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Ready for an interview?
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July 9, 2001: 7:43 a.m. ET
Internet can help you prepare for an interview and turn it into a job offer
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - According to a recent survey by outplacement company Lee Hecht Harrison, 40 percent of those who respond to a job posted on the Internet are subsequently invited to an interview. That's a very impressive "hit rate" and underscores the Web's growing ability to connect job seekers with employers. No less important, the medium has an array of resources that can help you prepare for that interview and turn it into a great job offer.
To make sure that you have your facts straight about an employer, tap the information available in public areas online. Visit both the organization's own Web site and commercial research sites such as Hoovers Online, CorporateInformation and Industry Watch. Also make sure that the company is not suffering from a terminal financial illness. Check the listings on the Deathwatch at Downside; it uses company filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to determine which organizations are about to run out of cash and when.
To get a sense of the morale in an organization, tap into the online conversations of its current and former employees. Visit the Electronic Watercooler at Vault.com. Although you won't find every company discussed there, many are, and the commentary will undoubtedly give you a perspective you won't find in the company brochure. Take the views expressed around the water cooler with a grain of salt, however, as some of the contributors have their own axe to grind.
Another way to peer into an organization is through the newsgroups and discussion boards where you are a member. If you participate in a bulletin board on the site of your professional association, trade organization, or alumni group, ask the other members if they have any insights on working at the organization. You can send your question to the entire group, but ask that replies be ed-mailed to you individually and privately. Instigating an employer-bashing session online, even inadvertently, is likely to dim your prospects in an interview.
If you'd like to get the inside skinny on what it's like to interview at an organization, take a look at the company profiles at Wetfeet.com. Each profile includes a guide to interviewing in three sections entitled:
· Give a brief overview of the steps involved in the recruiting process.
· What can job seekers expect in their interviews?
· What's the biggest mistake a candidate can make during an interview?
Although only 1,600 companies are profiled, they include many of the largest and best known employers in the United States and around the world.
Finally, make sure that you have considered your current value in the marketplace and determined the salary and benefits you would need to be willing to accept a new position. Visit the salary survey directory at Jobstar.org for links to over 300 surveys or use the Salary Wizard at Salary.com.
It's usually not appropriate to bring compensation up in your first interview, but it is important to be ready just in case the interviewer raises the subject with you.
Whether it comes from your response to a job posting online or a classified ad in the local newspaper, an interview is your opportunity to sell yourself to a prospective employer. Taking full advantage of that opportunity depends upon careful preparation, and the Internet can help you prepare to interview at your very best.
Peter Weddle is one of the nation's leading experts in online job searching. He has written numerous books, including "Career Fitness" and "CliffsNotes: Finding a Job on the Web." For more information, please visit his site at www.weddles.com. 
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