The job interview remains among the most important factors in whether a prospective employee secures a particular job. The application and resume might procure an interview, friends or relatives can put in a good word for the applicant, but the final result may well depend on the impression that the candidate makes during the first interview. Poor first impressions are difficult to overcome; excellent first impressions are difficult to forget. By preparing ahead of time, candidates can help themselves gain the most benefit from this critical interview. By taking a few steps during and following the interview, candidates can help employers remember them over all of the other competitors. This research examines how to approach the first interview, how to recognize the type of interview being given and respond appropriately, and how to successfully follow up an interview.
Candidates should research the companies at which they will be interviewing so that they can speak knowledgeably about the company's products, organization and market position. The World Wide Web is an indispensable tool for this research; local libraries can also offer information (Belyea 304). In addition, however, candidates should approach current employees (if they know someone who works there) to determine the sort of information that is not likely to be contained in annual reports. Such information might include the type of corporate culture that exists at the organization, challenges that the company is currently facing, and changes that might be happening which would affect the candidate's own job if he or she is successful during the selection process.
Key information that can be obtained from the Web or articles about the company (as well as their annual report) includes the types of businesses in which they participate, how large the company is (both in terms of revenue and employees), changes that the company might have recently completed, and ...