Research the company and role

What makes a candidate stand out? Every hiring manager is looking to hire the most enthusiastic candidate with the greatest expertise, and that enthusiasm and expertise is a product of research. It is impossible to impress the hiring manager without researching the role you're vying for. By the end of this video, you'll be able to display exactly this by knowing what to research, in order to have an effortless discussion with your hiring manager. Start your research with role expectations, day to day operations, and performance metrics for the role. It's also important to recognize if there are specific tools, software, or devices you'll need to familiarize yourself with for the role. You can conduct this research by reaching out to a current employee on LinkedIn, watching videos on YouTube of current employees in the role, and reading the original job description. In addition to the role, do not neglect the importance of researching the company. Leverage spaces like the company's website, specifically their about page, community impact page, and products and services. You want to make sure that at a minimum, you understand the company's origin story, what they offer their customers, and the responsibility they feel for their community. Make sure to also understand the company's culture by browsing their social platforms such as Instagram and YouTube. These platforms will show you how they have fun as a company, their values and traditions. If you're impressed with any of the initiatives you discover on these platforms, bring this up in the conversation. I also encourage you to search the company on Google and LinkedIn for current news articles on their most recent projects and initiatives. During your research, if you come across any project that specifically affects your role, you can truly impress your hiring manager by bringing this up in your conversation. And last but absolutely not least, is researching your hiring manager. You can do this by searching their name on LinkedIn or Google. Make a point to understand their professional background, achievements, and contributions to the company. If you're unable to find a connection point with the hiring manager or are impressed with something in their profile, make a note to talk about it during your interview. Putting in the time to research the company and their role will bolster you as a standout with your hiring manager. So try it. Take 15 minutes to research your hiring manager and their background to figure out a connection point or impressive part of their background. You can bring up in the conversation.