How to Research a Company Before Your Interview

An essential step of your interview preparation

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “focus on what you can control.” Well, when it comes to interviews, it feels like there are countless things that you cannot control. You cannot control who is going to be your interviewers, what kind of mood they’re going to be in, what questions they will ask you, or how many other amazing candidates they will meet with.

However, one thing you can control is how well you prepare and prove your worth as an employee during that interview. Preparation can mean practicing your responses to potential interview questions. Though, applicants tend to underestimate how important it is to do your research on the company and position they are applying for.

You wouldn’t believe how many people fail in their interviews simply because they didn’t research the company enough. Most hiring managers will look to test your knowledge of the company in order to assess your genuine interest level.

But, where do you look to research the company and the position? Plus, how do you know what information to look for? Here are some tips and resources that will make your interview prep a breeze.

Step 1: Company Research. 

The hiring and training process takes a lot of time and resources. Hiring managers want to hire people that will commit long-term and will be a positive addition to their team. Showing that you’ve done a thorough research and know what the company does beyond just the surface level information will show them your commitment to the company. 

Let’s go over some of the resources that you can use to do your company research.

Company website (Who are they? What do they do?) 

The company website should be the first stop on your research quest. It’s important to read about their mission and values, their client base, their industry, the range of services or products they offer, and where they operate. 

One thing that you also want to look for is who their competitors are. Learn what advantage they have over their competitors. When the manager asks, “why do you want to work at X company,” you will be able to provide an answer that references their main mission and their standing in their industry.

Google News (What have they been up to?) 

Now that you’ve gathered info about what the company is, it’s time to see what the company has been up to lately. 

I recommend going to Google News and looking up some of the recent news articles that mention the company. Have they announced a recent expansion? Do they have a new, innovative product/service? Have they been affected by mergers or acquisitions, political reforms, bad press etc.? 

Being in the know of what accomplishments and concerns the company is currently facing will show the hiring manager that you are dedicated to the company’s brand and projects in real-time. 

Glassdoor (What do people like about the company culture?) 

Now that you know all of the general information about this company, it’s time to dive a little bit deeper. It is time to learn more about the company culture based on what their employees say.

The most well-known platform for this is Glassdoor. All you need to do is go on Glassdoor and type in the company’s name. Note that if you’re interviewing at a massive company, you can filter things down by a specific location to get the most accurate reviews.

Glassdoor will provide you a pretty good idea about the company’s culture, leadership, perks and benefits, and other things that employees found worth mentioning.

For example, if Glassdoor reviews mention specific employee support resources that the company offers, you will be able to reference that in your interview. If they mention the company’s dedication to helping their employees grow their careers, then you can mention your goal of growth within their company, too.

LinkedIn Life section (How do they support employees?)

The “Life” section on the company’s LinkedIn profile is another resource that provides insight to the overall feel of the employee experience as well as how the company improves their work environment.

Note that not every company has that section filled out. However, from my experience, companies that care the most about their employee brand, tend to invest a lot of time and resources into building out their LinkedIn pages.

LinkedIn employees (How diverse? Where are they located?) 

Lastly, LinkedIn is also a good resource for learning about current employees. You can learn which companies and industries they come from in order to see where you rank compared to the rest of them.

You can also see where most of them are located to understand which portion of the company you’ll get to interact with the most. Looking up employees can also help you to understand how diverse their employee body is. 

Step 2: Research the Interviewer

So, this part may not be applicable to everyone. However, from my experience, recruiters and hiring managers like to give you a heads up about who you will be meeting during your interview. If you know ahead of time who your interviewer will be, you should familiarize yourself with the interviewer. 

This means learning about their background at the company, and seeing if you have anything in common with them. Finding the hiring manager, or whoever is interviewing you, on LinkedIn is a great way to look into their background and interests.

See if maybe you went to the same college or high school. See if you’ve worked for the same company in the past. Having a little small talk can help you start your interview on a good note while showing the interviewer that you did your research!

With that being said, it’s also important to respect some boundaries. Researching and mentioning things that are from other platforms, such as Instagram or Facebook, could be considered inappropriate by some interviewers.

Don’t be a kiss-up, and definitely don’t get into social media stalking territory. Instead, find an authentic, professional way to make a connection. Demonstrating your care to make a personal impact with the interviewer will make your interview memorable and prove your dynamic social skills.

Step 3: Ace that Interview!

Proving your interest and dedication to the company and position you are applying for can make an incomparable impression during your interview.

Now that you know where to look to research and thoroughly prepare for your interview, you’re ready to secure that interview and leave a positive impression on the hiring managers.

For more information on how to ace your interview, check out my guide to answering Behavioral Interview questions How to answer behavioral questions | Tips from a Professional Recruiter

As well as my comprehensive interview preparation course Job Interview Course | Tips from a Fortune 500 Recruiter Recruiter.

Good luck!