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When approaching a potential employer or school or internship host or customer or client - really anybody that you'd like to work with - it's so so important to have a good understanding about what they care about. I can't tell you how many interviews I've done where the candidate didn't really even have a basic understanding about the priorities of the organization they hoped to work with!

One must be a little bit careful though, because there can often be a big difference between what people say they want, and what they really want. In his great book Never Split the Difference, former FBI Hostage Negotiator Chris Voss describes these secrets on the other side of the negotiating table as "Black Swans." Black swans are pieces of information that are hard to uncover - but can make all the difference in the negotiation if you do.

A job interview may not be the same as a full-fledged hostage negotiation - but it's DEFINITELY a negotiation where both parties are trying to size each other up and figure out if entering into an employment relationship would bring benefits.

The next time you approach a potential employer - and especially the next time you go in for an interview - it may serve you to do some thinking about what they are after. There are two main ways to do this...

1) The Stuff They Tell You

Job descriptions, mission statements - where they list their organization's values on their website...to uncover what they really want, all of these are good places to start. But, at the same time, all of these sources may fall under the banner of "I'll believe what you show me more than what you tell me."

For example, the organization you're approaching may like to think they their mission involves, "finding synergies to advance our community of stakeholders." On the other hand, there's also a pretty good chance they put that on their website 10 years ago because they needed something to put on their website, but nobody within the organization has read or thought about those words since.

Though that job description may call for someone who is able to "implement nimble solutions," - it's also possible that the organization is a hot mess and really just needs somebody that can help them get out of crisis mode.

It's great to know what a potential employer says is important (even better to be able to quote it word-for-word, because that shows them you took the time to look). But that's just the place to start.

2) The Stuff They Show You

To really get to the things a potential employer cares about - it may serve you to look deeper.

For example, what do their last 10 press releases say? What language do they like to use? Have they had any press releases in the last year?

If you can find it, what do the people you'll be interviewing list put on their official bios? Now how does that compare to their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages? Do they even have a presence in those places?

Is there video out there of their leaders talking in the last year. If so, what did they talk about?

How much turnover is going on in that place? Do the different job descriptions they put out seem to match in terms of voice and language?

Of course, if you can - talk to somebody who knows the organization - who may be willing/able to share a little bit about what's really going on inside and what they really care about right now. 

All of this is more of an art than a science. However, if you can crack the code a little bit deeper than others - it might give you the edge you need to stand out among your competitors. Good luck!