When you’re you interviewing, you want to make a connection and establish trust and credibility right away. That means knowing the culture, the language, and the norms of a company ahead of time; and knowing your audience, specifically the people interviewing you. Prepping for an interview is a lot like traveling to a new country or moving to a new home. You need to read the (travel) guide first!
This interview “homework” guide will help you walk their talk, values and culture.
Know the company: Make sure you have carefully reviewed the company website. Know their language, the values they espouse, their products, and their style. Know what they are working on and how they communicate their vision. Craft interview responses that show how what you know and what you offer can strengthen what they provide and what they’re working on. Show that your values align with their values.
Know the leadership: It’s incredibly helpful to read the bios of CEOs and top management. How they want to be seen and known publicly indicates what they value. And, you may also gain insights into their vision for the company and their management style.
Know their career vocabulary: Read job descriptions carefully. You want to use the same vocabulary that they use to describe skills, tasks, metrics, and management style. If they refer to change management using words like process improvement, do the same. If they talk about constituents and stakeholders or engaging partners or enrolling clients, use those phrases too.
Know who’s interviewing you: When you have an interview, make sure you research the background and experience of your interviewers. Pay attention to what they value, where they have worked, what they brag about, and scan for areas where you may have shared interest, experience and connections. Try to get a sense of the personalities of the interviewers. This way you’ll be prepared for their behavior rather than quick to personalize a gruff tone or stern demeanor.
If possible, talk to people who have worked at the company: Current and past employees are the best source of information about work culture, management style and about the people interviewing you. Use your network and LinkedIn to find people you may be connected to, or connected to someone you know, and reach out to get a reality check about work expectations, a read on the demeanor of interviewers, a take on why people stay or have left, and information about what’s good about the company.
Use LinkedIn: LinkedIn offers lots of information about the individuals you will meet. Look for shared experiences and look for any material that can be mined for potential points of connection- whether values, training,or interest. You can see how people describe what they do and what they emphasize. You may also gain an understanding of their values, language and public persona.