Company Specific

What research have you done about the organisation?

Your answer to this question tells the interviewer how interested you are in the role and company, and a first hand
example of how you would prepare for a meeting when in role. Employers want potential employees to
demonstrate a genuine interest in the company and industry. This question is a great opportunity to show your
enthusiasm and passion and highlight the work you have done outside the interview. If you fail to prepare
thoroughly, then perhaps you would fail to prepare properly when given a tricky task when employed.

Review all pages of the company website, industry press, LinkedIn company page, blog or Twitter feed

Prepare questions you wish to ask based on you research findings

Try to source a broad range of information; covering the people, culture, customers, financials, recent
press

Be sure you know exactly what the company does

Be ready to talk about the company activities, budget and scale

What interests you about our company?

This question requires an enthusiastic response demonstrating what you know about the employer and why you
are well suited. A short response stating that the company is global or a big brand is a poor answer,
demonstrating little thought. The interviewer wants to see if you understand what the company does, what their
reputation is and culturally what type of employer they are. Be careful when discussing career progression, since
the employer usually wants someone focussed on the immediate role. Most of all they will want to feel your
enthusiasm for the business.

Know all your basic facts on the business, product lines, customers, culture etc.

Be enthusiastic; the employer wants you to have deliberately picked them

Drill down on what you want and how this can match your short and long term ambitions

Why do you want to work for us, not one of our competitors?
The real reason for asking is to ascertain what you understand about the company and industry in which they
operate, i.e. did you do your research properly. If you are unable to answer this sensibly, it shows you did not
prepare thoroughly enough. If you do not prepare thoroughly for an interview, then perhaps you will not prepare
thoroughly for a meeting when in the job. A great answer will go on to identify the skills the company will need to
help compete or grow against the competition.

Demonstrate a good understanding of the business

List off the differences between the competitors

Match your skills to the need of the employer and role

DONT: Give a generic answer about being a bigger company or more attractive brand

Do you research

Show you understand the industry, company and competitors

Know the difference between the company and its competitors

What are your thoughts about working in this organisation?

A positive, enthusiastic answer is required here as you need to convince the interviewer you specifically picked
their company. As part of this, you need to give credible and thoughtful reasons. This could include cultural
reasons about the work environment and reputation, a real match with the job specification, a personal interest in
the products or offering of the company. Above all, you need to demonstrate some specific knowledge (saying
you are a big company is not a good answer) and enthusiasm.

Be very positive

Consider the job spec, cultural reasons and personal interest in the company

Have 2 or 3 very specific points

Talk about the excitement

Talk about the company

Think about your personal experience on entering the company premises

Were you introduced to anyone?

Talk about how the role itself excites you

What do you think is the most important issue facing our business today?
This immediately shows your level of preparation for the interview. If asked this question, the interviewer expects
to hear about a real issue facing the business or broader industry, or at least a credible attempt at something that
could be an issue. If you get the issue wrong it's not a problem, it's more that you've been able to demonstrate
commercial awareness by discussing a business issue.

Research press on the company site and industry trade websites

Talk about a real issue i.e. relate to growth, cost, competition, legislation, social or economic points

If unsure, engage in a conversation about the business by adopting a questioning approach

Research beforehand on the industry or sector

Be able to talk about it in an appropriate amount of detail

Who are our customers?

This question immediately reveals whether you know what the company does and who benefits from its services.
The interviewer is testing your knowledge and expecting to be impressed. This is particularly important for any
sales, marketing, service or front-office role. All businesses have customers, and a good answer is to be able to

categorise the types of customers (e.g. a consulting firm may have customers in media, publishing and
telecoms). A great answer is to be able to explain why those customer groups buy.

Categorise the customer types

Have examples ready and be able to talk about not just cite their name

Understand why each customer buys, establish the need for the products or services

Identify customers, name of customer => explain why they buy from their company

Show you understand what the company does

Name some customers from a variety of markets

Be able to explain why they buy from the company

What value will you bring to the company and the role?
This is asking for your elevator pitch, and is a chance for you to relate previous experiences, either from work or
elsewhere, to the role and show evidence of how they can add value to the team and the company as a whole.
Get inside the employer's head and think how you would feel about employing yourself. Talk about the tasks you
know you can achieve, what the outcome is likely to be and the skills you have. Just as important is to talk about
your attitude or behaviours. Talk about enthusiasm, commitment, focus, pro-activity, positive approach (etc).

Focus on thecompetencies required in the role and how you can fulfil them

Show evidence of the results of your actions from previous examples

Remember your attitude is as important as your skills

Make sure you know the skills and competencies the role requires

Research the company and its culture and match your experience and skills to those required

Provide evidence to support your claims

What do you know about our company and the industry we work in?
This immediately reveals how you prepare. If you fail to prepare properly, the employer may think you'd be
unlikely to prepare for a meeting when employed. Employers want potential employees to show a genuine
interest in the company and industry in which they operate. This is an opportunity to show your enthusiasm and
how prepared you are. Learn a handful of bullet points and be able to re-call them quickly, going beyond the
basics of how big the company is and how many offices it has. You need to show you understand what the
business does and the issues it faces.

Read the entire company website, pay attention to the press releases and industry press to see what
the current themes are

Prepare questions you wish to ask based on you research findings

Ensure you understand and can explain exactly what the company does and how they do it

Show that youve done some research

Demonstrate passion and curiosity

Ask question to build on your knowledge