Introduction: The Importance of Knowing About the Company
One of the simplest questions during an interview is whether you know anything about the company.
Not having a good answer to this question has dual disadvantages: the interviewer would wonder whether you are serious about the job opportunity and whether you have the required knowledge of the industry and the market field that you are applying for.
Therefore, it is important to prepare a good answer to this question.
When to Start Researching About the Company
As soon as you receive a call inviting you to interview, assuming that you did preliminary research about the organization before you applied for the job.
Starting to research the company as soon as possible will help you to prepare a better answer to this question.
Where to Find Information About a Particular Organization/Company
There are many places to get the information you need, ranging from the Internet to annual financial reports, networks, and friends.
With the advent of the Internet, it has become quite simple for people to find out information about anything that they would want.
However, just browsing out facts and figures about the company does not complete your research.
The best way to start your research is on the Internet News, which will provide you with the current organization status as well as historical aspects of the company.
Corporate websites are basically big advertorials and give out only that information that the company wishes to make public.
When you are going through the details of the company, you should evaluate the issues and challenges that the company is facing in its industry.
Additionally, you may find essential information about products and key managers by reading info from the company website and on LinkedIn. You can also contact current employees of the company if you have the right network connections.
How to Answer the Question:
What Do You Know About Our Company?
It is not necessary that you know every piece of information available about the company.
Therefore, answer this question honestly, and try to present the company in a positive light. Describe the company goals, the company leading products and services, and even their organization structure.
You can also speak about the prospective team or department that you are applying for and the job requirements.
Answering the Question
Though most employers will expect you to do at least a basic Internet search on them, they wouldn’t want you to rephrase verbatim statistics published on the website.
Don’t be predictable, be unique. Show your interest in the company.
The question ‘What do you know about us?’ is aimed at finding more about your analytical skills rather than knowing your abilities to collect data.
See if you can find valuable facts and figures about competitors, new products, leading products/services, industry trends, market difficulties, etc.
How to Stand Out with Your Answer
Any field has its hurdles, specialties, and uniqueness. Find this unique info and when asked this question, react to what your research tells you.
Start with a brief summary of what you’ve learned, followed by examples such as:
- ABC Company that is also expanding to the [field] and how it might be a direct competition to the said company.
- The new challenge of launching this [new product] at this point in time and to this competitive market.
- If you read that the world’s growth markets for your particular field are, for instance, India, China and other ‘developing’ countries, you may shift the conversation to your knowledge that these are the growth markets. You may ask about future plans to expand operations into these countries.
These examples will let your interviewer know that you are aware of many aspects of the industry and the company.
Conclusion,
In conclusion, it’s important to have a good understanding of the company you’re applying for before attending the interview.
This will show the interviewer that you’re serious about the job and that you have the necessary knowledge to succeed in the industry.
Remember to start researching the company as soon as you receive an invitation for an interview. Use various sources of information, such as the Internet, annual reports, and your network connections, to gather as much information as possible.
When answering the question “What do you know about our company?” During the interview, be honest and try to present the company in a positive light.
Focus on the company’s goals, leading products and services, organizational structure, and job requirements.
Additionally, show your interest in the company by finding unique and valuable facts and figures about the industry, competitors, market trends, and challenges.
This will not only demonstrate your analytical skills but also show that you’ve thought about how your strengths and skills can help the company overcome these challenges.
Overall, doing your research on the company is crucial to making a good impression during the interview and increasing your chances of landing the job.