Interview Preparation

Organization Research

Researching the prospective employer is essential to succeeding in an interview. As the recruiter searches for the better candidate, your demonstrated knowledge of the organization’s products, service trends and employment requirements will show initiative and preparation.

A thorough assessment of the organization will also aid you in formulating questions for the interviewer. There will always be a marked time for the candidate to ask questions (5-10 minutes). Remember you are also an “interviewer” in this situation. Properly researching the organization will help both you and the employer to decide if this is a worthy match.

Glassdoor Website Button

Glassdoor provides a free inside look at over 162,000 companies — including company salaries, reviews, and interview questions posted anonymously by employees and job seekers.

U. S. Dept of Labor

  • O*NET Online and Americas Career Infonet have detailed descriptions of the world of work for use by job seekers, workforce development and HR professionals, students, researchers, and more.
  • The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) is a resource developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is updated every other year and provides information on job outlook, salaries, working conditions, training and other career-related information for a multitude of professions.

Informational Interviews

Informational interviews are a great tool for learning more about a particular career. You can set up informational interviews with anyone who works in your field of interest. Potential resources that may help you connect with people your field of interest are the Spring Arbor University Linked-In University Page, the SAU alumni (by utilizing the Mentoring Alumni Program – MAP) or friends of your parents/family. A member of the Office of Career Development can also help you find potential contacts with whom you might be able to conduct an informational interview.

Job Descriptions

Looking at job descriptions through some of the online job search engines (i.e. indeed.com., monster.com) is another great way to learn more about a certain occupation. Most job descriptions list the educational background needed for the job, skills needed for the jobs, duties performed in the job, etc.