research on the company questions

How to Research a Company for an Interview: 10 Steps

By Biron Clark

Published: November 8, 2023

Interview Preparation

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

In the next 10 minutes, I’m going to show you exactly how to research a company for your job interview.

You want to go into the interview feeling ready and confident, and you don’t want to embarrass yourself.

That’s what good pre-interview research can do for you.

But 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 exactly should you be researching?

Keep reading for everything you need to know…

How to Research a Company for a Job Interview

1. research the company website.

Go to the business’ website and find out about what products or services they provide. What do they sell and how do they make money? Why might the company’s 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 to see what jobs are posted in general. Make sure you’re familiar with the job description and get a feel for the other jobs they’re hiring for.

Finally, see if the company has a mission statement. Knowing the company’s mission will help you understand what they care most about, so that you can show these traits in the job interview.

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 .

2. Search Google News for Recent Company Developments

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

As you conduct company research, go to Google News to read some recent developments and press releases, so you can get a sense of what the company is working on.

Find a piece of good news, a recent change, acquisition or new project, or anything else you can find about the company online.

You’ll notice more info available for large companies, but you may still find valuable news articles and stories for smaller companies, too.

Your goal in this research, for each of your target companies, is to find one action they took recently that you can ask about in the interview.

For example, you’d ask, “I read you recently did ___, can you tell me more about that?”

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

Most job seekers are asking boring, generic questions in the interview (like, “What is your company’s mission?”)

So if you can ask a question about a recent news story, it’s going to set you apart.

Here are 27 more unique questions job seekers can ask in the interview.

That brings me to one other piece of job search and career advice: Never ask a question that could be answered on the company’s website.

3. Review the Company’s Social Media Accounts

Next, research the company’s Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social profiles 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 more fuel and ideas for questions you can ask in the interview too.

For example, you could ask, “I saw on Facebook you recently had a company charity event. Can you tell me about what else the company does to facilitate team-building and/or charitable giving in the community? It’s great that those are a part of your company’s values. That’s something I’m looking for in an employer.”

You can also look for the company on YouTube. Do a quick search and see if they have a channel.

More and more companies are sharing video content, 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.

4. Competitor Research

If you really want to impress the company with how much you researched them before the interview, head over to similarweb.com , type the company name or website into the search bar, and then find the button that says “similar sites”.

Click it and you’ll see companies that are similar to the company you’re interviewing at. Try to find a few key differences and similarities, so you can show you understand the whole marketplace and industry, not just the company you’re interviewing with.

If you do this, most hiring managers will be VERY impressed.

If you’re interviewing in a new industry this becomes even more important. But it’s a great step for anyone who wants to research a company before a job interview.

5. 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.

This research will help you understand what the company looks for in the hiring process, so that you’ll be better prepared for questions they throw at you in the interview.

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. If you’re not convinced, here are 5 reasons you should use LinkedIn .

6. Research the Hiring Manager

Next, use LinkedIn to research the hiring manager’s background.

How long have they been with the company?

What’s their educational background?

What previous jobs have they worked to get to the point they’re at?

This is a great way to prepare to pass your interview . You might even see something you have in common with the hiring manager, such as a sport you played in college.

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, or talk about topics that they’re familiar with.

7. Industry Research

Next, if you’re attending a job interview in an unfamiliar industry, you should go beyond researching the company and also dig into the industry overall.

Browse social media accounts of other businesses in the industry, read a few trade publications online, see what types of jobs are posted in this industry, and more.

What types of products and services does the industry provide in general?

What are some of the latest developments happening?

What are some common types of jobs in the industry?

You can look at industry news in Google, check company social media accounts, and more to gather this information.

8. Research the Company’s Job Interview Process

There are a variety of websites that allow job seekers to write about their job search experience and which interview questions they faced. So I recommend searching Google for terms like “<Company Name> interview questions” and “<Company Name> interview process.”

You won’t find information about this for every employer, but you should find some hints about the interview process for most large employers, which can be a big aid in your job search.

Then, you’ll know how to better prepare for your job interview to show you’re a fit for the company’s culture and role.

9. Read Employee Reviews

Next, consider visiting a site like Glassdoor.com to read reviews from current and past employees.

This may give you more hints about how the company operates, which will help you prepare great interview answers.

You’ll also gain valuable information to help you decide if you do or don’t want to work for this company!

You may spot a red flag or two that you’d like to ask about in the interview.

You wouldn’t have found this on a casual visit to the company’s website. So reading reviews from real employees will give you a better understanding of what your life will be like if you accept their job.

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

10. Additional Research for Public Companies

If a company is publicly traded, it must release an annual report, quarterly financial statements, and more.

You can see their stock price, read recent stock news, and more.

For public companies, you’ll often see an “investor relations” button when you visit the company website (usually in the site footer).

You can also search for the company name on a website like Google Finance to read about their financial health and explore recent financial data and statements.

This doesn’t need to be an in-depth, time-consuming step when researching a company, but it’s worth noting whether they’re publicly traded or not, and how the company’s stock is doing.

Final Step: Review Your Company Research

Now you know what to research about a company before the interview.

As a final step, make sure you can answer these questions about a company:

• Who is the CEO ?
• When/why was the company founded?
• Does the company have one or multiple locations? And where are they headquartered?
• How does the company make money? What do they sell and who is their typical customer?
• Why do their customers choose them?
• How are they different from their competitors?
• How would you describe the company culture?
• Does the company have a mission statement or a reason why they were founded?
• What do you know about the hiring manager’s background? How long have they been with the company?

Use that as a checklist to make sure you’ve researched the company enough before your interview.

Now that you know how to research a company before a job interview, you’re going to be able to make a better impression on recruiters and hiring managers, and turn more interviews into job offers !

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

2 thoughts on “How to Research a Company for an Interview: 10 Steps”

This was VERY resourceful. Thanks so much for the helpful tips.

Great list. Thank you!

Comments are closed.

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How to Research a Company for an Interview in 6 Easy Steps

Step 1: Ask your network

• Step 2: Check out the company's blog on their website
• Step 3: Comb through the company's social media accounts
• Step 4: Job description

Step 5: Read reviews

• Step 6: Examine media sources and press releases

Step 7: Examine your own values and career trajectory

You've been sending your resume and cover letter out to several companies, and you finally got an interview for a position that you love.

Before your interview, it's a good idea to know a little about the company, specifically the company's mission, culture, and values.

Understanding how the company operates allows you to discern if you feel you'd be a good fit for it. By researching companies, you can better prepare for the interview questions , tailoring your answers to the specific company and hiring manager.

In this article, we will discuss:

• 7 easy steps to research a company for an interview
• Suggestions on how to use your research during the interview

Before you head out and do some research on the company that you're interviewing for, speak with a career counselor from Enhancv . They can help you to refine your research and create valuable talking points to ace your interview.

7 steps to research a company for an interview

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If you are anything like me, you want to come prepared for your interview, knowing exactly what you need to know to make the best first impression. Alternatively, if you show up to a job interview without properly researching the company that you're applying for, you may feel ill prepared, stumbling over the main ideas that you'd like to convey.

If you want to be prepared for your next interview, follow these six steps to research the hiring company:

When you settle down in a career for a long period of time, you build up a network of contacts. Whether through vendors, clients, colleagues, or managers of other companies, reaching out to those people that you know may be your first step in understanding the reputation of the company that you're interviewing for.

Instead of just looking at the ways that the company represents itself online through marketing materials, social media posts, or philanthropic pursuits, asking someone you know who has an understanding of the company can give you key insights.

This type of research may be more intimate, allowing you to gain more of an understanding of how it feels to be someone who works at the company or interacts with management there. This type of research allows you to identify any red flags, things that may make you choose not to continue during the interview process with the hiring company.

It's important to keep in mind that you should take some of this word-of-mouth research with a grain of salt. For example, if you are speaking to former employees of the company, they may have more overtly negative things to say about it since they've stopped working there.

If you're just starting out in the industry, and you're fresh off an internship , you may be able to contact your university's career office, and ask if there are some alumni who attended the same school working at the company.

Who knows? Maybe you can get a job referral or reference from your network.

Advice for the interview

If possible, use your network as a starting place for research, but continue to do a little more research on your own to gain more of an understanding of how an organization operates. If someone in your network has something nice to say about the company, ask that person if it is okay if you shared it in the interview. You never know if the hiring manager may know the person who you're talking about.

Step 2: Check out the company's blog on their website

If you're interested in learning more about how the company operates, you should check out their website. Here you can gain a better understanding of the products and services they offer their customers, whilst also learning about the things that matter to them the most.

The best place to look for information on a company's website is their blog, as you can usually find great content that breaks down everything the company is doing. A company's blog is where an organization can share about what differentiates them from other organizations.

Most companies now are trying to become thought leaders in their industry, and on their website you can see a little more about the company's vision and values.

Even a company's annual report, which may be found on their website, can help to show you the financial health of the company, and even how they handle investor relations.

Another helpful place to look is on the "about us" page, which lists all the important people at the company. Here you can find employee bios. By looking at this page, you may be even able to find the name and position of the hiring manager that will be interviewing you for the position. This allows you to have all the information you need to choose your employer .

Whatever you glean from the company website can be used in your interview to show that you have done your due diligence. By quoting blog posts or white papers found on the website, you will impress interviewers and build rapport. You can actually strike up a meaningful conversation by pointing to the company's mission statement which you found on their website.

Step 3: Comb through the company's social media accounts.

Another great place to find information on the company online is to search through their social media accounts. There are two types of social media accounts that you can look for: the official company's social media account, and individual executive's social media accounts. The company social media account is the place where they put all the content that they would like to share with their target audience. You can actually see what they value the most at their company by what they post on their social media posts. Also, you can gain a lot of company information from the key players within an organization. Some large companies have executives with their own social media profiles, and you may be able to gain the inside scoop on the company values straight from their leaders.

By searching through social media posts, you may be able to read between the lines to find some red flags about the company. For example, if the CEO of the company explains how they are "driven to succeed and change the world", depending on your own personality, you may see this as something which could lead to a highly motivating company culture, or you could find it exhausting.

Every bit of research can give you insights into the company's history, and reasons for you to work there.

Step 4: job description

This may be one of the places that you may have forgotten about, but jobseekers can gain a lot of information from the job description. Not only do you gain information about the hiring process, most job applications provide you with a short introduction to the company, specifically their culture, vision, and values.

In the job description, you are also given information about the tasks and duties of the role. Scour the job description to learn about what roles you'll fill, and what duties and responsibilities you'll be expected to complete.

Some job descriptions also offer information on employee benefits, like medical, pension plans, and even stock options.

All the research you gain from the job description can actually be really helpful during an interview, as it can provide you with questions for your interviewer. Having questions ready for your interviewer can differentiate yourself from other applicants. Also, most job descriptions tend to be fairly generic, so come ready with a few questions up your sleeve to gain a better idea of the position.

Related: Sure-Fire Zoom Interview Tips to Ace Your Online Interview

Reading employee reviews can be viewed as a secret weapon when researching for an interview. Even a quick search of the business on an employee review website, can give you quite a bit of information about what it's like to practically work there.

As you scour the reviews, look for common themes which seem to show up from all employees. If several former employees share that the bosses have a tendency to overwork their employees, then this may be a sign that the company doesn't offer a great work/life balance.

Although you may not want to reference reviews of a business from former employees, keep some reviews in the back of your mind when you are answering questions for the interview. Check to see how they treat their current employees, as well as the expectations and goals that will be placed on you.

Step 6: examine media sources and press releases

Another type of research is to do a Google News search to see how media sources are portraying the company. Just do a quick search of the company name, and you may be able to gain information like how the company is expanding operations into Europe and Asia.

You may also be able to gain information on philanthropic pursuits that the company has done within their community.

The last thing that you're going to want to do is to understand your own values and career trajectory. This may be the hardest type of research that you'll have to do, as you'll have to look deep inside yourself to see exactly what you want to get out of your next job.

Some informational interview questions might actually tap into your own values and career trajectory. For example, you may be asked in an interview, "What do you like the most about your work?" Coming prepared with an understanding of what motivates you can help you answer this question.

advice for the interview

An interview is a feeling out process, whereby an interviewer and interviewee can decide whether they feel like they can work together. So come ready to talk about yourself and be honest in your interview answers.

Major takeaways:

• Check out the company's online presence through their social media accounts, website, and blog.
• Use your network of friends, family members, former employees, and those you went to university with to help you to gain an understanding of the company.
• Check out former employees' reviews of the company on review websites.
• Examine yourself, before interviewing for a position, to see exactly what you want to get out of the role.

While we're on the subject of examining your own vision for your career trajectory, you should speak to a career counselor from Enhancv . Within the first meeting, you can begin to share a bit of the information about you, and gain insights into where you would like your career to go.

Learn How to Start a Cover Letter: Our Expert Guide with 5 Examples

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How to Conduct Company Research for Investment?

