16 Things Companies Want You to Know Before You Apply
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: If you want to stand out in the job search, your best bet is to be an informed candidate.
Why exactly is this so important? Well, when you do your homework on a company, that shows recruiters a few things: A) that you’re genuinely interested in the position, B) that you’re a motivated self-starter, and C) you’ve done enough research to determine that it’s a good fit both ways, to name just a few.
But with so much information about an organization available, what are the most important factors to focus on? We reached out to recruiters and employers to get their thoughts on what you need to know before you apply to their companies — here’s what they said.
1. What Their Work Style Is Like
"Job seekers should research the Life Sciences industry, and specifically the technology to automate all aspects of clinical trial development. They should also research what it is like to thrive in a fast-growing technology company, especially if they are coming from an industry that grows at more traditional rates."
—Susan Hailey, Vice President at Medidata Solutions
2. Passion Is Just As Important As Skills
“Job seekers should be able to articulate the reasons why they want to work in the healthcare field before applying to Northside Hospital. You must have a passion for patient care and service excellence to fit into our culture at Northside Hospital. I believe that applicants that don’t grasp the ‘why’ in what we do every day will struggle in any position with our team. The technical skills of any position can be taught with time but one must come with the passion for quality in healthcare.”
—Kelly Piccininni, Manager, Talent Acquisition at Northside Hospital
3. Online Presence Matters
“Make yourself easy to find. This means more than just having a LinkedIn profile. Thoughtfully determine the best online resources for your industry and create a presence there. Ensure that all relevant keywords are included in your bio. Recruiters utilize search engines and LinkedIn to locate the best talent by keyword, location and skill set. Setup a personal website or blog with a link to your resume. You'll have control over the privacy settings to allow visitors to contact you as desired.”
—Julie Cox, Sourcing Manager of Talent Acquisition at AECOM
4. A Little Background Research Goes a Long Way
"I expect candidates to be familiar with our company and space - what we do, and what value they can bring to the table. I understand the hiring landscape is competitive, but doing a bit of research on what the company does, any notable press and what it's like to work there is important to do prior to your first call with a recruiter. If a passive candidate accepts an offer to speak about new opportunities, I would hope they would put some skin in the game and at minimum google AppD and click through interesting links. Something else I look for is thoughtful questions from the candidate - have they thought about the company and role, and what working will look like? I want to see that they are seriously thinking about how the job would fit into their life."
—Heidi Newiger, Global University & Diversity Recruitment Programs Manage at AppDynamics
5. Caring About the Greater Good Is Essential
“First and foremost, Clorox is looking for people who are aligned with our set of values. People who have a real need to be a part of an organization that cares about the world around them, the organization they're in and how they operate. For example we have a commitment to corporate responsibility so we're working on not only driving the business outcomes we want but doing it in the right way with reductions in our operational footprint for example or involvement in our community. We’ve recently donated Clorox Bleach to help following the flooding in Peru. People who really care about the world are think are one important part of our candidate pool.”
—Kirsten Marriner, Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer of The Clorox Company
6. What They Do in the Day-to-Day
“Recruiters at HealthSouth wish candidates would take the time to research what we do at our hospitals and the types of patients we treat. At HealthSouth, we specialize in inpatient physical rehabilitation and often get questions during the interview process that aren’t applicable to our clinical setting. Candidates may assume we are a drug rehab, skilled nursing facility or home care if they do not take the time to educate themselves prior to interviewing. Being an informed candidate to the company you’re applying to not only sets expectations, but also ensures a good candidate-company fit.”
—Whitney Thomas, Associate Director of Recruiting at HealthSouth
7. Collaboration Is a Must
“We are very proud of our culture of inclusion and collaboration at Commvault, it’s something that has come from starting as a small company and growing organically to the global organization that we are today. I want job seekers to look past the job descriptions and get an insider’s look by checking out our CommvaultLife channels on social media. That way you can learn more about being a Vaulter and see firsthand if Commvault is the place for you.”
—Tracie Giles, Head of Talent Acquisition at Commvault