Fresh out of college Ariella was looking for that perfect first job. When she got her first interview with a large Manhattan company she was ecstatic. After carefully reviewing her résumé the night before the interview Ariella felt well prepared… or so she thought. “The interviewer asked what I knew about the company ” she relates. “I stumbled a bit and then innocently admitted that while I understood what the position was I knew nothing about the actual company. I didn’t think it was such a big deal but I could hear the tone change in the interviewer’s voice. She basically ended the conversation right then and there.” Ariella committed a major interviewee mistake — not doing her homework. “One of the biggest complaints of hiring managers is that many job interview candidates know very little about the company they’re interviewing for ” saysAndyTeach a corporate veteran and author of From Graduation to Corporation: The Practical Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder One Rung at a Time. Knowing a bit about the company shows that you’re not just looking for a paycheck but you’re genuinely interested in working there. Therefore step one of preparing for an interview is researching the company and the position you’re interviewing for. In fact being able to talk about the company’s products and their general clientele gives you the opportunity to present yourself as a stand-out candidate. For example researching the company allows you to then explain how your experience skills and education are the perfect fit for the company says New York–based interview coach Marilyn Leibowitz a retired executive who has done her fair share of hiring. This is the key to a successful interview.