March 06, 2023

Is a company worth the investment? To answer this question accessing high-quality, reliable data is not just a preference—it's a necessity. Yet, the path to uncovering actionable insights is often littered with obstacles: outdated financial statements, inconsistent metrics, and biased market analyses can cloud judgment, leading investors astray.

In this article, we will discuss the various types of data critical to comprehensive company research, its sourcing, and evaluating both opportunities and risks within potential investments.

Types of information needed for researching a company

Any investment analysis is built on information. Researching a company for investment involves leveraging various types of data.

• Firstly, there is, of course, firmographic information like the company’s location, industry, revenue, and size. This is where the company research kicks off
• Then another crucial piece is Information about the key employees of the company, and it ranges from contact and professional to leisure and interest data. 
• Further on we want to evaluate the growth trends and potential. For example, changes in online job postings or headcount data might indicate the firm’s growth or decline. Meanwhile, technographic data provides insight into how well the company adjusts to the fast-paced technological development.
• Finally, effective company and market research involves news data analysis. This includes company reviews and other direct mentions, as well as market events and industry trends that could affect the firm.

How to conduct effective company research?

Identify the company.

The first step is, of course, identifying the object of our analysis. Thus, researching a company starts with finding out its defining features, for example, whether it is a public or private company. Public companies are easier to investigate as they are traceable by a ticker symbol and are required to disclose financial information. Other key identifiers of the company are its industry, market share, and where it is registered.

Clarify research questions

Research is effective when it has clearly defined goals. Think about what sort of questions need to be answered for you to be able to reach an investment decision about a specific company. Naturally, the main questions will revolve around the company’s products, services, sales, growth trends, management capabilities, and financial health.

Determine which sources are reliable and relevant

You are going to need a lot of data to answer the questions that you have raised. Thus, when choosing data sources, consider what information is relevant to your goals. If you seek to know more about company culture, for example, employer review sites are what you need.

The source should also be reliable. Financial data can come from the company’s annual reports and publicly available governmental sources. Meanwhile, market news should only be retrieved from trusted media outlets. Relevancy and reliability are the most important factors when choosing a third-party data provider.

Utilize data gathering and analysis tools

Finally, you will need to use the right tools to do the company analysis efficiently. While a manual google search or review of the company website might get you started, it won’t take you all the way. 

Aggregating business news and analyzing public sentiment will require considerable automation. Below you will find more information on the tools and resources to use when researching companies.

Essential tools and resources for gathering information

Public companies operating in the US are required to file accounting and other reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). You can use its Electronic Data Gathering and Retrieval (EDGAR) tool to search SEC filings. 

EDGAR allows you to search for keywords in various documents describing everything from the company’s historical performance to current business operations and acquisitions. Thus, when it comes to traditional business data, EDGAR is certainly your friend.

Coresignal’s APIs

When it comes to public web data, Coresignal is the right place to be. Consider trying our APIs which allow searching for multiple data points and retrieve what you need immediately. The APIs will fetch you everything from general firmographics to in-depth information about the company’s employees .

Subscription resources

Library of congress provides multiple subscription-based tools that optimize company research for investment purposes. For example, Mergent Online archives past and present company information that can be searched by financial and textual criteria. 

Meanwhile, Factiva holds premium business publications in 26 languages and from 200 countries all over the world. The complete list of subscription tools as well as the complete guide on how to access and use them can be found on the Library’s website .

Linkedin and other social media websites

When considering investing in a business, you want to know what kind of person or persons are running it, what they are interested in, who they network with, and other information found on social media profiles might make you aware of red flags that would otherwise be missed.

Linkedin is the leading social network where prospects on a job search gather information about a potential employer. It might just as well be used to research a company for investment decision-making. In addition to people’s data, social media pages are sources for public company reviews.

How to apply the gathered information to investment decisions?

Using the analysis results for investment decisions is all about putting it in the context of market trends and the competitive landscape faced by the business. Thus, your findings should be leveraged against the knowledge acquired by deeper market research into similar products and services.

First, look at the detailed information about the company’s performance and financial stance. If everything seems to be good there, check for red flags. News about the company and reviews by employees and customers will be the most useful for this purpose. Information from the news and social media websites will also help when considering market trends that will affect the business in question. 

The final step of the analysis is scrutinizing every publicly available information about the key decision-makers in the company of interest. Insights from their online presence should supplement data on their department, role in the organization, and expertise.

The importance of company research

Investors need to research a company thoroughly before making their decision. Otherwise, they would have to pay not only the price of a bad investment but also that of a lost opportunity to invest in a better business. Only a deep analysis of the organization, its competitors, and industry conditions will give a good idea of its value. 

Additionally, researching a company for its business model and the people that are involved has potential long-term benefits. The knowledge acquired might be used in deciding upon future opportunities when the same people or a similar business is encountered.

Thus, researching businesses is the smart thing to do before arriving at any important investment decision.

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How To Research a Company for a Job Interview

7 Ways to Find Out What You Need to Know Before the Big Day

Visit the Company Website

Browse social media, use linkedin, get an interview edge, use google and google news, tap your connections, get to know the industry and competitors, how to use this research during interviews.

You may have heard the advice that it’s important to have some questions for the hiring manager when you’re interviewing for a job. It’s true that interviewers will expect you to be curious and interested in their organization, and they'll expect to show that by asking questions, but it’s also true that you should come to the interview with a good baseline of knowledge about the company.

Hopefully, you’ll learn a lot about the company during the interview—like whether the organization and the company culture are a good fit for you, for example. But during the interview is not the time to learn basic information about the company. You should know all that before you set foot in corporate HQ. 

The good news is that it’s easier than ever before to learn about an employer before the job interview. Take some time, in advance, to learn as much as you can online. Then, tap into your real-world network to see who you know who can help give you an interview edge over the other candidates. Do your research, and you’ll make a much better impression on the hiring manager. Here are tips for researching companies before the interview.

Start by visiting the company website. There, you can review the organization's mission statement and history, products and services, and management, as well as information about the company culture. The information is usually available in the "About Us" section of the site. If there's a Press section of the website, read through the featured links there.

Pay attention to themes that come up repeatedly on the site. As much as any stated corporate values, the words companies choose to describe themselves are telling. Do you want to work at a place where people are “driven to excellence,” or does that make you feel tired? Do you like the idea of working with people who consider their coworkers family, or do you need more distance between your job and your personal life? Of course, organizations use hyperbole when talking about themselves... but it’s often pretty telling hyperbole.

Next, check the company's social media accounts. Visit their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages. This will give you a good sense of how the company wants its consumers to see it. Like or follow the company to get updates. You'll find some information you may not have found otherwise.

You may also uncover some red flags. If the organization doesn’t have a professionally managed social media presence, for example, or if it’s updated sporadically and inconsistently, they might not be totally in control of their public image.

LinkedIn company profiles are a good way to find, at a glance, more information on a company you're interested in. You'll be able to see your connections at the company, new hires, promotions, jobs posted, related companies, and company statistics. If you have connections at the company, consider reaching out to them. Not only can they put in a good word for you, but they may also share their perspective on the company and give you tips that will help you ace the interview.

Take a look at your interviewer's LinkedIn profile to get insight into their job and their background, as well. Look for any common links between you. Do you know the same people? Did you go to the same school? Are you part of the same groups, online or off? Those common links could help you establish rapport during the interview process. 

Consider looking up the company on Glassdoor . Their Interview Questions and Reviews section has a goldmine of information for job seekers.

You can find out what candidates for the positions you are interviewing for were asked and get advice on how tough the interview was. Use reviews to help get a sense of company culture. That said, take them with a grain of salt—employees are often most likely to leave reviews when they are unhappy. As you read reviews, look for repeated themes. The more mentions a given subject gets (whether it's praise for flexible hours or frustration with senior management) the more likely it is to be accurate.

Search both Google and Google News for the company name. This can be invaluable. You may find out that the company is expanding into Asia, for instance, or recently received a round of start-up funding. Or, you may find out that a recent product underperformed or had to be recalled. This knowledge can help shape your responses to interview questions.

Do you know someone who works at the company? Ask them if they can help.

If you're a college grad, ask your career office if they can give you a list of alumni who work there. Then email them, send a LinkedIn message, or call and ask for assistance.

As well as researching the company, it makes sense to review the overall industry. If you're interviewing for a job at a mortgage company, for instance, it's helpful to be informed about current homeownership trends. Get to know the company's biggest competitors and identify their successes and flaws, too. Insight into the company's industry and rivals are bound to impress interviewers.

During a job interview, interviewers ask questions to get to know candidates . But their main goal is to determine if a candidate will be a good fit for the position and company.

Your company research will make your responses to questions compelling and show that you'll be helpful to their goals and bottom line.

Plus, your knowledge will help you give a specific answer if you're asked why you'd like to work for the company. You can share details about things you find admirable about the company, its mission, or its culture.

How to Research a Company - Top 9 Tips for 2024

There are a lot of benefits to researching potential employers.

For one, you’re better prepared for the interview. When the interviewer asks if you have any questions about the role or company , you are able to give more educated answers.

Moreover, it becomes much easier to spot red flags about potential employers. If you find that every other review about the company you’re applying for is negative, chances are, they’re not the best employer in the world.  

That said, how, exactly do you research a company?

Well, we’re about to teach you just that, starting with:

How to Research a Company - Top 9 Tips

Tip#1. start with the employer’s website.

What’s a better place to start researching a potential employer than their “front door?”

Start by visiting the company’s website and looking for information on:

• What product or service does the company offer? Is it something you personally find interesting?
• How big is the company? Is it a young startup, a multi-national corporation, or something in-between?
• What’s the company culture like? Is the work environment more casual or formal?
• Is there a dress code?
• Does the company have prospective growth opportunities outlined on its website? 

In your job search , you can use this information in 2 main ways.

For one, you can decide if a company is a good fit for you culture-wise. If you’re a young professional who hates wearing a suit and loves having a flexible schedule, chances are, Goldman Sachs is NOT your ideal employer. If the company you’re looking into has a culture that doesn’t represent your values, you might want to consider applying elsewhere. 

Alternatively, this information can help you ace the interview . It’s almost guaranteed that the interviewer is going to ask you questions about how familiar you are with their brand.

The more you know about the company, the more invested you’ll appear and the more likely it is that the interviewer will pick you over the other candidates.

Tip #2. Find Company Employees via LinkedIn

You can use LinkedIn to find who’s currently working at the company you’re researching.

For example, if you look up “People” under “Apple” on LinkedIn, you’ll get a view of their employees worldwide:

From there, you can filter by specific location (E.g. Austin, Texas), and then filter by role (E.g. Marketing).

So - how can you use this information?

For one, you can connect with someone in the department you’d like to work in and ask them questions about the company, culture, department, or the role you’re applying for.

The key here, though, is not to be too pushy. The people you contact don’t owe you an answer or a reply. However, if you’re being courteous, there’s a very good chance you’re actually going to get one.

Best case scenario, if they like your questions and initiative, they might even refer you to the team lead or department head personally!

Tip #3. Look Up News About the Employer  

Look up the company’s name and hit “News” to see what the company has been up to recently.

You can also find such information on the News or Blog page on the employer’s website.

There are a lot of ways you can use such information, some of which include:

• You can dodge companies that have had recent scandals.
• You can impress the interviewer with how up-to-date you are with the employer.
• You can learn more about recent company development. For example, what products they’re working on, which countries they’re expanding to, etc.

Tip #4. Look Up Company Reviews on Glassdoor

Glassdoor is an employer review website where you can read information about prospective employers.

You can use it to find reviews about the company and its CEO. For example:

Moreover, you can check out specifics like:

• Salary averages for any given position.
• Reviews of their interview process.
• Reviews of the benefits offered by the company

You can use such information to find an employer you’re going to love, ask for the right salary, or dodge companies with high turnover rates and negative reviews.

Tip #5. Tap Into Your Network

Using LinkedIn, you can see if anyone in your network is working at the company you’re researching.

Then, you can just reach out to them and directly ask questions about the role/employer.

If you’re close with the person you’re reaching out to (or have had professional relations in the past), you can even ask them for a referral directly!

Tip #6. Research Company’s Social Media Pages

Go through the company’s social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn) to get a grasp of how they communicate with their target demographics.

Follow them to get updates whenever they post anything. You can even like and comment on their posts which can help you fall into their radar, especially if they’re a small team.

Tip #7. Look Up Posts on Social Media 

You can look up what people are discussing about the company on social media to get a more unbiased view of the organization.

For example, you could Google something like this: site:reddit.com "apple” "job" to get a complete list of all threads on Reddit where people are discussing Apple as an employer:

Tip #8. Get an Edge on the Interview Process With Glassdoor

Using Glassdoor Interview Q&A Section , you can find the exact questions employers ask their interviewees. For example:

You can use this to better prepare for the upcoming interview, as well as get a general idea of what kind of questions you’re going to be asked.

