Know Yourself

If you do not know your goals, values, interests and skills, you are not ready to be applying for jobs or graduate schools!  An interviewer will be asking you these questions and will expect confident and thorough answers.

Know Your Field

Keep up with the latest trends in your field of study and/or interest.  If you do not know what is current, an employer will wonder if your interests are a good match.  For instance, if you are studying psychology, pay attention to what has been happening in that field.  You can do this by simply watching the news.  What new medications and treatments for mental illness are being tested?  Who are the “big names” in psychology today?  Are there any controversial issues going on right now?  Once you have such knowledge, you can begin interviewing.

Know the Company

Do your research! Before you walk into an interview, find out the following:

a)     names and titles of key contacts

b)     is the company private or publicly owned?

c)     what products and/or services do they provide?

d)     any new bits of information, new products, awards, etc…

e)    do they own other smaller companies or develop products under other names?

You can get this information from the company’s website, libraries, the newspaper or by simply contacting the company and asking for information and brochures.  If you do not know anything about the company you are interviewing with, how can you possibly know if you are a good fit?!  An employer may ask you that very question!