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4/20/2008 3:35 AM

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MENLO PARK, Calif. - Prepping for the job interview is much more common today than a decade ago, a new survey shows.

Seventy-nine percent of executives polled said candidates they meet with display at least some knowledge of the company or its industry, up from 59 percent in a 1997 survey on the topic.

Despite this trend, would-be employees still may be missing an opportunity to demonstrate that they've done their homework in their resume cover letters: Only 44 percent of those polled said it's common for applicants to use their cover letter to show they've researched the job, up slightly from 37 percent in the previous survey.

The national poll included responses from 150 senior executives from human resources, finance and marketing department with the nation's 1,000 largest companies.

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It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Accountemps, the world's first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals.

n Executives were asked:

"How frequently do job

candidates demonstrate

knowledge of your company or industry during interviews?"

Their responses: 2008 1997

Very frequently 34% 15%

Somewhat

frequently 45% 44%

Somewhat

infrequently 14% 29%

Very infrequently 2% 9%

Don't know 5% 3%

n Executives were asked:

"How frequently do job

candidates demonstrate

knowledge of your company or industry in their cover letters?"

Their responses: 2008 1997

Very frequently 7% 10%

Somewhat

frequently 37% 27%

Somewhat

infrequently 39% 30%

Very infrequently 13% 30%

Don't know 4% 3%

"By learning as much as they can about a company before interviewing, prospective employees demonstrate resourcefulness and a sincere interest in the job," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author "Job Hunting for Dummies," 2nd Edition (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.).

"Job seekers who uncover beyond-the-basics knowledge of a firm by using the Internet and corporate Web sites are better able to identify specific ways they can contribute to the organization's success."

Interviews are not the only stage in the job search process in which company and industry knowledge provide an advantage, Messmer added.

"The cover letter and resume are typically what prompt a hiring manager to extend an interview invitation.

Applicants who fail to present a compelling case in writing may not get an opportunity to shine in a face-to-face meeting."

Accountemps has more than 360 offices worldwide and offers online job search services at www.accountemps.com.

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