Tip #9. Learn About Company Salary Averages

You can use a tool like 

 to find salary averages for the company you’re applying for based on department or role:

You can then take advantage of this information to ask for the right sum and avoid getting low-balled.

Why Research Employers? Top 4 Reasons

At this point, the reason for researching employers should be pretty self-explanatory, but we thought we’d cover the topic just in case!

The 4 main reasons for researching a company are:

• Get an edge over the interview. Employers love it when you’re knowledgeable about their company. After all, they want to hire people who want to work there specifically, not the ones that are just randomly applying everywhere. The more company knowledge you demonstrate during the interview, the more likely it is that you’ll get the job.
• Uncover red flags (and avoid bad employers). You can find a lot of skeletons in company closets if you just do some research online. This can actually help you save a ton of time and effort from applying (or getting hired) at the wrong place.
• Find the right job for you. There are a lot of companies out there - not all of them are the right fit for you. By researching companies online, you’ll be able to tell right from wrong more easily.
• Negotiate a better salary. You can find information on average salaries at a specific company online, so you have a better idea of what kind of range you can ask for.

Key Takeaways

And that just about sums up all you need to know about researching a company online! Before you go, though, let’s do a quick recap of what we learned:

• When researching an employer, start by looking at their website and social media pages to learn more about their culture and product/service.
• Look up news about the company to avoid employers with recent scandals.
• Find company reviews on Glassdoor and uncover potential employer red flags.
• Use LinkedIn to find people who work at the company you’re applying for and reach out to ask questions about the job or the employer.
• Use all the information you learn from researching the company to get an edge over the interview and negotiate a better salary.

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How to Research a Company for a Job Interview

As the world continues to recover from the COVID-19 crisis, your opportunities for employment may be growing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says more companies are hiring, including those focused on health care and social assistance. In a survey conducted by staffing company Robert Half, job openings still outnumber candidates nearly 2 to 1.

If you’re job hunting, this is good news. When preparing for an interview, make sure to research the company's mission, reputation, finances, and more. This can help you appear as a knowledgeable, informed candidate to a recruiter or hiring manager when answering interview questions.

Here are 10 ways to conduct company research for an interview.

10 Things You Should Check Out Before Your Interview

1. visit the company website.

Learn about the company from the “About Us” section or any “Meet Our Team” section. These pages will give you an overview of the company, but be aware that these pages may be more geared toward attracting customers or clients. You might be able to get more insight about the job itself if the company has a “Careers” page.

Additionally, more job seekers are placing emphasis on a company’s values. In a recent article , Caitlin Duffy, research director at research and consulting firm Gartner, said, “You could call it the ‘Great Reflection.’ … It’s critical to deliver value and purpose.” Check out the company’s values page, mission statement, and any company culture page to gain more insight.

2. Check on the Company’s Financial Health

You don’t want to get involved with a financially troubled company. Investopedia says the single best indicator of a company’s financial health and long-term viability is its bottom line profit margin.

For many large companies, you should be able to find this and more financial information from a company’s quarterly earnings report, annual report, or conference calls with investors, the latter of which you might find on YouTube. If you’re interviewing with a startup, check out its profile on Crunchbase .

3. Learn About the Skills the Company Requires

You should be able to find out a lot in a job posting, including a general description, duties, education, experience requirements, and possibly starting salary range.

Also, take a good look at what they’re looking for in terms of knowledge, skills, and abilities. With this information, you should be able to decide what the company is seeking in a qualified candidate. This can help you position yourself in your interview.

>>Learn More: The Top 8 Soft Skills That Employers Want

4. Browse Social Media

Many companies are using social media to present themselves. According to Statista , 92.1% of larger U.S. companies used social media for marketing in 2022, up from 86.2% in 2013. The way social media is used can give you insight into companies.

Search out the company’s Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) pages to gain a sense of how the company wants to be perceived. You can also spot some red flags this way, such as a less-than-professional presence.

Also, it never hurts to check out the company on YouTube.

5. Explore LinkedIn

According to LinkedIn , more than 65 million companies use the site to connect with consumers, other companies, and prospective employees.

Companies share a lot of information on this platform, so make yourself familiar with it. You can see a company’s hires, promotions, jobs posted, related companies, and statistics. You can also see who they interact with.

You should search LinkedIn for people who are employed at the company. Learn about the company by looking at their employees’ experiences.

6. Search Google and Google News

Google is a valuable tool, beginning with its wide-ranging Search feature . Look for a company’s name and see what turns up. You may find out the company’s tactics, recent news releases, or plans.

Use the News tab to find out if the company has been in the news lately. You might find out whether the company has been having difficulties or had products recalled.

7. Use Glassdoor and Other Employee Sites

Glassdoor says 83% of its users are actively looking for jobs or are open to new opportunities. Explore the company’s Glassdoor listing, including their Interview Questions and Reviews section for valuable information for job seekers.

You can also see whether employees have left comments about the company — but recognize that sometimes the more disgruntled an employee is, the more likely they are to post.

8. Research the Field and Competitors

It is a good idea to research the competitors of the company you’re interviewing with. That can help clarify for you the company’s mission and needs.

Head to similarweb.com , type the company’s name, and then click “similar sites.” You can also look up competitors on LinkedIn by seeing what recommendations you get if you click on the interviewing company’s page.

9. Mine Your Current Connections

If you know someone who works at the company now, ask them for their insight. Check with other friends to see if they have friends who work there. This is where your own personal network can help out.

Networking events could also connect you with the right people to find out more information. It’s a good idea to keep building your network.

10. Find Out About the Hiring Manager

Lastly, before the interview, research the hiring manager or your interviewer on LinkedIn. Find out what you can about them, and see if there are any commonalities you share. This can give you an advantage during the interview because you’ll have a better chance of connecting with them and sparking a meaningful conversation.

>>Learn More: How to Tackle Tough Interview Questions

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How to Research a Company for an Interview: 10 Easy Steps

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The hiring process is a two-way street. During the interview stage, the hiring manager or recruiter evaluates you—but you also evaluate the company. 

Knowing how to research a company for an interview will help you find the information required to answer their questions effectively and determine if you want to work for them. This article provides the blueprint for your research, including the information you should look for, where you can find it, and relevant questions to consider.

Before you begin, review the job description and identify any questions you have about the company based on the information provided.

For example, if the job listing mentions reaching a funding round, look for company announcements on their blog or social media for more details. If they claim to offer healthy work-life balance and flexible hours, see what current and former employees say on the subject in their Glassdoor reviews or LinkedIn posts.

Identify the company’s mission and values

Where to look:   Careers page on the company website

Like   56% of workers , you probably wouldn’t work for a company if you disagree with its values. A company’s values and mission can align with your personal or professional values (or both). 

For example, genuine client care is an excellent professional value to look for in a company. But if you’re also an environmental advocate, you may want to work for a company that values sustainability. Finding a company that prioritizes environmental sustainability will enhance your employee experience and make you feel more engaged in your work.

You can typically find a company’s mission statement and values on the company website—try the About Us page or the Careers page. The About Us page is generally more commercially focused and directed at clients and company history, whereas the Careers page showcases the   company culture, team growth, and open positions.

Questions to consider:

• What values do I want my future employer to hold and why?
• What are the organization’s values?
• Do those values align?
• If not, is that a dealbreaker?

Read through the company’s latest news stories

Where to look:   Press page on the company website and Google News

Read through the company website and search the company’s name on Google News to see how media outlets report on them. You’ll likely find press releases, company announcements, and articles about the company. This information will help you understand what the company has been up to and what it might be working on next. For example, if you come across news about upcoming expansions or mergers, you can ask the hiring manager how the process impacts your potential team or role.

• What do these articles tell you about the company’s evolution and growth opportunities?
• What questions can you form based on this information?

Read or watch interviews with the founders

Where to look:   Founders’ LinkedIn profiles, Twitter, or the company website

The Press or Media pages on the company’s website will feature articles that quote company founders and employees, but they might not include every interview. Founders and members of leadership often share links to their podcast interviews, video interviews, and written interviews on their LinkedIn and Twitter accounts. These interviews can give you an idea of their approach to work and other unique insights into the company that aren't shared elsewhere.

At Deel, we have an internal interview series called   Meet Deel . Every month, we talk to different team members about their path to Deel, their take on the future of work, and their area of expertise.

• What does the interview tell you about the founder’s leadership style?
• What did you learn about the company’s upcoming products, launches, or growth plans?
• What questions do you have based on this information?

Check out the company’s social media accounts

Where to look:   LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok 

Social media is a great way to look inside a company’s culture and values. When researching a potential employer,   60% of workers go to LinkedIn , followed by Glassdoor, Facebook, and other social media websites. You can also learn about a company’s industry and tone of voice through social media. 

Most companies have links to their social media profiles in their website footer at the bottom of the page. If not, check their Contact page or Menu.

• Are current employees promoting the company as a good place to work? If so, what are they saying?
• Are employees interacting with each other? What can you learn about their culture and team dynamics?
• What can you learn from the resources and information shared by the company?

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Research the company’s competition

Where to look:   Company website, LinkedIn, G2

Understanding where the company stands in relation to its competitors is crucial for pre-interview preparation. This information can give you insights into the challenges and opportunities the company might be facing. By researching competitors, you can prove you know the company well and can explain why you want to work there over a competitor.

Some companies may display competitor information on their website, like our   Deel vs. competitors   page. On LinkedIn, go to “Other People View” and click on the recommended companies’ profiles. These companies will typically be in the same industry. If you’re applying at a business software or services company, you can use   G2   to compare competitor information.

• Who are their main competitors?
• What advantages does the company have over the competitors?

Study the company’s products and services

Where to look:   Company website

Candidates should be familiar with the company’s products or services before applying for a job. You don’t have to become an expert, but you should be able to explain the company’s purpose to the hiring manager or recruiter. 

When you’re familiar with the product or service, you can easily explain how your skills and experience fit in with the company’s offerings. If possible, try out the products or services yourself to speak more confidently about them.

• What are their core offerings?
• Who uses them?
• Have you or someone you know used them? If so, what was their experience?

Learn about the company’s team structure

Where to look:   Company website or LinkedIn

By understanding how the teams are structured within a company, you can identify potential teammates and managers. Take time to research how different teams work together and how many levels of management there are. You may find this information on their About Us page (depending on the size of the company) or on LinkedIn.

Reviewing current employees’ LinkedIn profiles can also give you a sense of the company’s internal mobility strategy by seeing when and if employees are promoted or change positions.

• Do employees regularly move up in seniority or to different departments?
• What is their manager-to-direct-report ratio?
• What other teams might you work with? 
• Who is on the leadership team?

Read company reviews

Where to look:   Careers page and Glassdoor

You can find company reviews from current and former employees on the company’s Career page or crowd-sourced review websites like   Glassdoor . Reviews will give you insight into a company’s   compensation strategy , work culture, and leadership.

It’s best to use reviews as an informational resource instead of a final deciding factor in your choice to interview with a company, as every worker’s experience is different. Consider that the   average company rating   on Glassdoor is 3.5 out of 5 and that half of workers who left a dishonest review did so to damage their former company’s reputation.

However, you can use reviews to spot good and bad feedback trends and address any concerns in your interview.

• What red flags consistently arise?
• How does the company respond to critical reviews?
• What is the typical tenure for the position you’re applying for?

Research job interview questions

Where to look:   Glassdoor 

The best way to prepare for an interview is to know which questions they’ll ask you. Visit Glassdoor to identify common interview questions. Define the company and location to bring up their company profile—you may need to sign up and contribute a company review or experience to unlock this content.

• What are the standard interview questions?
• How many interviews will you have to complete?
• What tests or assignments are required?
• Who will you be speaking to?
• How long will the process take?

Get a read on their financial health

Where to look:   Company website, Crunchbase, Google Finance

Understanding a company’s financial health is crucial to deciding whether you should pursue a career with them, especially if the company is a start-up. You can often learn about upcoming acquisitions, new products, and revenue, giving you insight into their longevity and financial stability.

Larger, publicly-traded companies will likely have an investor relations page on their website that includes annual reports on quarterly earnings, board of directors updates, and announcements. See   Meta’s investor relations page   as an example.   Google Finance   will also give you a glimpse into their stock performance, relevant news articles, income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow.

If you’re interviewing at a start-up, search the company’s name on a website like   Crunchbase , where you’ll find information on funding rounds, total funding amounts, acquisitions, and press coverage. The most accurate and up-to-date information will come directly from the company, so only use Crunchbase and Google Finance as secondary sources.

• Who are the investors backing the business?
• How have the company's revenue and profits changed year-over-year?
• What is their financial outlook for the next year?

Ace the hiring process with more tips and resources

Deel helps connect the best workers with the best talent worldwide. Whether you’re a direct employee, EOR employee, or independent contractor, we make working from wherever easy—and that starts with the job search.

