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Career & Transfer Services: Interview Preparation

This guide highlights library resources that can be used for career exploration, interview preparation, and college transfer decision-making.

Prepare for an Interview

Prepare for an interview by doing some background research on your potential employer. We suggest going beyond just looking at the company website.

Below you will find a list of suggested points to research beyond the website. Bring your research notes with you to the interview. It will demonstrate that you prepared for the interview and that you care, putting you above the competition. Be sure to also re-read the job description and see how it aligns with your skills and experience. Now that you know more about the company think about how can you help them achieve their goals. 

If you get stuck, reach out to Career & Transfer Services for help. 

Research a Company

Different search engines may have different results so search all three search engines suggested. If you find an article but cannot access the full text of an article, contact the library.

Business majors, take the extra step to look at the 10-K and 10-Q company filings in EDGAR. 

  • Search for the company website and review it throughly.
  • Look on the company website for links to the company social media accounts. Review those accounts and LinkedIn page.
  • Review social media posts and look at the hashtags like #mainlinehealth, #mainlinehealthjobs or #LifeAtChewy. Follow the hashtags to review the posts were the tags were used. 
  • Search for the company name in a search engine and click on the "News" tab to read press releases and media mentions. 
  • Select the "Videos" tab to search for interviews with members of the executive team. You are looking to find out the vision and goals of the company. 
  • Research any product(s) the company sells. 
  • Research the size of the company. How many employees? What is the annual revenue? 
  • Who are the customers? Customer reviews might reveal a lot of good information about the customer base. 
  • Who are their competitors? What makes them unique among the competition. 
  • Research the people interviewing you. Search each name online and read their LinkedIn profile. 
  • Research the company on Glassdoor and read the interview reviews. 
  • Make notes and bring them to your interview. Work your research into the conversation or use it to think of questions you might need to ask them. 
    • "I found a video interview with your Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President and I found it facinating when they spoke about..."
    • "I noticed in the latest annual report on your website that..."
  • Print your resume and bring at least one copy with you to the interview. 

Adapted from Worden, E. (2025, May). How to research the company before your job interview. [Post]. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/emilyworden_wearecisco-lifeatchewy-wearetarget-activity-7333848044783722496-QMrP?utm_source=li_share&utm_content=feedcontent&utm_medium=g_dt_web&utm_campaign=copy

Search for the name of the company in one or all of the search engines recommended above. If the company name is a phrase of two or more words you can use quotation marks around the name to ensure the search results are relevant. In the example here I have searched for Mainline Health by putting quotation marks around the name. 

Literature

Boogaard, K. (2024). STAR Method: How to use this technique to ace your next job interview. The Muse. https://www.themuse.com/advice/star-interview-method

Hardavella, G., Aamli Gagnat, A., Xhamalaj, D., & Saad, N. (2016). How to prepare for an interview. Breathe (Sheffield, England), 12(3), e86–e90. https://doi.org/10.1183/20734735.013716

Lyons. M. (2024, February 21). 5 Ways to Prepare for Situational Interview Questions. Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://hbr.org/2024/02/5-ways-to-prepare-for-situational-interview-questions