[uraniumjelly]

> * Have a good reason why you are looking at this company, instead of any other

I don't like this sentiment. Are people not allowed to be looking at other companies at the same time? Your company is probably not so unique that people will have legitimate reasons to have a significant preference for your company over other ones (sans the salary). I feel that it's out of the interviewer's line to expect interviewees to have an answer for that, when it's not like the interviewer is looking at a specific interviewee instead of any other.

[mooreds]

> Are people not allowed to be looking at other companies at the same time?

Of course. But I think if you can think of some reason that you are interested in this company (beyond "I need a job") that is going to help you stand out.

You don't need to pretend that working for this company is your life's dream, but a reason will show you have done some work and are excited to be a team member.

Examples include:

* I like the variety of consulting (for a consulting company)

* I really want to work more with Ruby on rails, because I have done so in the past and enjoyed it.

* What you are doing in the industry is exciting because I think webhooks are foundational and undifferentiated, but hard to get right (for a webhooks company)

Etc etc.

Don't gush, just show a modicum of interest and research.

[igetspam]

I didn't read it that way. You could absolutely be interested in other companies but you should be interested in this one as well. Don't show up not knowing what the company does or the basics of the product. We hire people we want to work with, that want to work with us. Knowing who we are shows you want to work with us.

[quesera]

This is canonical advice, but I think it's often taken too far, or over-interpreted.

The vast majority of companies are not special or interesting. And the vast majority of candidates are the same. Making the candidate pretend to think there's something special about your company makes you look foolish.

If you water it down to "You need someone with my skills, you're located conveniently (or remote), you pay reasonably well, and (so far at least) I don't hate you.", then sure. That's fine, but wanting more is often self-deluding.

OTOH, showing some initiative and a vague understanding of what the company does? OK sure. Candidate should have read the home page and maybe About Us. If only to establish that they have determined the company passes the first couple stages of their filter and that the conversation is not a total waste of time.

Addendum: The above is for staff positions, where I interview most candidates. I also do peer interviews at the leadership level, and expectations at that level are definitely higher and include the desire to help set the tone for the organization -- which should trend toward specialness, but presuming that you've succeeded in the eyes of a candidate is, well, presumptuous. :-)