Researching Organizations of Interest
In the Inaugural Issue of Small Business Showcase Digital Magazine, we talked about graduating seniors and how to locate various job opportunities. Once you have done this…it is critical to learn as much about the employing organizations as possible. This is ‘Stage Two’ of the interviewing process.
STAGE TWO
Once you have located the opportunities that exist ‘out there’ and you have pinned down an interview or two, the next step is to gather information on the organization(s) with which you are going to interview.
Again, your college placement office is a valuable resource in locating background information on numerous organizations hiring entry-level personnel. College-based and public libraries also offer literature which can prove helpful in gaining some insight into an organization and their operations. As well, the respective local chamber of commerce has numerous directories that can assist in familiarizing you with an interviewing firm.
If you have access to a Dun & Bradstreet data base, this can also be useful. Professional publications, as mentioned earlier in locating opportunities, many times provide reference information on various organizations related to a specific industry. But in the final analysis, the most obvious, most valuable, and yet the most overlooked source for gathering background information on a firm is the targeted organization itself.
It just makes sense that if you are going to interview with a specific organization, you should call someone internally and ask for material related to their operation. Most people fail to do this because they are afraid that by calling directly for information indicates that they do not know about the organization, and this will reflect negatively on them. This is not true. Quite the contrary is true. Direct research demonstrates interest and initiative. Furthermore, if the truth were known, the person you interview with probably will never know you directly requested information on their respective organization. They will just assume that it is your responsibility to do so, and if you don’t — that is when the negative begins to show through.
Several sources can be tapped in an organization to gather relevant material for interview purposes:
· Human Resources Department
· Marketing Department
· Public Relations Department
· Receptionist
Various pieces of information are normally available for this purpose:
· Recruiting Brochures
· Internal Newsletters
· Annual Report
Regardless of how you gather the information, the key is that
you check the sources and make certain it contains accurate
information; then go about reviewing it carefully and forcing
essential elements to memory. This information is invaluable
to you in preparing for the interview session itself.
BILL BAGLEY
CEO & Personal Advisor
Bagley Consulting
Bill has more than 40 years of experience leading HR & Recruiting, HR Compliance, Career Development, and Partner Coaching efforts for business professionals throughout the United States. For 20 years he served as Regional HR & Recruiting Leader for Deloitte…retiring as a Firm Director. During his tenure, Deloitte was named, six times, to Fortune magazine’s list of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America. He recruited, trained, and mentored thousands of individuals during this time, and played a key role in designing and delivering a nationally-recognized leadership program aimed at preparing Senior Managers for admission to Deloitte’s Partner ranks.
He currently consults with the leaders of various businesses on ‘Human Capital Issues,’ ‘Leadership Topics,’ ‘Succession Planning,’ ‘Vision & Strategy,’ and ‘Business Development Initiatives.’
Bill began his professional business career with Coopers & Lybrand and following his 20-year tenure at Deloitte was HR and Recruiting Director for Barnes Dennig & Company for 8 years and a Business Advisor for VonLehman & Company for 4 years. He currently is back in private practice with his son, Scott Bagley, as CEO and Personal Advisor for Bagley Consulting.
Prior to his business career he spent 3 years as a Career Planning & Placement Director and Assistant Football Coach at Manchester College.
Bill has designed and delivered numerous professional development programs. He has taught leadership concepts for Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, the MBA program at Xavier University’s Williams College of Business, the University of Kentucky, Miami University, University of Notre Dame, and the University of Cincinnati’s Lindner Honors PLUS Program.
Clients Bill has served: Deloitte; Viking Partners; KMK Law;
VonLehman & Company; Cincinnati Financial; Taft Law; Barnes Dennig & Co.; USI; Northlich; LEC; The Matrix Companies; North American Properties; Mubea; Mueller Roofing; Intelligrated; Convergys Analytics; Bartlett Wealth Management; Crescent Park; Clarke Power Services; UGS; Fascor …as well, he has presented at numerous leadership seminars.
He has authored three books: Impact Interviewing; Why Accounting?; Navigating Toward Academic and Career Success (endorsed by retired Pediatric Neurosurgeon, Dr. Ben Carson, Dr. Tony Alessandra, Platinum Rule Author, and Brian Tracy, Goals!).
Bill holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Indiana University, and a Master’s Degree in Higher Education from Ball State University. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He and his wife, Marla, have two sons and eleven grandchildren…and Springer Spaniel, Molly.
