Fearless InterviewingI bet you’re in front of a computer just about now and ready to
launch the hunt! Let’s pick a relatively easy company to research
first, such as a large Fortune 500 company.
Company Web Sites
Almost every large company has a Web site (usually http://www.their-
companyname.com). Many medium and very small (even one-
person) companies also have a presence on the Web. The key is
finding them.
Some companies will have Web sites with initials that stand
for the name such as http://www.abc.com standing for “American
Business Center.” Instead of guessing, though, I suggest that
you save time and go to a major search engine like Google
(www.google.com) and enter the company name (in full) as your
search term. This will bring you directly to a link you can click on
to go to the company Web site.
Explore the site. Notice both the content andthe “feel” of the
site. Is it leaning toward a traditional type of design or toward a
bold modern design? This alone may tell you a little bit about the
personality of the company. What is the company message or
mission? Does it have a slogan or catch phrase that reveals its phi-
losophy? What products or services does it offer? How large is the
company, and when was it founded? Who is the CEO or some of
the other executive members?
Are there any names of women in those ranks? Is it very, or
not at all, important to you that women be leaders of a company
this size? Where does the company appear to be moving? Is it
announcing any new product or service lines? What is the gen-
eral feeling or attitude it seems to project regarding its cus-
tomers? How about its employees?
Company Mission Statements
Steven Beasley, one of the leading researchers and lecturers on
competencies in the world, counsels job candidates to “align their
competencies with the mission of the company”for the best interview-
ing results.
Here’s an actual mission statement from a leading Internet
company that clearly spells out some of the competencies it