How can you stand out against competitors in an interview?

The simple answer is research. More often than not, candidates come to an interview dressed professionally and ready to answer any questions about their background or resume, but usually fall short when asked any questions about the company or the position that they applied for.

Coming prepared to an interview is a clear indication that you are actually interested in the company and the position you applied for. If you research the company beforehand, you will actually be more comfortable in the interview. If you know the company’s goals, you are more equipped to ask well-thought-out questions, which in turn impresses the interviewer and shows that you can come prepared in any situation.

If you research the position beforehand, you can tailor your answers to help the interviewer understand that you can or cannot do the tasks that are required. If you cannot, you can either show them a close example of the task required or show them a reason why you think you can.

“Coming prepared to an interview is a great indication that you are actually interested in the company and the position you applied for.”

Another reason to research the position is that it gives you a chance to ask about the career growth or how to gain more responsibilities while you’re at that company. The answers the interviewer gives you can be a great indicator for you to determine if this is the right path for you and the next step in growing your career.

You should also research the position so that you can explain to the interviewer what you understand about it and they have the chance to fill it any gaps or correct any information that you might have missed.

To illustrate why it’s important to do your research, I have an example of a recent interview I did. One of the two candidates had a great background and resume, but when they sat down with me, they didn’t even know what position they had applied for.

The second candidate I interviewed didn’t have the strongest resume, but came to the interview with well-prepared questions and truly was interested in and wanted to learn more about the position. The second candidate was the one who moved forward in the process as a result.

If you come to the interview dressed professionally and prepared with your research of the company and the position, it will go a long way to helping you get to the next step.

If you have any other questions about this topic, please give me a call. I would be happy to assist you!