They say job-hunting success is all about who you know. But how much you know about prospective employers plays
a crucial role, too, a recent survey confirms. Forty-seven percent of executives polled said that having little or no knowledge of the
company is the most common mistake job seekers make during interviews.
The national survey includes responses from 150 senior executives -- including those from human resources, finance and marketing
departments -- with the nation's 1,000 largest companies. It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Accountemps,
a specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals.
Executives were asked, "What do you think is the most common mistake candidates make during job interviews?" Their responses:
Little or no knowledge of the company: 47 percent
Unprepared to discuss skills and experience: 17 percent
Unprepared to discuss career plans and goals: 9 percent
Limited enthusiasm: 9 percent
Lack of eye contact: 3 percent
Monopolize interview: 2 percent
Focus on salary/benefits/perks: 2 percent
Lack of self-confidence: 2 percent
Inappropriate dress: 2 percent
Late arrival: 2 percent
Don't know/no answer: 5 percent
"The most successful applicants will have a beyond-the-basics understanding of the firm, including its history, chief competitors
and business objectives. Armed with this knowledge, job hopefuls should be able to describe how their skills and experience can help
the business reach its goals," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps.
Accountemps offers the following tips for researching potential employers:
- Find information at your fingertips. By visiting the company's website, you can locate a wealth of information, such as the firm's mission and values,
what products and services it provides, recent press releases and more. If it's a publicly traded company, call the investor-relations department
to request an annual report.
- Research the industry. In addition to learning about the company, research the industry in which it competes to gain a better understanding
of the market and specific issues and trends that may affect the organization.
- Check your network. Ask your colleagues, friends and others for information about your prospective employer. Your contacts may have
worked for or with the organization and could provide insight that may prove valuable during a job interview.
To conduct that all-important company research before you go on a job interview, you can use a new, no-cost feature from
ZoomInfo.com. You can pinpoint in-depth information on
more than 3.5 million companies with the business information search engine at ZoomInfo. The tool will let you search
the site's company database by name, product category, industry, market niche
and other factors and then review detailed descriptions of individual companies
that include their revenue, the names and bios of key employees, their location(s),
competitors, and even their recent acquisitions.
While most job-seekers strive to make a positive impression when meeting with hiring managers, a recent survey suggests
others seem to go out of their way to remove themselves from consideration. Executives were asked to describe the most
inappropriate comments candidates have made during employment interviews. The responses ranged from the applicant who declared
she didn't want to work hard to the person who argued the job requirements were wrong -- and then fell asleep.
The national survey includes responses from 150 senior executives -- including those from human resources, finance and marketing departments
-- with the nation's 1,000 largest companies. It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Accountemps.
Executives were asked, "What is the most inappropriate thing a candidate has said during a job interview?" Here are some of their responses:
- One candidate cursed during the interview.
- An applicant stated that there was nothing I could tell him he didn't already know; he said he knew everything about our business.
- One candidate was 25 minutes late for his interview and was upset with me for being annoyed by his tardiness.
- The person invited me out for a drink after the interview.
These applicants also may have been too candid:
- One prospect told me all of the reasons he shouldn't be hired.
- An individual applied for a customer service job, and when asked what he might not like about the job, he said, "dealing with people."
- The applicant told me he really was not interested in the position, but he liked that we allowed for a lot of time off.
- The candidate said she would really prefer a job offer from our competitor.
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