Interview Question What Do You Know About Our Company

Do You Prefer To Work On A Team Or Independently

Theres no right or wrong answer here, but you want to be diplomatic. Regardless of whether youre an extrovert or an introvert, its crucial your answer clearly shows that youre versatile. Share your preference, but also keep the role itself in mind. If youre an event planner, hopefully you like working with others.

For a great answer, include two positive examples: one in which you worked well with a group and another in which you worked well on a solo project.

I love working on a team. When I interned with XYZ Company, there were issues with a few fellow interns not getting along. I intervened, organized a social gathering for the group, and it really helped them put their differences aside. We finished the summer on a great note and came up with the best ideas by putting our heads together. At the same time, I enjoy working independently when necessary. In school, I prided myself on never missing an essay deadline. That was because Im able to put my head down and focus.

A Prepare By Employer Research

Employer research is a very smart thing for many reasons. The research will help you answer this question.

This study will help you avoid bad employers and will help you prepare good questions if asked, Do you have any questions?

Find out what you can do about jobs and employers.

First, make sure to read the job description sentence-sentence that understands what youre looking for and how you meet the requirements.

Next,

Check the employers website: ours, missions, products , people, etc.

If this is a publicly traded company, the law needs to publish an annual report.

The name of Googles owner to see what you discover. Among the clients? Competitors? Raves? Slam?

Find out the LinkedIn Companys profile where you can test the profiles of employees you can connect with .

Company Newsletter Or Blog

Usually what youre going to find is some recent developments they have integrated.

What you could also achieve by that research is get an excellent understanding of their beliefs and goals.

Once you have that information, you can use it to put yourself in the best possible light during the interview.

Read Also: What Are Good Responses To Interview Questions

Questions About What To Expect After The Interview

Ask these last questions when it’s time to finish the interview so you know what to expect after you leave:

• Do you have any concerns about my suitability for the job?

• When can I expect to hear from you?

• What happens after I leave here today?

• Can I provide you with any other information or documentation?

• Do you have any final questions for me?

Related: Top 5 Questions To Ask in an Interview

Wondering what questions to ask in your interview? Rhea, an operations specialist for UShip, shares her strategy and tips that helped her get the job.

What Is The Star Method In Interviewing

The STAR method is an interview technique that organizes answers to behavioral questions into a structured response format as follows:

Situation: Describes a specific situation that pertains to the question. Outline the particulars of the circumstance.

Task: Explain the objective.

Action: Illustrate the steps and actions taken in order to achieve the desired goal. Be as detailed as possible and focus on individual contributions.

Response: Relay the outcome of the action and evaluate results.

This interview structure ensures that the interviewer receives comprehensive answers that provide a more complete picture of applicants work styles. Though situations should ideally be from past jobs, entry-level applicants or candidates pursuing career changes may draw on from experiences from school, internships, volunteer work, or other industries.

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Variations Of This Question

You might hear this one phrased differently from one job interview to the next, but they all essentially mean the same thing:

• Why our company?
• What do you know about us?
• Why did you apply to work here?
• What do you know about our organization?
• What interests you about our company?
• Do you know our company mission statement?
• Why was our company created?

Why Do Employers Ask The Why This Company Interview Question

Interviewers ask “why this company?” during an interview because they want to hire someone who shares their goals and can help them fulfill the company’s mission statement. During an interview, the employer is looking to see if you’ve researched their company. An interviewer asks this question early in the interview to guide the rest of the conversation or at the end of the interview to see how interested you are in the role.

Related:What Is a Mission Statement? Definition and Examples

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Highlight The Company’s Growth Opportunities

Focus on discussing the company’s offerings, significant company milestones and aspects of the vision and values that connect with your professional and personal aspirations. You can describe how the organisation can benefit from your ideas in increasing revenue or brand recognition. This can demonstrate that you have thought of strategies to help the organisation grow.

Read more: What Is Growth Hacking?

Why Do You Want To Work In Our Company: Sample Answers

Sample answer #1:

Well, the JP Morgan reputation is certainly a factor. I would be proud to build a career with JP Morgan, a company with such a long history of leadership in the industry.Also, a good friend of the family has been working in corporate finance at JP Morgan for the last two years and he told me that the culture supports learning and development on the job and really rewards hard work. These are values I also share and feel I could be an excellent fit with JP Morgan.

