Do you have a job interview a few days away? Then you might already know that preparation is the key to landing the right job. But do you know ways to research a company before a job interview? Interviewers will indeed expect you to be curious and ask them questions. But it’s also true that asking vague and irrelevant questions will remove your name from the list of suitable candidates.
Fortunately, you won’t have to go through such times because it’s easier than ever to learn about the employer before the interview. So put on your detective hat and discover the employer’s details. And if you are still wondering, “Why research a company before appearing for a job interview?” The answer is to position yourself as the best candidate and boost your chances of being hired.
Check out our top tips for how to learn about a company and outshine others with your answers.
What to Research?
Before moving toward learning how to conduct research, let’s first know the key aspects you must aim to find.
- Nature of business and industry they operate in
- Location of the organisation
- Team size
- Company’s history and achievements
- Product categories or services lines
- Recent products or services launch
- Company’s mission & objectives
How to Research?
- Check the company website
The first step should be to visit the company website. Look for content across different pages and check what the company does. The first page you must see about the company is ‘About Us’. Next, you can learn about the team on the ‘Meet Our Team’ page.
Generally, companies publish their mission and vision statements, reflecting the company culture. Take note of every minute detail and even pop-up messages that may occur. Additionally, look for information about the company’s CEO & management.
Register everything in your mind and also ensure you know the factors about the company that interests you.
- Look for Company’s Social Media Handles
The presence of an organisation on social media platforms indicates the strength of company leadership. Simply put, smart leaders always consider having a strong social media presence across various platforms.
The most popular platforms are Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. A social media feed can give you an insight into what the company is and its culture. Following a page will keep you updated on the latest posts and see how the audience engages with the posted content.
To impress the recruiting manager during the interview, you can talk about the latest news you read on their social media. This will also highlight your enthusiasm toward the job role.
- Check Out Review Websites
The modern corporate world is gifted with websites like Glassdoor & Cunchbase. They feature company profiles where people— customers & employees, post their reviews. So you can gather enough information about the company culture and what to expect from company leadership.
Read the reviews, and don’t forget to detect negative reviews, if any. Besides, identify reviews that talk about company success, which you can mention during an interview to level up your game.
- Find out news and recent events
It’s always a good idea to be knowledgeable about the company’s latest news and updates. Most companies have dedicated pages that contain press releases and events. These pages are a great source to find recent events, product/service launches, or the latest news.
Adding to it, you can also access Google & Google News and find information that may not appear on the company website. The strategy is to not miss out on any information so you don’t stay aloof during your job interview.
- Identify the competitors
Conduct competitor research to see what makes its products or services unique. Then, use it to your advantage and reflect your knowledge of industry trends. To strengthen your impression, you can also mention the aspects that make the company better than others and how you can contribute to taking it forward.
How to Use Your Research During the Interview?
Now that you have gathered enough information about the company, the next step is to buckle up for the interview. Nowadays, you can expect employers to ask questions such as:
- What do you know about us?
- What interests you in working with us?
- What are the challenges that our industry faced this year?
You can put the gathered information to work and frame answers by combining generic information with minute details you know about the company.
Visit our blog to learn our top five tips to ace your next interview and land a job.
Final Comments
Remember, your objective is to convince the employer that you are the right fit for the job. Back your skills & experience by showing off your knowledge about the company. But also know what you are talking about and gain a competitive edge over other candidates.
