How to Research a Company Before Your Interview

If you have a job interview coming up, it is essential that you research the company beforehand. We give you some tips.

The good news is you’ve got an interview. The bad news is you haven’t had one for a while and you’re not entirely sure what an interview consists of these days. How do you prepare?

In a world where information - and misinformation - is just a tap of the finger away, it’s vital that you do your research into the organisation, and that your research draws on expert views and facts.

Search Online

You could try and speak to someone who works at the company to get an insider view, but, failing that, check out reputable and recent reports on the company online.

What has it been doing lately that has made any headlines?
What does it say on its website in terms of news, careers and reports
What do others in the field think of its work?

You can also check out what are people who work there saying about it, for instance, on bona fide sites like Glassdoor.

Information to Discover

Find out the basics, for example:

How many employees does it have and where?
What areas is it investing in?
What areas is it cutting back on?
How is it adapting to the myriad of major changes in the business world, from AI to political and economic turbulence?

Gather Up To Date Industry Knowledge

It is important, especially when moving sector, to get up to date on the industry before your interview.

To do this you could join LinkedIn groups related to the industry sector to find out what the key issues are, start following industry-related press if you don’t already and make sure you are up to date with the latest developments.

Think about how you can apply your experience to any of the major challenges that business may be facing. Start by typing in key words or phrases related to your industry or job role, for example, if you're in digital marketing, try searching "digital marketing LinkedIn groups" or "social media marketing".

It is important, especially when moving sector, to get up to date on the industry before your interview.

Values & Purpose

It’s also important to understand what the business stands for, its values and purpose. Values are hugely important in today’s corporate world. Almost every business has a mission statement and core pillars which reflect what it stands for as it attempts to appeal to a broad range of potential employees. Make sure that you can demonstrate a match between those values and your own, and provide concrete examples that illustrate this.

Most companies now have a Corporate Social Responsibility policy which covers areas like environmental protection, labour standards and human rights. Check it out to get an understanding of how the company sees its social role.

Another framework that might be useful to research and which is increasingly coming to the fore is a company’s Environmental, Social and Governance policy. This is a framework used by businesses to assess its impact on sustainability, ethical practices and the quality of its governance. Read more about ESG here.

Questions to Ask

If you get your research right you will feel much better prepared for whatever the interview throws at you - and you will be able to put together some key questions at the end which demonstrate the work you have put in. The important thing is to show what in your experience makes you unique, and uniquely valuable, to any prospective employer - and forewarned is forearmed. Good luck!