There are several good reasons for doing so. First, you might share something in common with a prospective boss or his associates. That could make the difference if you and your competition are otherwise on a par. Obviously, if you do discover a common bond, plan to refer to it during your interview so that your interviewer is made aware of it. Second, in investigating the people you might meet, you may discover a clue as to their approach to the job you are applying for. Did the president of the company come up through manufacturing, finance or marketing, for example? Obviously, the prior disciplines of the people at the top could affect the company's modus operandi and your satisfaction with the company itself.
How can you determine something about your boss? Check at your library to see if it has a copy of Who's Who in Business or similar biographical directory. Usually listings include schools and prior business associations as well as a summary of the executive's progress at his present affiliation. Other references to consider: Standard & Poor's and Dun & Bradstreet write-ups of the companies you're interviewing. If the person you're meeting with hasn't made it into a biographical reference book, consider calling a local newspaper or trade magazine. From time to time these publications carry biographical material when an executive gets a promotion. If you run into a dead end, you might ask yourself if you know anyone who currently or formerly worked for the company. Such an acquaintance may give you valuable background not only concerning the person's former associations and education, but about his personality and prejudices as well.
Again, don't forget the executive recruiter if you've learned of the job through one. Chances are he has met personally with your prospective boss and you should probe him for any insights he has. Don't count on an employment agent for much background on personalities, however. Chances are his contacts are through personnel and not directly with the line managers who are going to meet you and make the hiring decision.
Learn as much as you can about the job you're competing for
If you learned of the job through a newspaper ad, go back and reread it line for line-and between the lines as well! Most executive-wanted display ads provide some sort of a description of the ideal candidate. Match yourself to the ad requirements objectively; know where you will shine and what your weaknesses will be before you enter the door. Be prepared to discuss in depth the specific experience you have that matches the needs outlined in the ad.
If you secured your interview through a recruiter, there's a good chance he has a formal job description that he wrote up with your prospective boss. Ask for a copy of it and study it as though your next job depended on it-because it just might. And keep in mind that both the newspaper ad and recruiter's job specs probably list desired qualities in order of importance, since that's the natural way the person developing the ad or specs would state them. Keep that priority list in mind as you allocate your time to various topics during your interview.
Develop a list of intelligent questions you'd like to ask the interviewer
One of the favorite interviewer questions is "Do you have any questions about us?" Have in mind a half-dozen well-thought-out ones that reflect your knowledge of the company, the job to be done, and people involved. Otherwise you're likely to respond during your interview with the typical "Gee, I don't really have any questions" answer. Worse still, you might be guilty of making up questions on the spot that are superficial, irrelevant, or even embarrassing.
Develop a list of questions you think the interviewer is likely to ask you
After learning as much as you can about the company, the job, and the person filling it, what things about you will the interviewer want to probe? Be critical of your weaknesses as you develop your list. Think of the reasonable objections you'd raised about your own qualifications, were you in your prospective boss's shoes and trying to decide whether to hire you in spite of your weaknesses.
