Lots of interview questions are designed to see how much you actually want to work for the company. Your perception of the company and how it works plays a key part of that. Many applicants see the company they want to work for as they want their ideal company to be. For example, someone that is looking for less work on a regular basis will probably see the company as more relaxed. It’s the brain’s way of trying to justify wanting to work for the organization.
Your job is to see the company both accurately and in a flattering manner. That way the interviewer feels that you see the company accurately and that you like what you see. Focus on how the company operates, and integrate any company research that you can. Also, stay away from any words that have negative connotations, like the word “Relaxed” (a relaxed company may not have hard work, etc.).
Bad Answer
“Your corporate environment appears friendly and supportive. I can tell that you put employees first and that you treat people fairly.”
There isn’t much content here, and things like “putting employees first” make give the impression that your other company was mean to you.
Good Answer
“Your corporate environment is one that appears focused on achieving its vision, looking at the bigger picture and helping to reach its mission statement on providing affordable, enterprise level marketing solutions to small and medium sized companies. I can tell that the employees work hard to meet their goals, which also leads me to believe that the company recognizes hard work and is successful at motivating its employees…”
Nothing here has a negative connotation, and you integrated the mission statement which shows that you did research before the interview.
Take Away Interview Tips
- Avoid anything with negative connotations.
- Focus on the work.
- Integrate any information that you can.
