Interview Preparation 2.0 Style

An article this evening got me thinking back to how I researched the companies I interviewed with 13 years ago. It was the Big 6 accounting firms then (what is it now Big 2?) and research was via SEC lookups and hard copy annual report reviews. You see, when you interview at a large accounting firm, you best be ready to discuss not only their annual reports but their clients' reports as well. I can only imagine how much easier it is for accounting students today.

Fast forward to today. Going on an interview? Check out the interviewers Facebook, Twitter, blog, MySpace, and review what others think of him or her. Of course you will have found the job on the CenterNetworks Job Board. :)

MyPunchBowl CEO Matt Douglas has an excellent article about preparing for an interview and how to handle research in today's Web 2.0 market. A snippet:

One thing I’ve been struck with are the vast differences between those who prepare for an interview and those who don’t. Here’s some advice that I gave a college-age person yesterday (she was interviewing for a college intern position). Before you interview, learn about the person that is going to interview you. With all of the resources of the web, you can find out a lot about me pretty quickly; where I’ve worked, my professional experience etc. But more importantly, you can find out personal things about me. What makes me tick? Do we share the same interests? Do we know anyone or anything in common? These are critical things to learn BEFORE the interview so that you can not only make small talk but you can “get inside my head.”

In my past roles where I was responsible for hiring, the people who got the job were the ones who were prepared. I can teach someone Rails or SEO, but I can't teach someone the instinct to be ready. So be ready, there's absolutely no reason when the Internet does all the work for you. And for the hiring manager, review this essay on hiring by Marc Andressen.