Showcasing your commercial awareness in an interview

You should follow multiple companies in the field on social media, subscribe to industry newsletters, and learn what everyone in that sector reads. (And if you’re unsure of which leaders to follow and what newsletters to subscribe to, then ask the next time you’re in an informational interview, it’s a great response for those times when someone asks how they can help.)

Another easy way to stay up to date is to follow current events by using Google alerts. Set one up for the company, key industry terms, and competitors. That way you’ll automatically get emails about major developments.

This’ll give you the facts you’ll use to show your interviewer you “get it,” even if you don’t have a lot of experience. But the big question is when should you drop these answers into conversation? As you can imagine, rattling off a bunch of facts while you walk from the lobby to the interview room won’t get you too far.

Instead, as you prepare your answers to the most common questions, think about what you’ve learned and how you can weave this new knowledge into conversation naturally.

To get you started, here are four examples:

1. When You’re Asked: “Why Are You Interested in Our Company?”