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Job Candidate, Know Thy Company
Sep 7Want to get the job? Know about the company you’re talking to.
A WorkSpan Weekly update about a recent national survey says, “47% of executives polled said that having little or no knowledge of the company is the most common mistake job seekers make during interviews.” The full writeup of the Accountemps survey is here. One of my favorite mistakes by candidates: Limited enthusiasm (9%). If people aren’t enthusiastic during the interview, it’s not going to get better.
About the Author
Frank Roche
Frank started IFRACTAL over 7 years ago with Sarah Chambers. Together, they've created HR communications and HR software for some of the world's leading companies. Frank is also studying Flamenco guitar and origami.
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Most of us spend many more of our waking hours working than not. The rest we spend with family, friends, or pursuing hobbies. Some spend the vast majority of their time doing something they really don’t like. This could all have been avoided by a little two way effort.
Would you marry someone you didn’t know well? Would you hang out with people who had different interests or values? Would you enroll in groups that met at times that did not fit your schedule? No.
Taking a job with a company you know nothing about is akin to marrying someone whose name you’ve only heard. Or, maybe you met that person once. Scholars may disagree of the exact cost of bringing a new employee up to speed, but there is consensus on one thing, it’s high. Too high. And, bringing in the wrong candidates can actually cause other problems.
The thing applicant’s may fail to realize is that it can also cost them. Not just because the cost of recruiting makes it’s way through the product cycle and raises the cost of say‚Ķ a candy bar. But, more immediately, it can cost them their reputations (if they constantly change jobs), their time if they select a company and are quickly dismissed for lack of performance. And, it will certainly cost lost wages for times spent unemployed. Those costs all seem rather large too, compared to the price of doing a little research.
More and more companies are internally branding their employment experience and making information available externally so prospects can self-select in or out before they ever reach the candidate stage. Companies made the first move. It’s time for prospective employees to follow suit. Regardless of whether a candidate has a computer (which has greatly simplified research). Libraries do have computers. And, they are free to use.