CINCINNATI — WCPO 9 is partnering with Cincinnati Works for a virtual job fair today. While that’s full, next month’s job fair is still open. In the meantime, researching the company you hope to work for can help you get ahead of the competition.
Alex Caudill is the owner of the Express Employment Northwest Cincinnati franchise and has helped thousands of local clients find jobs.
“It’s a competitive market out there,” Caudill said.
She knows it can be tough to stand out from the crowd. That's why Caudill said it's more important now than ever to know as much as you can about the company you want to work for.
“If you go into an interview and you communicate about the company, about their involvement, what they do, and tailor your interview to fit what their company does, you’re going to look a lot better than someone else who maybe didn’t do that,” Caudill said.
Some of the best places to start doing your homework include the company's website. Other sites like Glassdoor and Indeed are great places to find reviews, while Linkedin is the best site to research a company's product line, culture and senior-level management. Caudill also recommends searching for the company on local news websites for reports about the company.
In today's competitive climate, Caudill said, hiring managers are looking for people who are eager and educated. In one case, two candidates were recently interviewed for a project management position at a local aerospace company. One candidate did their research.
“Both applicants were equal in education background, experience, skills, but the one candidate who did the research ahead of time seemed more excited about working with their company, so they decided to go with that candidate,” Caudill said.
Ultimately, Caudill said, information is knowledge and knowledge is power. If you can come across as well-informed in an interview, you are going to be in a better position to get a better opportunity.