In this content series, we share articles, templates, and guides to help job seekers and new hires navigate the world of work, including:

• 5 Easy Tips to Make Your Resume Stand Out
• How to Create Growth Opportunities in Your Career
• Why Can’t I Find a Job? 10 Common Mistakes According to Talent Acquisition Experts
• How to Choose Good Weaknesses for Job Interviews (With Examples)

Stay tuned for more actionable career advice and tips on navigating the interview process.

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• Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples

Writing Strong Research Questions | Criteria & Examples

Published on October 26, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 21, 2023.

A research question pinpoints exactly what you want to find out in your work. A good research question is essential to guide your research paper , dissertation , or thesis .

All research questions should be:

• Focused on a single problem or issue
• Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
• Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
• Specific enough to answer thoroughly
• Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper or thesis
• Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly

Table of contents

How to write a research question, what makes a strong research question, using sub-questions to strengthen your main research question, research questions quiz, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research questions.

You can follow these steps to develop a strong research question:

• Choose your topic
• Do some preliminary reading about the current state of the field
• Narrow your focus to a specific niche
• Identify the research problem that you will address

The way you frame your question depends on what your research aims to achieve. The table below shows some examples of how you might formulate questions for different purposes.

Using your research problem to develop your research question

Note that while most research questions can be answered with various types of research , the way you frame your question should help determine your choices.

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Research questions anchor your whole project, so it’s important to spend some time refining them. The criteria below can help you evaluate the strength of your research question.

Focused and researchable

Feasible and specific, complex and arguable, relevant and original.

Chances are that your main research question likely can’t be answered all at once. That’s why sub-questions are important: they allow you to answer your main question in a step-by-step manner.

Good sub-questions should be:

• Less complex than the main question
• Focused only on 1 type of research
• Presented in a logical order

Here are a few examples of descriptive and framing questions:

• Descriptive: According to current government arguments, how should a European bank tax be implemented?
• Descriptive: Which countries have a bank tax/levy on financial transactions?
• Framing: How should a bank tax/levy on financial transactions look at a European level?

Keep in mind that sub-questions are by no means mandatory. They should only be asked if you need the findings to answer your main question. If your main question is simple enough to stand on its own, it’s okay to skip the sub-question part. As a rule of thumb, the more complex your subject, the more sub-questions you’ll need.

Try to limit yourself to 4 or 5 sub-questions, maximum. If you feel you need more than this, it may be indication that your main research question is not sufficiently specific. In this case, it’s is better to revisit your problem statement and try to tighten your main question up.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

The way you present your research problem in your introduction varies depending on the nature of your research paper . A research paper that presents a sustained argument will usually encapsulate this argument in a thesis statement .

A research paper designed to present the results of empirical research tends to present a research question that it seeks to answer. It may also include a hypothesis —a prediction that will be confirmed or disproved by your research.

As you cannot possibly read every source related to your topic, it’s important to evaluate sources to assess their relevance. Use preliminary evaluation to determine whether a source is worth examining in more depth.

This involves:

• Reading abstracts , prefaces, introductions , and conclusions
• Looking at the table of contents to determine the scope of the work
• Consulting the index for key terms or the names of important scholars

A research hypothesis is your proposed answer to your research question. The research hypothesis usually includes an explanation (“ x affects y because …”).

A statistical hypothesis, on the other hand, is a mathematical statement about a population parameter. Statistical hypotheses always come in pairs: the null and alternative hypotheses . In a well-designed study , the statistical hypotheses correspond logically to the research hypothesis.

Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .

However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:

• Researchability
• Feasibility and specificity
• Relevance and originality

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Find a Job You Really Want In

In order to land your dream job , you’ll need to set yourself apart from other candidates in your cover letter, resume, and interview by showing off your stellar qualifications and winning personality.

One of the ways you can do this is by researching the company so that you know and can talk about how you align with their values and why you’re the candidate they’ve been searching for.

Key Takeaways:

When researching a company, look for their values, presence in the news, and gauge their financial health.

Use the company’s website and social media to help you figure who will be working with and for.

Give yourself plenty of time to research a company and take notes while you do for future reference.

Researching a company gives you an edge in the application and interview process.

What To Look For When Researching A Company

Tips for researching a company, why researching a company is important.

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Although researching a company is pretty straightforward, it is still important to break down the process into three key steps.

Schedule time to do research. Give yourself the time to do adequate research. 15 minutes to an hour should be plenty of time. This depends on your level of interest with the company, but be reasonable. Your research does not have to be exhaustive, just enough for you to get a good idea of the company with enough information to help you apply and/or interview.

Go online and look for important factors. When researching a company you want to get an accurate portrayal of the company and make yourself a more informed applicant. Factors such as the company’s values, what benefits it offers, who their competitors are, who works at the company, who is boss , and what type of mission will you help fulfill can all point you in the right direction.

Depending on how much time you have, you may need to prioritize these factors. Base them on what is important to you and what would be important for the job application process.

Take notes and write down questions. Make sure to retain some record of your research. It can be very helpful during the application and interview process. You may find information that will help you tailor your resume and cover letter , or you may find you have questions you would want answered in an interview.

By following these steps you can ensure you are doing your best to learn about a potential employer.

When you’re researching a company, there are a few things you want to be sure to find out about the organization.

Look for the company’s values and make sure they align with yours. This should be one of the most effortless pieces of information to find about an organization, as most companies post them on their websites along with their mission and vision.

Even if they aren’t specifically labeled as such, the pages providing information about the organization should give you some idea about what the company’s focus is.

Once you find them, ask yourself if those are values you can get behind. If you can’t, that may be a sign that this position isn’t a good fit for you.

Research employee benefits the company provides. As you probably know, asking about benefits in the first few interviews is a big no-no. Knowing about the benefits policies early on can be incredibly helpful in your decision-making process , though.

The good news is that many organizations share at least the basics of these policies on their websites, so you can look them up yourself.

Search for articles featuring the company. Reading about an organization from someone else’s perspective can give you more insight than you would get from simply perusing the company’s website.

You’ll be able to find awards they won, achievements they’ve made, and charities they’ve donated to, as well as any negative press they’ve been involved with.

Just make sure you do your research to ensure this information is from reliable sources before you mention it in an interview (and use extreme caution when talking about negative stories).

Look up the company’s main competitors. Having this knowledge at your fingertips can be useful for your general understanding of the company and your ability to answer interview questions , as hiring managers may want to see how well you understand the company and industry.

Find information about your potential future boss. It can be helpful to understand who exactly you’d be working for at the company, so don’t be afraid to do a little research in this arena as well.

Gauge the financial health of the company. While you don’t need to look up enough information to do a full financial analysis or uncover any wrongdoing, getting at least a general idea of the financial state of the organization will help you understand it better and give you a great conversation tool.

Usually, companies (especially large ones) will have publicly available financial reports on their websites. These were made for their investors, and they often include great information about potential growth areas, risky or weak spots, and an overview of their revenue.

Whenever you bring up information that you’ve gleaned from your research in an interview, always make sure you’re adding something relevant and valuable to the conversation.

Don’t just try to show off, because hiring managers can spot that from a mile away and won’t be impressed.

So now that you know what information you’re looking for when you’re researching a company, you need to know how to go about finding it:

Visit the company website. This should always be your first stop because it’s a gold mine of basic information such as the mission, vision, and values, employee directories, news stories, and blog posts.

Browse social media. Take a look at all of the company’s pages, paying special attention to their interactions with their followers. Does it seem like the organization truly cares about its clients by responding to their comments and questions and taking care of complaints?

Look up the company on LinkedIn. When you do this, you’ll not only find posts and articles about the company, but you’ll also be able to see job openings, company statistics, and employees who you may know at the organization.

Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to research. It may take more digging than you’d think to find all of the information than you’re looking for, so make sure you don’t leave this task until the evening before your interview.

Talk to industry experts about the company you’re applying to. If you can, it may be worth asking someone else in the same industry about their perceptions of the organization and the particular position you’re applying for .

If you ask a competitor, remember that their opinion might be biased, but generally, people who have experience in the industry can provide some valuable insight no matter who they work for.

Make notes of the questions you want to ask. No matter how good your memory is, your brain is going to be running at full capacity on the day of your interview, so make sure you give it some help and write down anything you want to ask as you research.

Researching a company before an interview is important for several reasons:

You give yourself an edge in the application and interview processes. By putting in the work to understand the company, you’ll be able to show better why you would be an asset to the organization. You can do this through both your cover letter and interview .

Also, doing your research ahead of time allows you to avoid asking questions that you could answer for yourself easily with a quick Google search. This way, you show that you’re taking the process seriously and have put in the effort to understand what you’re getting into.

You can confidently answer the interview question, “ What do you know about our company? This is a general interview question, so it’s a good idea to be prepared for it.

When you answer, mention the basics such as their mission, vision, and values, but then add something more specific as well to show that you’ve done your research.

You can learn about the company’s business operations. By researching, you can ask intelligent questions that show that you’re interested in the position and support the organization as a whole.

This is important because hiring managers want someone who will jump in and join the rest of the team in pursuing the larger mission. Plus, a hire who already knows how a company works is easier to train and will become productive much more quickly.

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Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.

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How to Nail your next Technical Interview

You may be missing out on a 66.5% salary hike*, nick camilleri, how many years of coding experience do you have, free course on 'sorting algorithms' by omkar deshpande (stanford phd, head of curriculum, ik).

The Complete Guide to Researching a Company Before an Interview

If you're coming to do an interview with me, you should know about me. – WizKid

Jill is interviewing at a big social media company for the role of a backend developer. She's pumped, eager, and raring to go. She's taken mock interview sessions and knows her domain of work like the back of her hand.

She pretty much feels she can clinch the job pretty comfortably.

When she gets to the interview, however, she is asked one question that throws her off guard.

'So, Jill, tell us what you know about our company?'

Jill is visibly perturbed. She knows only the very basics, so she wings it and tells them what she knows about the organization. But the interviewer probes a little deeper. He wants to know the number of projects they have been involved in, and the latest steps they've taken to gather more advertisers. Jill is lost and begins to fumble. It's apparent she doesn't know jack about the company.

To the interviewer, it shows a lack of interest and disrespect to the company itself.

The interview is as good as over.

Jill should have researched the company as assiduously as possible. Why? When you go to work for someone, you should know everything about them so that you are confident your goals are aligned.

If only Jill had taken some interview prep courses where they would have taught her the importance of researching a company thoroughly, she wouldn't have had to go through the disappointment of losing a golden opportunity.

Here's what you will find in this article!

Why is it a good idea to research a company before going for an interview?

Advantages of researching the company before going for an interview

How to perform research on a company

Final step: The complete checklist before you hit the interview

Tools for researching companies

How to prepare for technical interview

Researching about the company should be a part of your pre-interview preparation. It shows commitment, eagerness and willingness to become part of the family, and that is something employers are seeking.

As a person looking for employment, you should realize that the competition is cut-throat and only the very best of the crop are gleaned from working at prestigious companies. If you want to be a part of them, you must take pre-interview preparation very seriously. Google interview questions, along with doing your research on the company and practice answering these points at home.

One of the rudiments of pre-interview preparation is to learn everything about the company at which you were going to interview. Doing so signals many more in-depth notions about you.

Firstly, it shows that you want to work with them , not just gain employment.

Next, you will try to fit into their work culture, and understand what that work culture is.

Thirdly, you are interested in sticking around to build a career with them.

• It Shows Excitement for the Job and Company

When you are excited about something, you put your heart, mind and soul into knowing everything there is to know about it. It's the same with a job.

Job research and intimately knowing the company could work in your favor even at a start-up, as the panel will be impressed that you took the time to learn whatever you could about them.

• It Allows You to Answer According to the Company's Needs

Take this as some career advice, which you should keep with you throughout your life:

Employers are looking to hire someone that will fit into their company, and a big part of the interview will be your trying to convince them that you can fit into their team without any hitches.

So, know what you bring to the table and make sure that it is something they are looking for; otherwise, it is just the case of misaligned stars.

For example, if their need is to make websites with a better user experience, then talk about your experience in that particular field. And how would you know that need unless you researched them beforehand?

• It Shows That You Want A Long-Term Career With The Company

There is a significant difference between getting a job and having a career. If you are looking to work for the sake of 'working', it will show in your shoddy researching about the company . But if you want a long-term career with the company that translates into many years of service, then you will go in-depth into the research.

Employers are looking for someone to stick around past the two-year mark. They spend a lot of money on training and hiring you, so they want their money's worth. They will keep a lookout for those who are just there to ride the high tide for a few years and then move on and immediately reject them.

• It Helps You Answer 'Why Do You Want To Work For Us?'

At some level, this question is philosophical. It plumbs the very depths of your soul. Suppose you want to come up with an answer to this question, you have to do your interview preparation . Identify some pain points of the company that you can help to solve.

If it is a web design company that hasn't been doing too well, then say that you can help to design the front end-user experience better so that they perform in this aspect. Remember, the employer knows you need the money, but he or she wants to know how hiring you can help solve their need. They are hiring because they have a big vacuum somewhere in their structure. If you can help fill the vacuum, then it's a date!

