Job Hunter Tip

Let me make this very clear. You can never be too well prepared for an interview. You can never can know too much about the company and the position you're applying for. I am famous for overpreparing for interviews. Read every keyword in the job description and know what it means. The Internet is your friend. I'm going to assume you know how to do the basics, which include at the very least:


-look up the company on google

-find out what it sells

-read the 10-Ks and 10Qs if it is a public company

-understand how it makes money/where most of its profit comes from

-visit the company's websites and read as many press releases as you can

-look up the job function on google

-google every keyword in the job description


You can take this to the next level by doing things like:

-Looking up SEC filings on Edgar.

-looking up recent sell-side analyst reports on the company if it is a public company. I can't tell you how great these reports are as a resource. Most management teams read these things, and the reports usually address some of the most important issues facing that company.

-doing all of the above for every one of the company's competitors

-purchasing the company's product or service



But if you really want to go the extra distance, it will sometimes cost you money.

For example, let's say you get an interview at a well-known financial firm for a job that involves, among other things, working on fairness opinions. "What the heck is a fairness opinion?" you might ask. Well, the definition of fairness opinion is easy enough to find.

But what if you could find a fairness opinion written by the company you're looking to join? Wouldn't that give you a leg up?

That's where a company like The Consus Group comes in. Browsing through the site, you can find a fairness opinion written by a well-known financial firm (in this case, Sandler O'Neill Partners). It will cost you $42, but you have to ask yourself... is it worth it if it means coming off as more knowledgeable in an interview? If you have any shot at getting the job, the answer is most likely yes. There are a number of sites like this. I guess the moral of the story is don't be afraid to pay a little if it means giving you an advantage in a job interview.