trying
to learn about an organisation.
What to look for:
»» The employability skills and experiences valued
by the organisation.
»» The size of the organisation. How many
employees/directors/clients does it have?
»» The values, vision and mission behind all their
hard work. What drives this company?
»» Their target market and client base. Who do
they work with? What service area do they
cover? Keep an eye out for client testimonials.
»» What services do they provide and, equally
important, what don’t they do?

7. Know more,
do better.

8. Key players and potential
interview panel members

9. Key players and potential
interview panel members
If you know who you’re going to be talking to and what their role in the
company entails, then it will give you a better idea as to what they might
be looking for in an employee. An example of the other types of people to
research include business owners, CEOs, senior partners, trading partners,
executives and other business connections. LinkedIn profiles and the company
website are a good place to start to find out who those key players are.
What to look for:
»» Their name.
»» Their position description. Where do they fit
within the organisation and how might that
relate to the job you’re applying for?
»» Their career history. Where have they worked
before? What affiliations might they have?
»» Who they’re connected to. Who do they know
and do you have any mutual connections?
»» The high school and/or university they attended.
»» Any clubs, organisations or industry groups they
follow or belong to.

10. Recent news or stories
involving the company

11. Recent news or stories
involving the company
By simply Googling the company you want to work for, you’re likely to find
plenty of relevant information, history and news stories. A positive news story
can be a good ice-breaker. Doing this sort of research allows you to confidently
engage in conversation about their current projects and accurately describe how
your skills and experience could contribute to their business.
What to look for:
»» What sort of events or trade they
are involved in.
»» Who they are affiliated with.
»» If they trade internationally.
»» Are they involved in charity work?
»» High profile projects.
»» Developments.
»» Disputes/lawsuits (although bringing these
up in the interview may not be a good idea.
These would be for your knowledge of the
company only, so you can gather some idea as
to whether they are reputable. Discussing these
with the panel could be awkward!)

12. Industry trends

13. Industry trends
Do you know what is going on in the industry right now? Are you up
to speed with the latest trends? You need to be able to show that you
have your finger on the pulse of the industry.
What to look for:
»» Is the company on the rise, or has it plateaued?
»» Knowing if there have been any significant
changes to the industry in the last 6 months or
what the best practice or standard offering is
could give you an advantage when answering
questions about your career goals or why you
want to be employed by the company; it will
impress the panel.
»» Governing bodies. Who is in charge? Who is on
the rise?
»» Key industry terms.

14. All the little extras

15. All the little extras
Have you ever noticed the contact details listed at the bottom of a job
advertisement? These details provide you with the exact person to contact if you
are after any extra information about the role, the interview or the company.
But despite this obvious and totally accessible resource, many applicants never
reach out. It’s important to know that it’s perfectly okay to call this number! It
shows tenacity and a keen interest in the job.
What to ask for:
»» A full position description. Get to know your
potential job inside out!
»» Any relevant policies or procedure manuals that
they’re willing to share with you.
»» If you’re granted an interview, suss out the
parking availability, dress code and double check
exactly when and where your interview is to be
held.

16. Know more,
do better.

17. Company culture

18. Company culture
Research shows that 93% of employers will research job applicants
through social media before offering them an interview (Jobvite Survey, 2014),
so why wouldn’t you do the same? An organisation’s social media profile is a
great place to find out about the ‘personality’ of the business and what is and
isn’t appropriate in their workplace culture.
What to look for:
»» Annual reports. If the company is willing to
share these with you, they’re a great resource
for general background information about the
company. These are sometimes available to the
public on the website; be careful not to ask for
something you’ve already got access to!
»» What they post, like or share.
»» Any photos they might have of their business
and associated activities or events.
»» What language are they using? Is it formal and
corporate or casual and humorous?
»» How often are they posting?
»» How do they respond to people who engage
with their posts?
»» Are there any photos that might give you an
idea of the dress code?

19. Interviews can certainly be nerve-wracking, but it’s easy to
be cool and confident in the hot seat when you’ve done your
research. Know exactly who you’re talking to and the ins and
outs of the role you’re applying for. Take the time to do your
research and get ahead of the crowd. Know more and do better!

20. CRICOS: QLD00244B NSW02225M TEQSA: PRV12081 29.2.5 10.2016 Graphics & Photos © Shutterstock
social.usq.edu.au
The Career Development team at Student Services have a range of
information that can help make sure you’re as prepared as possible
and will make the best first impression at your interview.
Find out more.
usq.edu.au | careerhub.usq.edu.au