Researching Employers

Who gets nervous going for an interview or meeting potential employers?

You can’t see, but I’m nodding furiously yes at my keyboard. I’ll let you in on a secret. When I go for interviews or meet people I don’t know, my voice gets high-pitched. And I’m not talking an octave higher, I’m admitting to sounding like Mickey Mouse.

But there are things we can do that will help us prepare and reduce our nerves.

Who has used social media to find out what someone is up to? At one time or another, we all use our detective instincts to find out more. What if you tapped into the same skills to research and discover more about potential employers? All the information is there for you – you just need to look.

Your First Steps

• Research the company you want to know more about by finding their websites. Who are they? What do they do and stand for? What is their mission statement? What type of roles and programmes do they offer? Do they have offices around the world where you could work internationally?
• Look at their social media. Most companies today (small, medium or large) have at least a Facebook and LinkedIn page. Check out their post types. Does it seem like a place you would like to work? Are there any current job openings?

Use Your Intel

• Prepare your CV and make sure it’s up-to-date. If it’s not, book a CV check, upload it to the CV dropbox, attend a workshop or come and chat to one of our team at CV Week (6-9 August).
• Think about what you will wear. First impressions are important and usually you only get one shot. Dress smart because it’s better to over-dress than undress.
• Have you thought about how to introduce yourself? It’s good to prepare a brief (30 second) elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a couple of sentences about you - including your name, what you’re studying, and your career interests. If you’re not sure where to start, book into one of our weekly elevator pitch workshops.

The nerves may still be there but if you’ve done your research and prepared yourself, you know what you’re talking about and this will be obvious to an employer.

Show your interest. Share why you enjoy what you study. Reach out to people. Be willing to ask questions. People are generally receptive when you take the time to be proactive. They are happy to share their own experiences and provide help.

At the end of the day, what do you have to lose?

We’ve got an exciting Semester 2 schedule coming up with 100+ employers visiting AUT. Check out Employability Lab online for the latest events.