Imagine walking into a job interview, feeling confident with your answers to all the common questions, only to realize you know very little about the company itself. In today’s competitive job market, researching the company before your interview isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential. Understanding the company’s values, culture, and recent achievements can set you apart from other candidates and demonstrate to your potential employer that you’re genuinely invested in becoming part of their team.
Failing to research the company you’re interviewing with could be the difference between landing your dream job and being just another candidate in the pile. Employers want to see that you’ve taken the time to understand their business and how you can contribute. By skipping this crucial step, you risk appearing unprepared and uninterested—qualities no employer is looking for.
Here are the three key areas you should focus on if you want to stand out in your interview:
1. Business Operations
A great place to begin your research is the company’s website. You should be able to find out what the company does, the industry they operate in, their strengths, and some of the key people who work there. While these are excellent starting points, they don’t tell the full story. To fully understand the company, you may need to dig deeper. Consider the following questions:
- What are some of the company’s recent successes?
- Have there been any changes in operations (e.g., new partnerships, leadership changes, product launches)?
- What is the financial health of the company? Investopedia is a useful resource for checking if the company is in good standing.
The more thoroughly you research, the less likely you are to be blindsided by any surprises. Uncovering potential red flags early on can help you determine whether this company is the right fit for you. If everything checks out, you’ll have plenty of material to draw from when asking questions at the end of the interview, connecting with the interviewer, and impressing the hiring manager with your commitment to the position.
2. Company Culture
Understanding what it’s like to work for the company is just as important as knowing what the job entails. Even if the job description sounds perfect, it will be challenging to stay motivated and happy if the company culture doesn’t align with your values.
Start by evaluating what your ideal company culture looks like. How important is work-life balance to you? Do you value a company that is engaged in social advocacy? Once you know what you’re looking for, explore these resources:
- Social Media Pages: Scrolling through the company’s Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn pages can give you insight into how they present themselves to the public. Do their posts suggest a fun internal culture? Do they highlight employee achievements and professional development on LinkedIn?
- Recruitment Websites: Sites like Glassdoor offer reviews from past employees and clients. While these should be taken with a grain of salt, they can reveal underlying issues within the company that you may want to ask about or be aware of.
- Company Blog: If the company has a blog, read it. This can provide insight into the issues they care about, niche industry knowledge, and inside information about the company.
- LinkedIn: Use LinkedIn to connect with people who have worked there in the past. Reaching out to them can give you a firsthand account of the company culture from someone who has experienced it.
3. Leadership
Management can make or break your experience with a company. In fact, 57% of employees have left a company because of their boss. To avoid potential issues, try to learn as much as you can about your prospective management. Here’s how:
- LinkedIn: Review their LinkedIn profile to see how they talk about their work. Have they engaged with employees and supported their achievements?
- Google Search: Perform a Google search to see what comes up. Are they a recognized voice in the industry? Can you find a bio or other relevant information about them?
If you uncover details about their professional and personal life (e.g., hobbies, vacations, places they’ve lived), you can establish a connection during the interview, making you more memorable as a candidate. This research might also provide insight into how they handle certain situations.
Whatever you discover in your research can help you prepare interview answers and questions that demonstrate your diligence. For tips on how to use this information to craft standout questions and answers, stay tuned for part two!
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About LGC
Since 2003 LGC has been building connections between businesses with staffing needs and job seekers looking for new opportunities. Our range of solutions includes temporary and permanent placements (and everything in between) for a variety of industries. With offices located nationwide, we can tap into a dynamic pool of talented professionals. We have a passion for creating partnerships that last and work hard every day to ensure both clients and candidates reach their employment goals.