That is why researching about the company provides you with information about the various roles they need someone to play and how you can fill that role.

• It Lets You Ask Probing Questions

There comes a time in the interview when the floor is opened to you to ask questions. Do not jeopardize this time. Ask such vital and probing questions that get them to sit up and take notice of you.

Here is where knowing how to research a company comes in handy. If you have done a meticulous study on the company, then you can air the knowledge you have gathered through pertinent, short questions that cut to the heart of the matter.

• It Helps You Know Your Interviewer

As a part of your pre-interview preparation, do some research on the person who will be conducting the interview. That will help you to break the ice and have some common ground on which you can build the interview .

Your interviewer has probably already googled you, so it is all right for you to do the same. Do not, at any cost, sound like a crazy stalker that knows what their favorite breed of dog is or where their children go to school.

Learn something light about them like their alma mater or their favorite football team Keep your pre-interview preparation meticulous but do not border on crazy.

Here are three wacky interview questions meant to tease the interviewee!

• How would you solve this problem if you were from Mars?
• What do you think of garden gnomes?
• Why are maintenance holes round?

Want to find the right job for yourself? A large part of being safely ensconced in a job that you love is to look for the right organization.

You won't fit in everywhere, so look out for those companies that match your goals and outlook.

Here are some tips on how to research a company before you apply for a job there.

• Look for companies that share your values

It is sound career advice to work for people who share the same values as you, as later, during work, there won't be any clashes on morality or ethical issues.

Also, the nature of the work you do should be meaningful to you. If you are not creatively onboard, the job is probably a waste of time for you as your end games do not coincide.

Read the About Us pages of the company and go through the section on goals and outlook. These should give you an idea into what makes them tick, and your interview preparation will become that much easier.

• Look into the employee benefits the company provides

What makes a workplace better than its competitors? It is when the company offers perks and various benefits like flexible work schedules or stock options.

Even something small like a gym or a cafeteria can significantly boost employee retention and make working for them a dream. So do considerable research into the company and find out its various perks and benefits.  

• Learn about how the company makes its money

One of the items to check off your list while researching how to prepare for job interview is to learn how the company of your choice stays in business.

What are they making? Who is buying what they are making? These two are the main questions you should ask.

Following this, there are other questions like: is the company a start-up or an established company? Who are the company's investors, and how does it plan to stay in business in the future?

You will get this information from the public documents that the company releases. Their annual reports are a great source of data as well. Go through these documents and glean as much information you can about their finances.

• Look into the company's leadership

You might have taken technical interview prep mock classes to work in the same company where your coding idols are working. But during your how to research a company, you failed to research the various leaders in that organization adequately. And now find yourself working under a boss that is quite unlike the pioneer that helped to found your company.

To avoid disappointments such as this, research those who hold the top leadership positions in the agency. Visit their social media pages and LinkedIn profiles to see what they post and how they help the field they work in advance

if you are wary, back off immediately. If you are smitten, however, then take the plunge.

• Research the Company's YouTube and Research Employees on LinkedIn

For a better shot at how to research a company , have a look at their YouTube posts. You will know the latest news and updates that the organization has posted. It will help to broaden your view of the set-up and be updated regarding their work.

Even employees' LinkedIn profiles have a great way of giving you clues into the company's social life and work ethic. So before interviewing, check out the firm on LinkedIn and especially check the suggestions. The suggestions are most likely to be the employees.

• Research into news and recent events, local news stories, forums and business journals

A great tip on how to prepare for job interview is to scour the social media handles and the blogs, websites of the organization. Doing so gives you an idea into what the company is recently working on, as well as what their achievements, awards, and latest innovations are.

In addition to this, follow the regular news and find out what others are writing about the company. Read product reviews on forums. With a fine-toothed comb go through the news and see what the most recent developments on the organization are. All this will keep you updated on the happenings.

• Know the company's strong points

You should know how the company stands out among its competitors. Why? Every company looks to be fulfilling a unique market need. If you do not know that, you do not know them.

What are its USPs? What makes it able to withstand the test of time? Read the company's About Us page and understand how well they have managed to stick to their mission and goals.

Sometimes you may even be pointedly asked: Tell us why we are the best cloud computing firm around? At times like this, you must not wonder whether they are the best cloud computing firm or not. You should know .

• Check the financial health of the organization

The financial health profile of every company is out there on their website. All you have to do is access it and draw intelligent conclusions. While no one expects you to know the stock prices, it does help if you know how much money they are bringing in and how much they are spending. Where do they rank on wealth? How much are they projected to grow? Where do their assets stand?

For a start-up use Crunchbase to find out the company's latest stocks and figures, which will help you to speak intelligently on their finances.

• Keep an eye out on  community interaction

To understand the company's tenor, it is best to scour their social media platforms and find out if they are a very professional or quirky in their approach when it comes to interacting with others.

During the interview you can mention that their World Environment's Day greeting was very on point or their opinion on the presidential election was a refreshing viewpoint. Either way, study how they interact and follow suit. Also, learn if the company addresses any complaints made to it or do they flub. Observe and bring it up in the interview.

• Try some new ways to find information

If the traditional spying routes are not yielding any information, then it is time to go undercover. Ask former employees or else the current employees what the work culture is like at that ecommerce set-up. Glassdoor.com is the go-to place to get any news on an organization.

Stories on the work culture are what you are trying to gain, and while it may not come up in the interview, it will be useful for you to know. One of the vital clues it may throw up are the flaws of the company which you can discuss post-interview.

• Find out about the other competitors in the field

When it comes to how to prepare for job interview, one tip is you want to sound more knowledgeable. How can you do that?

It would help if you studied up on the industry as a whole and learnt about their archrivals and upcoming competition. If you can sound like a specialist, then you can convincingly answer the question "why do you want to work at our company and not at so-and-so?"

When they ask you this question, you can accurately rattle off why you think they are better than their competitors and it what ways.

• Ask your network for opinions

The best way to get accurate discernment into the workplace you hope to join is through people who are already working there. Friends, college alumni and other online contacts can help you to understand the behind-the-scenes of your chosen workplace. Their insider's knowledge can prove invaluable to you.

• Scan the news headlines

Keep a weather eye on the news for any layoffs or mergers that the company might be inking soon. These red flags will help you take a call on whether you want to join them during this period of unrest. Google interview questions but do not forget to check the news!

• Set aside the time necessary to research properly

Researching about the company takes time, and you may not have time to do it. So set aside time before you go to sleep or 20 minutes while on the commute. Here are some details that you should research:

• The company history
• The department for which you want to work
• Work culture
• Business model
• Figure out the type of company you want to work for

Are you interested in social media companies or hardcore tech and network solutions companies or ecommerce firms? Before you learn how to prepare for job interview, you should take time to understand the domain in which you want to specialize. The rest of your career trajectory depends on the choices you make today, so choose wisely.

• Air your knowledge at strategic points

While you may have done a lot of research, there are specific moments in the interview when you should air this knowledge. Usually, when they ask you: "do you have any questions for us?" is an excellent time to ask your questions. Another strategic time to ask questions is when they ask you your strengths or why they should hire you. Cleverly weave in some projects they are working on, and say that you are an expert in those subjects, so the fit is just right.

Image Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/KdeqA3aTnBY

Here is a final checklist you should tick off before you head out to any interview.

• Who is the company's CEO?

Can you answer this one before heading out the door? If you cannot, please take a moment. You need to recheck the company's LinkedIn profile or its Twitter account. If the company is a start-up, then ask the person who introduced you to the job to tell you this piece of information.

• When and why was the company founded?

While this may not be such an essential question for start-ups, it is a pretty important question for those big boys you want to play with. They have been around longer, and it is quite a logical segue to know how many years they have been in the business. Also, find out what was their philosophy before starting up.

• Do they have global or countrywide locations? If so, where.

This tidbit is vital to know so that you are aware of how many countries they are presently working in.

• For which location are you interviewing?

Many times it happens that the interview is being held at one place for a different location. To avoid this misunderstanding, be aware of which branch you are interviewing.

• How do they make their income? Are they selling products or services? What's their target audience?

To easily answer this question, you should be able to know the company's business model and how they make their money. Also, know these questions : What are they selling? Services or products? Who is their target customer?

• Why do their customers like them?

If you can answer this question, you will have a happy board of interviewers. They'd like to know that you have gone through the extra bit of effort to find out why they have satisfied customers and repeat clients.

• How is the company different from its competitors?

Knowing how a company stands out from its competitors proves that you have researched the whole field of work and are eager to take your place as a worthy foot soldier.

There are several tools to research companies. They include a variety of online and offline tools. Here is a quick guide:

• Use social media handles like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
• LinkedIn profile of their employees
• Reviews on Glassdoor.com
• Check the company's website
• Google News
• Similarweb.com

Take any interview preparation seriously. You have got only one shot, so make it matter. You should know that you have done the best preparation possible and are giving it your 100%.

For the technical round though, you may have to take additional coding interview preparation to really be at the top of the game.

For your convenience, you may also Google interview questions that are commonly asked and prepare those.

But for the class-leading FAANG companies, you should consider technical interview prep mock classes.

These classes will polish you off, and that will help you to stand out among your competitors. Such interview prep courses have a sharp insight into the type of questions that are commonly asked at these interviews. Knowing the questions in advance will boost your chances of answering better.

Ashwin Ramachandran

Attend our free webinar on how to nail your next technical interview.

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In the competitive job market of 2023, it's essential to stand out from the crowd and leave a lasting impression during the interview process.

One effective way to accomplish this is by thoroughly researching the company before your interview.

Gone are the days when simply glancing at the company's website would suffice.

Today, employers expect candidates to demonstrate a deep understanding of the organization, its values, culture, and current initiatives.

This guide will serve as your ultimate guide on how to research the company before an interview in 2023.

From exploring their social media presence to analyzing recent news and industry trends, we'll provide you with a comprehensive approach to conducting thorough research.

By investing time and effort into this crucial step, you will not only impress your interviewers but also gain a competitive edge over other candidates.

• Why should you research a company before an interview?
• What to research about a company before an interview?
• How to research a company before an interview?

Why Should You Research the Company and Industry Before Your Interview?

Researching a company before an interview is crucial for several reasons. Here's the breakdown:

To demonstrate genuine interest: Researching the company shows your genuine interest in the position and organization. It conveys that you are proactive, detail-oriented, and committed to understanding the company's goals and values.

To showcase that you're a cultural fit: By researching the company's culture, values, and mission, you can ensure that you are a good fit for the organization. This alignment increases your chances of success during the interview and improves your long-term job satisfaction if you are hired.

Tailor your responses: When you have a solid understanding of the company, you can tailor your responses to align with their specific needs and goals. This customization demonstrates your ability to solve the company's challenges and contribute to their success.

Ask informed questions: Researching the company allows you to ask insightful and relevant questions during the interview. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also helps you gather additional information about the role and the organization.

By investing time in researching the company before an interview, you position yourself as a knowledgeable and prepared candidate, increasing your chances of success and standing out among other applicants.

Also Read: How to prepare for your first job interview in 2023?

What Should You Research About the Company Before an Interview?

As we’ve mentioned previously, one of the reasons why candidates get rejected during interviews is due to their lack of knowledge about the company.

Employers want to hire people who are serious about working with the company and are genuinely interested in the position.

And a simple way you can showcase that is by researching the company before the interview and framing thoughtful interview answers based on your research.

You can start learning about the company by visiting its official website, LinkedIn & Facebook pages, and also by googling the company to check on any news related to the company.

You want to learn things about the company like:

• What are the company’s core vision and mission statement?
• What type of work culture do they have?
• What are their recent milestones and achievements?
• What products and services do they offer in the market?
• When was the company established and who is the CEO?
• Who are their major competitors?
• How many people are employed by the company?
• Does the company have any international operations?

Your research will also help you to identify aspects of the company that you can respect and relate to. This will help you frame impressive answers for common interview questions like:

Why do you want to work for us? & What do you know about the company?

In addition to that, the research will help you come up with rapport-building questions that you can ask the interviewers at the end of the interview.

This is how simple research can do wonders for you and give you a serious edge over other candidates.

Also Read: How to make a good first impression during interviews?

How to Research a Company Before an Interview?

Researching a company before an interview is essential to gather relevant information and present yourself as a well-prepared candidate.

Here are some steps to effectively research a company:

Review the Company's Website

You can start your research by exploring the company's official website. Pay attention to the About Us section, mission statement, values, products/services, and any recent news or updates.

This will provide you with a good overview of the company's background and current initiatives.

Explore Social Media Presence

Check the company's presence on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and look for recent posts, employee testimonials, and engagement with customers.

Doing so will give you insights into the company's culture, industry trends, and recent developments.

Read News Articles and Press Releases

As part of your research, it's important to stay updated on the latest news related to the company as well.

You can search for press releases, news articles, and industry reports to understand their market position, growth, and any notable achievements or challenges they may be facing.