Why we like it:

In this case, the candidate is interviewing for a job with JP Morgan, a very well-known firm. In a situation like this, the tendency for many candidates is to basically answer, Well, its JP Morgan. Duh. In todays job market, thats not going to be enough to set you apart from other candidates, even if your resume is stellar.

This sample answer addresses the JP Morgan brand and history but also demonstrates that the candidate took the time to do some additional research through their network. The answer goes on to emphasize the candidates values, strong work ethic, and the wish to develop in their role.

Sample answer #2:

I saw an article in Business Week about your new CEO John Jacobs and the firms renewed focus on technology innovation. I consider myself an innovator and I would love to work for an organization thats leading the future of the industry.

Why we like it:

Sample answer #3:

Why we like it:

Sample answer #4:

Why we like it:

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How To Answer: What Do You Know About Our Company

• Post authorBy Susan P. Joyce

The question of, What do you know about us? is asked to gauge your real interest in the job and the employer.

They are not interested in you if you are not interested in them.

If you fail to have a good answer to this question, the interview is effectively over.

So, demonstrate that you are really interested that you didnt just hit a the apply button on a random job posting. Smart job seekers are well prepared for this question to so their interest in the employer and the job are clear.

More: Smart Answers to Interview Questions

What Skills Would You Bring To The Job

While this is similar to questions like Why should we hire you? or What can you bring to the company? it allows you to be more specific about your work ethic, style and unique abilities as it relates to the role.

An impactful answer will discuss your hard and soft skills and use the STAR method to illustrate how your unique skills might benefit the team or organization.

Example answer:I can make anyone feel comfortable in a new environment, which makes me a good fit as a human resources assistant. In my previous position, a new employee came to me and told me that she didnt think she was right for the company culture. After talking to her for a few minutes, we realized that she felt too much pressure to participate in company events. I started introducing events that involved fewer competitions and more casual environments, and she quickly grew more comfortable with her team.

Read more: Interview Question: “What Skills Would You Bring to the Job?”

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Give An Example Of When You Performed Well Under Pressure

For any high-stress work environment, youre guaranteed to get asked this question.

• Sample Answer 1

I actually perform a lot better when under a lot of pressure. The sense of urgency and importance really motivates me to up my game and make sure everything works out right.

When I worked as a Financial Analyst at , most of the work was very high pressure. I had to go above and beyond the line of duty to make sure we met the tight deadlines set by our clients. This often meant working 12 hour work days, and sometimes, working over the weekend.

• Sample Answer 2

As a seasonal worker, my entire career is high-pressure, haha… My last position was as a line cook during the summer at the SomeRestaurant in JacksonHole, Wyoming.

Around 3 out of 4 of the months were super high stress – there was a LOT of work, and the restaurant was pretty much always full. Heck, Ive even had to skip breaks just to make sure we wouldnt be understaffed.

What Is Your Teaching Philosophy

This isnt a question solely for those applying to teaching positions. Employers may ask this of anyone who might be leading or teaching others. Your response will allow employers to gauge your personal skills and if you would be a good culture add. A good answer will concisely identify what you think teaching should achieve and include concrete examples to illustrate your ideas.

Example answer:When it comes to managing people, my teaching philosophy is to start by asking questions that hopefully get the person to come to a new conclusion on their own. This way, they feel ownership over the learning rather than feeling micromanaged. For example, in my last role, I was editing an article written by a copywriter I managed. The story didnt have a clear focus or hook.

In a one-on-one meeting, I asked her what she thought was the main point of the article if she had to sum it up in a sentence. From there, I asked if she thought the focus was clear in the article. She didnt think it was clear and instead thought she should rework her introduction and conclusion. As a result, the article improved and my direct report learned a valuable writing lesson that she carried into her future work.

Read more: Interview Question: What is Your Teaching Philosophy?

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Are You Considering Other Positions In Other Companies

Heres a tricky one: How much does the HR manager need to know here?

If you admit to having interviews with other companies, it might look like youre not 100% dedicated to this one.

On the other hand, if you say you are not considering other positions, it might make you seem like you dont have other options .

The right way to go about here is to find common ground between the two answers.

The interviewer is probably asking because they want to know whether they have competition in hiring you. They also want to know if you are serious about the industry and are legitimately looking to be employed in this field of work.

If you do have other interviews lined up for other companies, express that you are keeping your options open but that you favor this job in comparison to the others.

Dont have many other options? Stick to the same approach.

