How To Research A Company For A Job Interview

For every interview you always want to go in there feeling ready and avoid embarrassing yourself.

So what’s the fastest and easiest way to get enough information about a company to avoid interview mistakes and make a great first impression? And what should you be researching?

Research the Company Website

Go to their website and find out about what products or services they provide. What do they sell and how do they make money? Why might their customers or clients choose them?

Learn anything you can about the company culture too. Click buttons like “About Us” or “Meet Our Team” when you’re on the company website.

Then visit their “Careers” section. Make sure you’re familiar with the job description and take a look at the other jobs they’re hiring for too.

This is the longest step in the process of researching a company, but it’ll give you a ton of information you can use in your answers, and knowing more about them will help you explain why you wanted to apply for the job.

Search Google News for the Company Name

This is a relatively short step, but still important for how to research a company as you prepare for your interview.

Go read some recent developments and press releases to get a sense of what the company is working on.

Find one thing they recently did and then ask them in the interview, “I read you recently did ___, can you tell me more about that?”

They’ll be impressed that you know the latest news about them.

Social Media Accounts

Check out the company’s social media profiles (LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook) to see recent news you might have missed on Google News in step 2. You might see pictures of employee outings too, etc. You’ll get a great sense of the company culture and the type of people who work there.

This will give you fuel and ideas for questions you can ask in the interview too. Example: “I saw on Facebook you recently had a company event. Can you tell me about what else the company does to facilitate team-building?”

Research Employees (on LinkedIn)

Search on LinkedIn to find employees of the company. Better yet, find people in the same type of group or role that you’re interviewing for. What type of background do they have? You might spot a trend for the type of person a company likes to hire.

LinkedIn isn’t just a great job search resource, it’s also a powerful research tool. If you don’t already have an account that’s active and up-to-date, you should definitely make one.

Research the Hiring Manager

You can also use LinkedIn to research the hiring manager.

This is a great way to prepare to pass your interview. You might see something you have in common with them. And if not, you’ll still know more about them than most candidates going in for the interview. So it’ll be easier to bond and build rapport.

Check the Company’s YouTube

You can also look for the company on YouTube. Do a quick search and see if they have an account. More and more companies are doing this, so this is a worthwhile step in terms of how to research a company very thoroughly before you talk to them. You might also see their office in a video which will make you more comfortable when you arrive for an interview. You’ll feel like you’ve been there before.

Those are the best steps you can take for pre-interview company research. I recommend doing everything above if you have time.

What you can do next…

Ready to turn more interviews into job offers?

Do you become anxious right before a job interview?

Worry not! Book a session with an interview coach who will help you prepare and make a great impression!