Investigate the Company's Competitors

Besides learning about the company itself, you must also do some research on the company's main competitors to gain a broader understanding of the industry landscape.

This will help you contextualize the company's position, market trends, and potential opportunities or challenges they may face.

Seek Connections and Referrals

If possible, reach out to individuals who have worked or are currently working at the company.

They can provide firsthand insights into the company's culture, interview process, and expectations that you can leverage to form better interview answers.

Also Read: What are some of the best questions to ask an interviewer in 2023?

FAQs About How To Research the Company Before an Interview

Given below are some frequently asked questions about how to research the company before an interview:

Do you need to research the company before an interview?

Yes, it is highly recommended to research the company before an interview to gain valuable insights, demonstrate your preparedness, and showcase your interest in the position and the organization.

What should I read about a company before an interview?

Before an interview, you should read about the company's history, mission and values, recent news and updates, products or services, and any other relevant information that can help you understand the company's culture and goals.

What are the three things that you should not do before a job interview?

Before a job interview, you should not procrastinate, neglect to prepare, or underestimate the importance of researching the company and the role you're applying for.

What are some steps you should take to prepare for an interview in advance?

Some steps you should take to prepare for an interview in advance include researching the company, practicing common interview questions , and preparing your own questions to ask the interviewer.

Wish to prepare for your upcoming interview with professional help? Use Hiration’s ChatGPT-powered Interview Preparation Tool with 24x7 chat support.

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Researching companies: How to research a company for an interview

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So, you’ve secured your interviews and you’re now at the stage of researching companies.

There’s no great secret to performing well in a job interview – it relies heavily on employer research strategies, preparation, and good interview techniques.

Prepare your answers for some of the most common graduate job interview questions with our interview questions guide .

This will help you know how to effectively prepare for an interview and what to research for an interview!

In order to succeed in a job interview, researching the employer is just as important.

Check out our top tips for how to research a company for an interview, how to research a company online and how to research a role so you can successfully impress an employer with your answers.

The importance of company research for interviews

Researching companies before an interview can hugely benefit you to ace it when the time comes.

Interviews can be stressful and worrying, but researching companies before interviews is a great way to help you feel more prepared and confident in your answers.

By doing this, you will be prepared in the right head space for your upcoming interviews.

It will also show that you understand the company, and that you are enthusiastic about the role.

Completing company research for interviews and finding out their missions and company culture will also allow you to quickly see if it’s the right place for you.

When interviewing, it’s important to choose companies that genuinely interest and excite you.

Don’t accept a position with an employer whose values do not match your own.

This could lead to you leaving a company prematurely, so your research is crucial to working for a company that suits you.

What to research before an interview?

Wondering how to research companies for interviews before applying for a role? Do you know what to research about a company for an interview?

Here are some of the key factors to find out from your research:

• What the company does and the industry they operate in
• Where it is located
• The approximate team size
• The company’s history, major successes and defining moments
• The company’s customers/clients or target audience
• The industry the company operates in
• Products or services that the company has recently launched
• The company’s mission, aims, objectives or goals

Now you know exactly what to research before an interview, here’s how to research a company for a job interview:

How to research companies for interviews

1. visit the company website.

Your first step should be to look online as it is easier than ever to research employers.

Find out what the company does whether it’s a product or service, history, successes, news, and information about the team – try the home page, ‘ About Us ’ and ‘ Meet The Team ’ pages of the employer’s website.

Look out for the company’s mission statement here too!

Take note of recurring messages, themes or values that appear across the site.

Perhaps there is a clear focus on company culture, or lots of information on ethical policy.

These things will help to shape your understanding of the organisation and what they look for in an employee.

Have a deep dive into information about a company, including any previous company names or the CEO and Director’s names, you could also use Companies House to conduct a bit of research.

It’s then important to make a note about what interests you in particular about this company.

Are they a new start-up? Do they operate in a sector that you’re really passionate about? Is the company culture attractive to you?

Keep these factors in mind ready to discuss them in your graduate job interview.

These are some of the best ways to research a company before an interview.

2. Find the company on social media

The majority of companies are present on social media.

A Twitter , Facebook , LinkedIn , Y ouTube or Instagram feed can give you great insight into what a company is like, as well as some of its key players.

You will find the company’s clients on LinkedIn and their company culture on Instagram.

Give the company a “like” or “follow” to stay up-to-date on the latest news, and to see what they are posting.

Mentioning in your interview you’ve seen their latest news from following them on their social media shows great initiative and can really impress an employer.

If you know the interviewers, search their names on LinkedIn to check their profiles for information on their role, background and interests.

You can use this information to create conversation and discuss any common interests to establish rapport showing proactivity!

Update your LinkedIn profile before you begin following others who you want to impress.

Check out our blog for 10 tips for creating a good LinkedIn profile.

3. Check out company review websites

Sites like Glassdoor, The Job Crowd and Crunchbase feature company profiles and reviews from previous employees and useful information like the number of employees at a company.

Looking at what candidates in similar graduate roles were asked in their interview will help you to prepare your answers.

Reviews can also give you further insight into company culture and what to expect from their leadership.

Search for successes and defining moments (i.e. did the company recently receive a large amount of funding?) – which, if mentioned in your interview, will be highly impressive to the employer.

4. Read the news

Staying up to date on the company’s newest products or latest industry trends will be a great conversation starter and prepare you for your graduate job interview!

Google and Google News can be a great place to access any news.

Completing a quick search will likely present you with information that may not appear on the company’s own website or social media profiles.

If you know that you can find news on the company in a specific location i.e. the Financial Times , TechUK or FinTech Weekly , make sure you’re up to scratch so that you won’t be caught out if anything is mentioned in the job interview.

5. Check out their competitors

As well as researching companies for interviews, carry out competitor research as this helps you get up to speed on current industry trends

You will have a better understanding of the company’s niche and what makes its product or service unique.

By learning how to research an employer before a job interview, you’ll be able to use it to your advantage – to help you stand out from candidates in your graduate job interview.

How to bring your research into an interview?

How to research for a job interview is important, equally you want to ensure all your research is going to make an impact by knowing how to implement it to your graduate interview questions.

Add in the relevant facts you know from your company research before interviews.

Expect questions such as:

• What do you know about our company?
• Why do you want to work for us?
• What do you think are our biggest challenges this year?
• Why does this industry interest you?

You can also bring in your research by asking the interviewer questions, such as

“I understand you’re currently working on x project, how is this going and will my role play a part in this?” or “I know you’ve recently gained X client, what kind of work will you be doing for them?”.

Visit our blog for more top interview questions to ask the employer and how to answer the ‘do you have any questions for me?’ interview question.

How to research a role?

It’s important to know how to research for an interview and the role you’re interviewing for.

Researching the role will allow you to have a better understanding of what employers are looking for specifically and what to highlight in your interview answers to impress an employer.

If you’re wondering how to impress interviewers and what things to say in an interview, here’s our helpful guide:

Read the job description carefully

Read over the job description thoroughly as this is where the key requirements, skills, and tasks required will be.

Highlight any of the most important skills employers are looking for, and bring these into your interview answers.

If you’re asked questions like “what is your understanding of the role?” you can easily comment on the day-to-day tasks of the role and what skills you’ll need to demonstrate.

Check out our blog for more tips on decrypting the job description and finding out what employers are really asking for.

Read over your CV

Read over your CV before the interview and match up how your education, experience and skills fit the requirements of the job and key skills.

When you’re asked “why do you think you’d be a great fit for the role?”, you can easily and confidently state how your previous skills and experience match X skill/requirement of the job description.

Visit other employee’s LinkedIn profiles

Larger companies are likely to have employees in the same or similar roles as the one you are applying for.

See what recent projects they are working on and what tasks they have completed by visiting their profiles.

It will help you get a sense of what the role entails and what you might be working on.

Before you go to interview for graduate jobs, it’s important to thoroughly research the company as there are many benefits of researching a company before an interview!

You will feel confident, prepared and ready to show the employer that you’re committed to the role, and knowledgeable about their business.

Find more career advice on our careers advice blog – or check out the latest graduate roles !

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How to answer: What do you know about the company?

When preparing for a job interview, it is crucial to gather as much information as possible about the company you are applying to. This knowledge not only demonstrates your interest and enthusiasm for the position, but also allows you to tailor your answers to align with the company’s values and goals. By understanding the company’s history, mission, and current projects, you can showcase how your skills and experience make you a perfect fit for the organization.

One way to research the company is by exploring its website. Start by reading the “About Us” section, which often provides an overview of the company’s background, key milestones, and core values. Take note of any recent news or press releases, as this can give you insight into the company’s current initiatives and achievements. Additionally, browse through the company’s social media profiles to gain a better understanding of its culture, brand voice, and engagement with customers. This information will not only help you answer questions about the company during the interview, but also enable you to ask thoughtful and relevant questions of your own.

How to Answer a Question: What do you know about the company?

There are actually several ways to approach this question, but let me break it down for you. First, let’s talk about why interviewers ask it and what a typical answer might be. Then, I’ll share with you what the ideal response should be, as well as what makes a good or even a great answer.

And of course, I’ll throw in an extra tip to help you absolutely nail this question. Sound good? Let’s dive in!

Why did the interviewer ask this?

To gauge the candidate’s interest in the company and check if they’ve done their homework.

Typical Answer

It’s a leading company in the industry.

Wrong Answer

You guys are famous for the office dog on your Instagram, right?

Good Answer

Mention the company’s history, mission, products/services, and any recent news or achievements you’ve come across.

Great Answer

Dive deeper by discussing how the company’s values resonate with yours, or how a specific product or initiative of the company excites you, showing genuine interest.

Last Tip on How to Answer What do you know about the company?

Always research the company before an interview. It shows initiative and genuine interest in the role.

If you’re into this tip, you can download 121 Interview Questions and Answers for free! It’s a great way to get more insights on how to answer those common questions in the best way possible.

Practice Your Answers in a Mock Job Interview

Answering this question is a breeze if you know how! But what really counts is practice. The best way to do that? Give mock interviews a shot! You can learn more about mock interviews here , or try out this Free Mini-Interview .

Final Thoughts on the Question: What do you know about the company?

By following these tips on how to answer the question, “What do you know about the company?”, you will be able to confidently and impressively respond to this common interview inquiry. Remember, preparation is key. Start by conducting thorough research on the company’s history, mission, values, and recent achievements. This will not only demonstrate your genuine interest in the organization but also showcase your dedication and commitment to being a well-informed candidate.

Additionally, take the time to understand the company’s industry, competitors, and market position. This knowledge will allow you to provide insightful and relevant information during your response. By showcasing your understanding of the company’s place in the market, you will demonstrate your ability to think critically and strategically. Remember, the more you know about the company, the better equipped you will be to answer this question with confidence and enthusiasm.

In conclusion, mastering the art of answering the question, “What do you know about the company?”, is crucial in making a lasting impression during an interview. By following the tips mentioned above and investing time in thorough research, you will be able to provide a well-informed and impressive response. Remember, this question serves as an opportunity to showcase your dedication, passion, and knowledge about the company. So, go ahead and confidently share your insights, leaving the interviewer with no doubt that you are the perfect fit for the organization.

Jan Tegze, author of the bestseller “ Full Stack Recruiter ” and “ Job Search Guide: Be Your Own Career Coach ,” has over 15+ years of invaluable experience. Jan’s extensive background in full life cycle recruiting and profound understanding of international sourcing, recruitment branding, marketing, and pioneering sourcing techniques.

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10 Best Sample Answers to “Why Do You Want to Work in Our Company?”

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10 Best Sample Answers to “Why Do You Want to Work in Our Company?” was originally published on WikiJob.

If you’ve been invited to an interview, you can expect to be asked some variation of the question, “Why do you want to work in our company?”. People often dismiss this as a trick question, or assume that the interviewer is only looking to hear how great the company is. Yet it is arguably the most significant question an interviewer can ask you.

It is also extremely difficult to answer well. This article will outline exactly what your interviewer is looking for, typical mistakes candidates make, how to prepare your answer and similar versions of the question.

Why Do You Want to Work in Our Company? – What Is the Interviewer Really Asking?

When you are faced with the question ‘Why do you want to work in our company?’ you may feel overwhelmed. However, your interviewer isn’t going to ask you to recite all of their industry awards from memory. Nor do they want you to feed them empty compliments.

The interview is about you. Your interviewer wants to know:

• Why you are perfect for the role
• What motivated you to apply
• How you will fit into the company’s culture
• Whether you understand the company’s strategy and commercial goals
• Whether you are likely to stay at the company for a long time

You need to structure your answer in two parts:

• Why do you want this particular job?
• Why do you want to work at this particular company?

We will unpick these questions below, but first, let’s look at some example answers from job experts:

Why Do You Want to Work in Our Company Sample Answers

Use the below examples to help you pull together your own answer. Remember to structure your answer in two parts, and bear the above points in mind.