Whatever you do, dont make it seem like youre desperate or that you dont have any other options.

• Sample Answer 1:

I have had two interviews during the past week with companies in X and Y industries.

However, as Im very passionate about both your industry and the work you have done during the past several years, I am more inclined toward working for you, if everything works out.

• Sample Answer 2:

Not yet – I wasnt really actively looking for a job until my friend, , recommended your company. Im not looking for just any company – Im interested in an interesting, engaging project such as yours.

Help With Social Media

After the advent of social media, collecting what do you know about our company example answer has become very easy. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and more have provided space for staff and other professionals to get together and talk about the industry. It will be very convenient to find specific company-specific details to find a job.

So, these sources can be used when asking about an interviewing company. Helping to social media is an answer to the question, what do you know about our company- with some sample interview answers.

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The Growth Of The Company:

The candidate can speak about the growth of the company as well as the individual career growth. The candidate can mention that the company identifies talents and keeps them boosting by offering promotions and other benefits.

You can outline that the company monitors and elevated talents to higher positions when asked about the company.

What Made You Decide To Apply For This Position

You could start your answer by telling something specific that you are searching for. You may like that the company is a corporation with a lot of history, or that you are searching for a position that will help you broaden your horizons and help you gain experience in a particular area of your work. Don’t just say: “I need a job/money”. The Recruiters like candidates who know what they want to do in their next job.

After that, tell them about the things in the position that caught your interest. You could specify details you read in the job description, on their website, etc. Show them you know what their role requires and are excited to be there.

Last but not least, tie together everything you have said to show how their position fits what you are looking for.

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Do Your Research Before The Interview

If you have an interview scheduled and want to prepare, you can research the company. You can search the company online to see if it’s had any recent achievements you can talk about during the interview. Read their mission statement, which communicates why the company exists and what it plans to do in the future. It can also be helpful to become familiar with their website and social media sites if they have any. When you’re researching, take notes on what they do or an idea they have that excites you so you can talk about it in the interview.

Here are a few things to know before the meeting:

• Who is interviewing you?

• What does the company do, such as the services or products they offer?

• What’s the history of the company?

• What’s the latest news about the company?

Related:10 Things You Should Know About a Company Before Interviewing

Concentrate On Good Things About The Company:

Any company is sure to have experienced a period of losses, in that aspect, not any recruiter would be happy to hear the negatives of the company, so speaking about the good things in a company is important.

Make a clear decision and speak on the company revenues, products, growth, expansion, our business partners, staffs and also their most memorable moments. Pick special aspects about them after comparison with other players and also make sure to speak on the branch youve applied for.

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How Do You Handle Conflict At Work

Employers ask this question to gauge how you interact with various stakeholders or colleagues of differing opinions. Often, being the right person for the job involves more than just hard skills, hiring managers also value candidates who can collaborate with others and approach conflict in a productive way.

A good answer will discuss a time you encountered a conflict with a colleague, client or manager and maintained the patience to resolve it. Its important to relay what you learnedhow you grew personally and professionallyas a result of the experience. Use the STAR method to construct your response.

Example answer:I was working as a project manager on an IT project, and one technician was constantly late finishing tasks. When I approached him about it, he reacted defensively. I kept calm and acknowledged that the deadlines were challenging and asked how I could assist him in improving his performance.

He calmed down and told me that he was involved in another project where he had to do tasks that were not in his job description. After a meeting with the other project manager, we came to a resolution that alleviated the technicians workload. For the remainder of the project, the technician delivered great work.

I learned that you dont always know what others are experiencing and by keeping that in mind, I can better navigate conflict and be a more helpful and supportive colleague.

Read more: Interview Question: “How Do You Handle Conflict in the Workplace?”

How Do You Define Success

Employers ask this to help them understand how your definition of success influences your goals and how you measure them. A good answer will show that you know how to define and measure goals and youre willing to challenge yourself and work hard to meet them.

Consider your proudest achievements, your long- and short-term successes and how the company youre interviewing with views success. Give specific examples of how youve succeeded in the past.

Example answer:I define success as fulfilling my role in my team and in the company. I work toward completing my individual duties as effectively as possible, balancing that with professional growth and contributing to larger organizational goals. In my previous role, success meant exceeding weekly metrics, implementing processes that supported the companys KPIs and meeting quarterly professional development goals.

Read more: Interview Question: “How Do You Define Success?”

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