ASK HR: Please, do your homework thoroughly before that interview
A woman presents her résumé during an interview. Most candidates attend an interview without conducting a thorough background check on the organisation that they hope to work for.
FILE PHOTO |
What you need to know:
- The interviewers asks this question to find out if you have interacted with their brand as a consumer and what your experience was and to find out whether you have some improvement suggestions that would endear the brand more to the consumers should you get the job.
Q. When you are invited for an interview by a company, and one of the panelists asks, “Why did you apply for a job with us and not our competitor?” What are you supposed to say? Also, what is the necessity of such a question? What is the interviewer trying to find out?
Most candidates attend an interview without conducting a thorough background check on the organisation that they hope to work for. It may sound cliché, but it is absolutely important.
In my experience of recruiting staff into different organisations, I have encountered many candidates who have no clue of the brands, service or products that an organisation they are aspiring to join trades in.
While working for a multinational that deals with beverages, a potential candidate who had applied for a position of brand manager confidently told the panelist that one of the products of the company was Cadbury’s Drinking Chocolate. The brand mentioned was in direct competition with the multinational’s drinking chocolate. You can imagine the embarrassment to the candidate and the discomfort this caused the entire panel. I need not tell you that the interviewee did not get the job. When you demonstrate an understanding of the organisation, this serves to convince the panelists that you are keen to work there and the drive is not only for personal gain.
The interviewers asks this question to find out if you have interacted with their brand as a consumer and what your experience was and to find out whether you have some improvement suggestions that would endear the brand more to the consumers should you get the job.
The panelists could also be seeking to find out if you will fit into their organisation and for which role. If you do your homework well, you should be able to demonstrate to the panel that their brand, their strategy and HR policy is what is endearing you to the organisation.
Get hold of current or former employees or people who have interacted with the organisation to ensure that you get it right. That said, also note that the interviewer might like to hear your view on the competition. In this case, you should be able to elevate their brand without maligning the competition.