Example Answer 1

I applied for the position of E-commerce Marketing Assistant because I am looking to kick-start my career in digital marketing.

As a graduate specialising in digital marketing, I have expertise in promoting online brand awareness.

Whilst at university, I volunteered for a charity by promoting regular bake sales. I used social media to garner attention and boost sales. In fact, our Students’ Initiative raised the highest amount for the charity in four years.

I want to work for [company] because I am interested in your product, a meal plan subscription service. As a keen foodie who is always too busy to cook, I have an in-depth understanding of your target audience.

Why this answer is good:

• They linked their skills and interests to the job role.
• They understood the company’s product and explained why they want to work for this particular company.
• They backed up their answer with examples.

Example Answer 2

Two years ago I spent six weeks volunteering with disabled children in Vietnam. This inspired me to train as a teacher because I firmly believe that education is a right every child deserves.

I want to start my Post-Qualification Employment at this school because it has an excellent reputation for ensuring no child is left behind. You have an outstanding Special Educational Needs policy and the teachers here are passionate about encouraging every student to reach their individual potential. This is all reflected in your annual performance scores.

• They explained their reasons for wanting the position and backed this up with examples.
• They gave reasons for admiring the school and demonstrated they share the same values.
• They have done their research by mentioning specific policies.

Example Answer 3

I am drawn to this position of Media Sales Assistant because I am interested in the marketing side of medicine. My degree is in medical biochemistry, so I am knowledgeable about the medical industry and the principles of ethics that are relevant to medical advertising.

I want to work here because [company] has an impressive reputation for working with the major medical journals, and you offer an excellent opportunity to develop expertise within the medical advertising sector.

I understand [company] is looking to grow its client base. I am a very sociable person so I would love communicating daily with clients and building new client relationships.

• They linked their skills to the job role.
• They outlined why they are interested in the position.
• They stated why they want to work for this company in particular.

Example Answer 4

Ever since I was a small child, I have loved math. I was the kid in school who would ask for extra math homework and I used this passion to help guide my choice when it came to exams and college choices.

Now that I am fully qualified as an accountant, I am hoping to direct my passions in a way that is beneficial to others. I feel that your company and this junior position will be the best ways for me to grow in knowledge about the industry as well as enable me to launch a successful career.

• The background information indicates that this is a long-term passion of yours and something you are very interested in
• States qualifications
• Talks about growing within the company which indicates long-term plans

Example Answer 5

When I was a teenager, my dog got really sick. My parents couldn’t afford to pay for visits to the vet, so I researched and studied everything that I could to help improve the situation.

Through my research and actions, my dog eventually got better. This inspired me to study to become a vet and I am passionate about providing affordable and free veterinary care to people who desperately want to provide for their animals but are unable to.

I feel that your service here at the shelter is exactly what I am looking for to help provide treatment to as many animals as possible.

• Talks about strengths such as the ability to use initiative
• Shows the potential employer that you have researched them before your interview

Example Answer 6

Every step of the way throughout my career, I have known how important it is to learn from people who have more experience and expertise than I do. This is why, when I began looking to take the next step in my career, I researched your company.

What you do here, in terms of marketing, is bigger than anything I have tackled before. It is also the logical next step for me. Your reputation for nurturing and building up individuals to help them find and grow their strengths is exactly what attracted me to the role.

• The background shows that you are willing to learn and grow as a person and an employee
• Shows that you have researched the employer
• Talks about what attracted you to the role and how you think this will help you as an employee and an individual

Example Answer 7

I have been a doctor within a hospital setting for several years now. Although I have loved treating patients and the atmosphere that a hospital setting brings, I feel that it is time for a challenge.

I feel that moving into general practice will provide a wider variety of patients and help me to maintain the level of patient care that I want to provide.

This particular practice is well known for patient satisfaction and I feel that I would be a valuable member of the team.

• It talks about your background and expertise
• It states what it is that you hope to gain through your new role
• It talks about what you can bring to the position

Example Answer 8

Your company is well known in the business world for its ability to nurture individuals and help them to reach their full potential. It is especially well-known for helping those who may not have had the opportunity to attend university and gain formal qualifications. This is why I think that I would be a good fit here.

Although I don’t have all of the formal qualifications, I have worked to expand my knowledge and create a foundation in this area. I feel that I can lend my skills well to this role and the nurturing environment will help me to improve across all areas.

• It shows the employer that you have researched their company and understand their values
• By talking about the things that you have taught yourself, you are showing that you are motivated and keen to learn new skills
• You are explaining how you feel that a role within the company could be beneficial to you.

Example Answer 9

I am passionate about providing a customer service experience that leaves the customer smiling and means that they are more likely to return.

This store, in particular, is widely recognized for its exceptional customer service. I feel that our values are similar and this is an environment I would be very happy working in.

• It talks about your strengths
• It speaks about how your values align with those of the company
• It paints the company in a positive light
• It talks about how you can have a positive impact on the company

Example Answer 10

I have been watching this company for quite a while now, admiring the work that you do and keeping an eye on changes in the industry. You always seem to be ahead of the curve, so I have used your work as inspiration to keep me motivated.

Everything that I have learned so far has been self-taught and when I saw that you had a vacancy available I knew that I had to apply. I feel that I would fit well with the work ethic and values here, adding my personal style to the team dynamic.

More than anything, working here would be a dream and a culmination of years of quietly watching from the sidelines.

• It shows that you have had an interest in the company for a while and understand what it is that they do
• It talks about how the values of the company have already helped you in the past and how you would anticipate this to carry on in the future
• It shows that you have been waiting for an opportunity to join the company

How to Prepare for the Question “Why Do You Want to Work in Our Company?”

Now you know how not to answer, it’s time to prepare your best response to ‘Why do you want to work here?’. Here are some tips:

1. Think About Why You Want This Job in Particular

Research the role and figure out why it interests you. Think about how the job description matches your skill set, ambitions and what you genuinely like most about the business.

For example, some of these may apply:

• The responsibilities of the role align with your personal interests. Ensure you can link what interests you about the job role to specific examples. For example, if you are applying for the role of Editorial Assistant at Love Knitting Magazine, you could mention that you are a prolific knitter and you edited a student magazine at university.
• Opportunities for progression. For example, internal qualifications, networking opportunities or management training schemes.
• You want to work in a professional, team-oriented environment which values collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• You love analytical and logical problem-solving.

Example answers related to why you want the job:

• “I want to work here because this organization’s values align with my own. I’m impressed with the work you do to improve patient outcomes and enhance the quality of care. I believe that this is a place where I can make a meaningful contribution to the healthcare field while also growing and developing my skills.”
• “This role is an excellent fit for my skills and experience. I am confident that I have the necessary technical skills and knowledge required for the role, and I’m excited about the opportunity to take on new challenges and responsibilities.”
• “I’m excited about the opportunity to work with a team of highly skilled and dedicated healthcare professionals. From my research on this organization, I can see that you place a strong emphasis on collaboration and teamwork, and I believe that this is an environment where I can thrive and make a positive contribution.”

2. Think About Your Career Goals and How They Align With the Company’s

A short-term career goal might be to gain more experience in customer service. Whereas a long-term goal might be to aspire to a management position. Make sure your career goal is relevant to the job role.

Here are some examples of how you can link your career goals with the company’s objectives:

• For the role of Product Designer – The company makes a product which has inspired you to enter the industry and your career goal is to design similar products.
• For the role of Healthcare Assistant – You are passionate about providing exceptional healthcare and you always aspire to improve your level of care. This is also a value prioritised by the company.
• For the role of Private Client Paralegal – You value developing close professional relationships with clients and your goal is to build a legal career in private client work.

Example answers related to your career goals:

• “I want to work here because I believe this company is at the forefront of innovation in the industry, and I’m passionate about being a part of a team that’s shaping the future of healthcare. This aligns with my career goal of continuously learning and growing while contributing to an organization’s success.”
• “I’m excited about this opportunity because I believe that working for this company will help me achieve my career goal of becoming an expert in my field. The company’s reputation for providing high-quality care and emphasis on continuous learning aligns with my personal and professional goals.”
• “I’m eager to work for this company because I believe it offers excellent career development opportunities. My career goal is to advance into a leadership role, and I know that this company has a track record of promoting from within and investing in their employees’ growth.”

3. Think About Why You Want to Work at This Company in Particular

Make sure you read the company’s website and any news articles you can find. A company’s blog can also be useful, since it will list important projects the company has worked on and focus on topics which are of value to the company.

If you have any connections within your network who have worked with the company, it’s also a good idea to speak with them to find out more about the company from someone who has experienced it first-hand.

Some other ideas to think about when undertaking your research are:

• Why you admire the company – Is it a front-runner in developing a ground-breaking software? Or is it one of the only companies in the country which specialises in aviation law? Make sure your reasons are specific to demonstrate you have done your research.
• Has the company undertaken any projects that particularly interest you, and why? – As well as the company’s blog, check whether they have listed any case studies on their website which provide more insight into the work they do.
• Can you identify the company’s short and long-term objectives? – A short-term objective might be to reward employees who volunteer for the company’s corporate social responsibility programme. A long-term objective might be a target for the number of annual employee hours dedicated to corporate social responsibility.
• What are the company’s values? – For example, a bank might foster a culture of sustainable lending. Or a healthcare organisation might promote their staff’s caring and attentive approach to their work.

Example answers related to the company:

• “I’m excited about working for this company because of its excellent reputation in the industry. I believe that working for a well-respected and established organization will give me access to opportunities and experiences that will help me grow my career.”
• “I’m passionate about the company’s mission to improve patient outcomes and provide high-quality care. This is a purpose that resonates with me, and I’m eager to be a part of a team that’s making a positive impact on people’s lives.”
• “I want to work here because I’ve heard great things about the company culture and the supportive work environment. I believe that working in a positive and collaborative atmosphere will allow me to perform at my best and contribute meaningfully to the team.”

Why Do You Want to Work in Our Company? – Five Typical Mistakes Candidates Make

Before delving into how you answer the ‘Why do you want to work here?’ question, here is some advice on how not to approach it.

Most interviewers will not appreciate a humorous answer. It makes you appear insincere or suggests that you don’t know how to answer the question.

I’m only here for the money.

You look like you could use my help.

2. Ambiguity

The interviewer doesn’t want to hear vague compliments about how their company “looks really cool”. Ambiguous answers will indicate that you haven’t done any research on the organisation or thought about why you want the job at all.

I just think the work looks fun.

3. Not Relating Your Answer to the Job or Company

It is surprising how often candidates forget to mention the job they are applying for altogether.

I liked your website.

You have bean-bag chairs in the break area, which is a nice touch.

4. Being Too Honest

Even if you’re just here for the money, don’t confess this to your interviewer. Never lie, but keep your answer focused on the job role and why you would be a great addition to the company.

I need to pay the rent somehow.

This isn’t my dream job, but it seems tolerable.

5. Saying You Don’t Know

If you cannot come up with a single reason why the company should hire you, they probably won’t.

“Why Do You Want to Work in Our Company” Similar Questions: How They Are Different

There are many variations of the ‘Why do you want to work here?’ question that you may be asked at interview. Here are some examples of similar questions which ask the same thing:

• “Why do you want this job?”
• “What are you looking for in your next job?”
• “Why did you apply for this position?”

However, make sure you listen carefully to the question you are being asked; some will require a different answer than you first expect. Never repeat a pre-prepared response without listening carefully to the question. For example:

“What qualities can you bring to this role?”

This question differs because it focuses less on what you personally think about the role. Instead, talk about your specific achievements and how you can apply your skills to the job.

Example answer:

As well as my ability to manage and administer pension claims, I have a unique background in data management and analysis.

For example, in my previous role, I was part of a project recording and analysing the causes of delayed pension payments. This led to the implementation of improved payment administration policies. I will be looking for opportunities to use my skills within this role.

This answer is good because the candidate has specified a unique skill which will set them apart from the other candidates and backed it up with an example.

“Why should we hire you?”

This question is used to single out the very best of the qualified candidates. We have a whole article about this one question .

The interviewer wants to know:

• Whether you will do the job better than everybody else.
• Whether you will fit into the company’s culture.

It differs from the ‘Why do you want to work here?’ question because it is less about your personal interest in the job and more about what you can do for the company.

Come up with at least three reasons you stand out from the crowd. For example:

• You have experience in this industry;
• Your past achievements demonstrate a proven track record;
• You have relevant awards;
• You have relevant qualifications or further education;
• Your soft skills (such as communication skills) are especially strong (and proven);
• You have specific technical skills (such as knowledge of certain programming languages).

I have over 8 years of experience working with clients to deliver successful projects. As part of this, I have developed great relationships with my clients and other team members.

This contributes to my ability to manage teams and get results. Last year I led a team that won an industry award for a national project.

“How are you a good fit for this company?”

This question differs because it focuses on your understanding of the company’s culture and what skills you can contribute.

