Where candidates often fall short is that they don’t do their research. You want to make sure you know as much about the company – and their position within the industry – as possible. Doing your research will help you answer those tricky questions and show your interviewer that you have the initiative to prepare yourself before a meeting or interview.
You want to look at who their direct competitors are and what advantages the company has within the industry, whether it’s their USP or demographic. If you’ve worked within their industry before, you’ll naturally have an advantage over other candidates. Even if you think you’re familiar with the company, it’s a good idea to do your due diligence and not skip on your research.
Sometimes, you need to prepare yourself and consider what concerns your interviewer might have. Thinking about this ahead of time can prevent you from being caught out by your interviewer in a ‘gotcha’ moment. Is there a gap in your CV? Did you unexpectedly leave another position? Consider anything that might be a potential red flag or reason for the interviewer to not select you.