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In Search of Good Research

by Annette Clemens, Assistant Director

Job interviews probably conjure up many fearful images and feelings to students: sweaty palms, butterflies in the stomach, dry mouth, heart palpitations.  Just thinking about an interview can fill you with great anxiety.  Of course the way to lessen this tension would be to mentally prepare for the interview by practicing answers to interview questions ahead of time.  This will enable you to come across more confidently and lessen all of those unpleasant side effects from a bad case of nerves.

However, in the rush to prepare for the interview, a critical part of solid interview preparation is often overlooked.  In addition to getting a good business suit, finding the location of the company a day or two ahead of time, and practicing your answers to interview questions, you should definitely find time to research the company.  You may be asking, “Why research Target?  I know that it’s a retail store and I’ve shopped there dozens of times.”  The answer here should be obvious—Target, like most other companies, is much more than just the bricks-and-mortar company.  There is much more going on behind the scenes, like investing, revenues, community service, etc.  These are the aspects of a company you want to find while researching its web site.  Keep in mind that after you’ve found and read this type of information, the real trick comes when articulating it to the interviewer.

On mock interviews in the College of Business, a student’s response to the research question (i.e., “What do you know about our company?”) falls into one of two categories.  The first response is usually too focused on detail, which has the student reciting every number and statistic on the site.  The employer won’t expect that you have these statistics committed to memory.  Moreover, that type of response comes across as very mechanical.  The second type of response is the flip side: the information is too vague.  Telling the interviewer at Citigroup that you know they engage in both commercial and investment banking is a little too obvious.

Bear in mind that the interviewer is really trying to get at the heart of whether you know anything about the company, but what’s more, have you analyzed the information you have read.  For instance, if you know the company you’re interviewing at has opened a branch office in a location apart from its home office, you might consider what effect this has on the company as a whole.  An example of a good question about this information could be: “What effect will opening your branch office have on future revenues?  On future hiring needs?”  Perhaps you are a minority student who notices the company’s commitment to diversity in the form of the professional organizations the company belongs to and programs they sponsor.  A good example of a question that implies research would be: “I noticed on your web site that your company is a member of three organizations dedicated to promoting diversity in business.  Do you have a formal mentoring program for minority employees?” 

You should make note of the information but show the employer that you can take it one step further—that you are interested in the implications of what you’ve read about the company.  It is not necessary, nor is it impressive, to simply regurgitate facts and statistics.  You also need to avoid merely stating the obvious.  When you analyze what the information means, you will come across as someone who understands business better than the average student and the employer will think you are very serious.  Just like your 60 second introduction or any interview question, the power of your responses lies in the articulation.