One of the easiest ways to wow at interviews is to demonstrate that you have researched the company. It shows you’re proactive, smart and have a keen interest in the company’s affairs.
Researching a company also keeps you prepared for potential questions and scenarios during the interview.
It’s one thing to know how important this research is, but another thing to actually know how to do your due diligence on any company. It’s a skill you must learn to feel confident, avoid mistakes, and make an excellent first impression.
This post will show you how to research a company before an interview.
How to Research a Company before an interview
Check the Company Website
Head to the company’s website and navigate to the “Meet Our Team” section or the “About Us” page. These pages are often loaded with overviews and other relevant information about the company, such as its founding date and core objectives.
You’ll also gain more insight into the job you’ve applied for and how the company attracts customers and clients.
If they have a “Careers” page, visit it to get up-to-date information on their latest openings. The company’s values and mission statement will also be on display on the website. Read it, internalize and look for a smart but subtle way to sneak into your discourse during the interview.
Search the Internet for Recent News About the Company
Research the company for the latest news about them via Google News. You’ll find recent developments, press releases, and more, informing you about their current moves and progress. Many large companies have this exposure but don’t rule out the smaller ones.
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You can do this by typing “company name news” into Google or your favorite search engine. You may try multiple search engines to get more results.
Such information can come in handy during the interview, and you can use it to impress your interviewer.
Learn About the Required Skills
There’s a lot in a job posing, including a general description of the role, duties, qualifications, and experience requirements. Some postings also have a possible starting salary range.
Further, take note of the skills and capabilities required. This way, you’ll understand whether you’re the best fit for the position and what to expect in the interview.
Browse Social Media
Most companies have some social media presence. Search the social media pages on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. This will give you insight into their operations and business interests. Also, observe if they have some red flags and issues you should avoid.
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LinkedIn carries more focus because companies share much information about their employees and their experiences. Use such information to see how you’d fit in and approach the interview.
Research the Hiring Manager(s)
Research the hiring manager on platforms like LinkedIn. Learn how they perform their roles, length of service, educational background, and what they need from you. During the research, you may share common interests with the hiring manager, including sports or social preferences. Even if you do not, the research helps you know more about them than other candidates before the interview.
Read Employee Reviews
Employee reviews help you form an opinion and learn how to prepare for the interview. A site like Glassdoor.com contains reviews about many companies from current and past employees.
Glassdoor will give you more hints about the company’s operations, helping you to provide informative answers during the interview. You’ll also learn about the work culture and atmosphere. After reading the reviews, you’ll know whether you want to work for them.
Research the Company’s Job Interview Process
The company’s job interview process is another way to research a company before an interview. Build your research of the interview process on these questions:
- Will they have a panel or team of interviewers asking you questions?
- Will you be grouped along with other candidates?
- How long will the process take?
- Are there stages involved?
- Will they demand your physical presence or conduct a virtual interview?
Knowing how the process goes makes it easier to prepare for the interview. A good way to do this research is to search on forums like reddit or websites like quora. Adding ‘reddit’ or ‘quora’ after your search keywords can generate results from these websites.
Take Advantage of Your Current Connections
If you know one of the company’s staff, reach out to them for their insight. Also, ask your friends and family if they have friends or associates who work there. Your network can help with information about the company and its interview process.
In addition, networking events could help you connect with the right people to get more information about the role. It can also increase your chances of getting the position. Keep building your network whether you’re networking for a particular role or not.
Research the Industry
There are plenty of industries and niches under them. Before an interview, go beyond the company of interest and research its industry. Online publications and news content are popular ways to learn about an industry.
Check for industry publications, news articles on Google search or use Google alerts to search for specific keywords.
Check out the products and services involved, the kind of experts needed, and regulatory requirements. Feed on enough information to help you stand out from other candidates and impress your interviewers.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to research a company before an interview can set you apart from other candidates. This is because you’re armed with the right information, can impress the interviewer and show that you care about the company.
Now that you have the right information, you need to properly deliver it during the interview. Hope you gained something new from this post, what other research methods do you use? Let me know in the comments below.