Ensure you research the company and its values. Think about how your own goals and values coincide. Then answer the question by:

• Describing your interpretation of the company’s culture.
• Explaining how you fit into that culture (including specific examples).

Here are some ideas to think about when interpreting the company’s culture:

• Does the company value collaboration?
• Does the company value internal progression?
• Are there any mentoring schemes?
• What is the company’s attitude to work/life balance?

I love that [company] promotes supportive attitudes in its employees. At my current job, we also have a culture of support, especially when a tight deadline is coming up.

For example, I recently worked two weeks’ overtime to help a colleague compile the civil disclosure for a massive fraud case.

I love how stimulating and exciting that kind of work can be. Therefore, I think I will fit in well within your team where everyone comes together to work to similar tight deadlines.

Final Thoughts

Preparing to answer interview questions can be daunting, but follow the advice in this article and you will arrive at your interview prepared to impress. Remember:

• Research the company and the position thoroughly.
• Structure your answer in two parts: first, outline why you want the job. Then outline why you want to work at the company.
• Be enthusiastic and back up all your reasons for wanting the job with specific examples.

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Research Roundup: How the Pandemic Changed Management

• Mark C. Bolino,
• Jacob M. Whitney,
• Sarah E. Henry

Lessons from 69 articles published in top management and applied psychology journals.

Researchers recently reviewed 69 articles focused on the management implications of the Covid-19 pandemic that were published between March 2020 and July 2023 in top journals in management and applied psychology. The review highlights the numerous ways in which employees, teams, leaders, organizations, and societies were impacted and offers lessons for managing through future pandemics or other events of mass disruption.

The recent pandemic disrupted life as we know it, including for employees and organizations around the world. To understand such changes, we recently reviewed 69 articles focused on the management implications of the Covid-19 pandemic. These papers were published between March 2020 and July 2023 in top journals in management and applied psychology.

• Mark C. Bolino is the David L. Boren Professor and the Michael F. Price Chair in International Business at the University of Oklahoma’s Price College of Business. His research focuses on understanding how an organization can inspire its employees to go the extra mile without compromising their personal well-being.
• JW Jacob M. Whitney is a doctoral candidate in management at the University of Oklahoma’s Price College of Business and an incoming assistant professor at Kennesaw State University. His research interests include leadership, teams, and organizational citizenship behavior.
• SH Sarah E. Henry is a doctoral candidate in management at the University of Oklahoma’s Price College of Business and an incoming assistant professor at the University of South Florida. Her research interests include organizational citizenship behaviors, workplace interpersonal dynamics, and international management.

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A business journal from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

AI and Innovation: A Question of Quantity vs. Quality

March 25, 2024 • 3 min read.

In a recent AI at Wharton webinar, scholars shared their research on how AI can enhance innovation and where the limitations are.

The following article was originally published by  AI at Wharton .

Generative artificial intelligence has a quantity-over-quality problem.

One of the biggest challenges in using large language models like ChatGPT is precision.

“Why do you need to buy the whole candy store if you just need a lollipop,” said Daniel Ringel , marketing professor at the University of Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.

His latest study looks at how synthetic experts can refine results to give users exactly what they need. He created one for the study and compared it with the work of crowdsourcing amateurs, academic experts, and ChatGPT-4. The synthetic expert outdid them all, performing 66 times faster and 400 times cheaper than ChatGPT-4.

Ringel was one of four scholars who shared their work during the webinar, “AI and Innovation,” that streamed live on March 1. The webinar series is hosted by AI at Wharton . Wharton professor of operations, information and decisions, and co-director of AI at Wharton Kartik Hosanagar served as moderator.

“Clearly, AI is going to significantly transform work, the productivity of organizations, even how things work at the macroeconomic and societal level,” he said.

The webinar also featured research presentations from Dokyun Lee , information systems professor at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business; Rayna Xu , information systems and analytics professor at Miami University’s Farmer School of Business; and Léonard Boussioux , information systems and operations management professor at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business.

Boussioux hailed AI’s ability to help humans solve the world’s most pressing problems — including the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations — if they can filter out the noise. In his co-authored paper on gen AI and crowdsourcing, he found humans and machines were equal in creating ideas for the circular economy. But humans were better at highly novel solutions, so the most valuable ideas came from a collaboration of both.

“It’s easy for AI to recombine ideas, but it’s harder to get moonshots.” — Léonard Boussioux

“This whole study is motivated by the statistical view of innovation. The best ideas are statistically rare,” Boussioux said. “It’s easy for AI to recombine ideas, but it’s harder to get moonshots.”

Xu’s co-authored paper looked at another aspect of AI’s quantity-over-quality problem by examining whether Google or ChatGPT was better at information retrieval. The study found ChatGPT excelled at pulling answers to questions but struggled with fact-checking. Depending on the task, integrating AI into traditional search engines may generate the most stable results, she said.

Xu pointed out ChatGPT’s accuracy is improving, with each iteration getting better at fact-checking.

Lee’s co-authored study introduced InnoVAET, an exploratory tool that enables interpretation, comparison, visualization, and augmented creation of multi-modal business objects. He said the tool can help business leaders understand the competitive landscape and filter good ideas for strategic action.

“Novelty is the easy part,” he said. “The challenging part is how do you make sure that things are valuable.”

More From Knowledge at Wharton

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AI and Machine Creativity: How Artistic Production Is Changing

How to Protect Intellectual Property in the Age of AI

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Where is customer care in 2024?

Customer care leaders are facing their greatest challenge in decades. They must prepare their organizations for an AI-enabled future while simultaneously meeting tough commercial targets and rising customer expectations. Our latest global survey suggests that many companies are struggling on all these fronts.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Eric Buesing , Maximilian Haug, Paul Hurst, Vivian Lai, Subhrajyoti Mukhopadhyay, and Julian Raabe , representing views from McKinsey’s Operations Practice.

Major disruptions are always painful, and the transition from a care paradigm dominated by human agents to one steered by AI technologies may be the biggest disruption in the history of customer service. Can organizations find a route to hyperefficient, digitized customer care while retaining the personal contact and responsiveness that customers require?

Right now, many customer care leaders feel trapped in no-man’s-land. Technology has enabled them to evolve their operations significantly, and the traditional call center environment is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Yet when these digitally enabled models underperform—and they often do—companies need to master entirely new approaches to performance improvement alongside their traditional tool kits.

Customer care in the spotlight

The key findings in this article are based on McKinsey’s fourth global survey of customer care executives. This survey was our largest yet, gathering the views of more than 340 leaders at the director, senior director, vice president, and C-suite levels. Respondents came from companies with annual revenues of $100 million to $10 billion-plus, representing every major industry segment.

The majority of respondents said that the companies they worked for were headquartered in North America (just over 50 percent) or Western Europe (almost 25 percent), with 10 percent headquartered in India and 4 percent in China. Most respondents said their organizations operated in multiple regions: 75 percent reported operating in North America, 58 percent in Europe, 57 percent in Asia–Pacifc, 39 percent in the Middle East and Africa, and 37 percent in Latin America. We plan to expand future research to include more organizations headquartered outside North America and Western Europe.

To make matters worse, executives say that most of the challenges highlighted in our last survey  are still present today (see sidebar, “Customer care in the spotlight”). Those challenges include rising call volumes, high levels of employee attrition, and persistent talent shortages. Meanwhile, some of the largest consumer-facing technology organizations in the world have become exceptional at digitally enabled customer care, which is lifting customer expectations everywhere, piling further pressure onto customer care staff and leadership at other companies.

Our survey reveals three major themes that are top of mind for customer care leaders. First, their priorities are shifting, from an overwhelming focus on customer experience to a multidimensional approach that also emphasizes revenue goals and technology transformation. Second, they are working hard to build future-ready AI-enabled ecosystems for their operations. Finally, they are boosting their capabilities by investing in employee upskilling programs and building stronger outsourcing relationships.

Would you like to learn more about our Operations Practice ?

Reprioritizing core operations.

When we began monitoring the sentiment of customer care leaders in 2016, their priorities were clear. Customer experience came first, followed at a distance by operational improvement, technology transformation, and revenue generation—in that order.

Over the past seven years, those priorities have converged (Exhibit 1). Revenue generation, which was mentioned by about one in 20 customer care leaders in our first survey, has been rising steadily in importance ever since. It is now a priority for a third of customer care leaders. But over the past two years, technology enhancements and operational improvements have seen the fastest increases. The expectation that customer care functions can do it all and do it well has never been higher.

Leaders also understand that they need to engage with their customers to delight them. Currently, only 11 percent of respondents say reducing contact volume is important to them, a 20-percentage-point drop over 12 months. Indeed, 57 percent of leaders expect call volumes to increase by as much as one-fifth over the next one or two years.

Separate research suggests that these leaders are right to stay focused on direct personal interaction, even when many of their customers are young digital natives. In a recent McKinsey survey of 3,500 consumers, respondents of all ages said that live phone conversations were among their most preferred methods of contacting companies for help and support. That finding held true even among 18- to 28-year-old Gen Z consumers, a cohort that favors text and social messaging for interpersonal communications.

There’s also evidence that younger consumers are getting tired of the digital self-service paradigm. One financial-services company reports that its Gen Z customers are 30 to 40 percent more likely to call than millennials, and they use the phone as often as baby boomers. Premium-segment customers of all ages also prefer the phone, with many saying that live phone support is part of the premium service they are paying for.

These findings don’t point to a future of phone-only customers, however. While customers of all generations prioritize support from a real person, they also want the flexibility to use different channels according to their needs. Digital-chat services have achieved a high level of acceptance across generations, and email remains important, especially for older consumers (Exhibit 2).

The need to excel in service across multiple channels creates extra challenges for customer care leaders, especially when budgets are tight. And 37 percent of respondents in our survey say that cost is still a key priority. This tension is driving companies to look for ways to control the customer care costs that go beyond call volume reduction, with automation and outsourcing the most frequently cited levers.

Creating a future-ready AI ecosystem

The tensions in modern customer care are clearly seen in companies’ approaches to advanced digital technologies. Our survey demonstrates that digital has already become a decisive differentiator. Among respondents who report that their operations are delivering better-than-expected performance, more than half have high levels of digital integration. Banking, telecommunications, and travel and logistics are among the leading industries in this regard.

Those high performers are in the minority, however. Only 8 percent of respondents from North America report greater-than-expected satisfaction with their customer performance. In Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, the figure is 5 percent. Among organizations reporting that performance was in line with or lower than expected, more than 80 percent also say their levels of digital integration are partial or low.

Leaders agree that they need to get digital right. More than half of the respondents to our survey expect the share of inbound contacts that take place through digital channels to exceed 40 percent in the next three years.

Artificial intelligence will play a decisive role in future customer care ecosystems. Respondents to our survey are already deploying AI tools in a variety of applications, including chatbots and automated email response systems, training and support for call center agents, back-office analytics, and decision making.

Over the past 12 months, the availability of powerful generative AI (gen AI) tools, especially large language models (LLMs) that can parse and respond to unstructured text or speech, has opened new possibilities for technology in customer care. More than 80 percent of respondents are already investing in gen AI, or expect to do so in the coming months, with leaders highlighting a wide range of potential applications.

One European subsidiary of a global bank replaced its well-established rules-based customer chatbot with a new system based on gen AI technology. Seven weeks after launch, the AI chatbot was 20 percent more effective at successfully answering customer queries than the old tool. The bank has already identified a road map of improvements that could double its performance in the coming months.

Early adopters are extremely ambitious about the potential of gen AI. The executive in charge of customer care at one major global organization told us that they expect 100 percent of customer interactions to be AI-enabled in the coming years, using a combination of technologies including new virtual assistants, agent-assist tools, and AI-powered voice analytics.

For most companies, however, the gen AI customer care revolution is still in its early stages. Leaders highlight multiple issues that are making it hard for them to integrate these technologies into their existing processes and workflows. The issues include technical challenges regarding deployment and scaling; concerns about safety, security, and governance; and difficulties in defining the desired outcomes from, or business case for, gen AI investments (Exhibit 3).

Learn more about Customer Care

Rethinking skills.

Today, customer care organizations lack many of the critical skills they need to deliver excellent service and navigate the transition to a digitally mediated, AI-enabled world. In part, that’s because customer care leaders have been running to stand still. Record levels of staff attrition following the COVID-19 pandemic meant that supervisors spent much of their time interviewing and bringing new staff up to speed. They spent less time mentoring their established teams, a problem exacerbated by the introduction of hybrid and remote working arrangements. Some agents and team leaders have spent years working with little interaction or coaching from their managers.

Staff turnover has now slowed, and two in three leaders in our latest survey say upskilling and reskilling are critical priorities. Companies highlight a range of benefits that accrue from effective upskilling and reskilling programs, including improvements to employee morale, increased productivity, and faster adoption of new technologies and working methods. Meanwhile, technology is changing upskilling programs. Twenty-one percent of leaders tell us that they are already using AI-based tools to train and support their customer care staff.

AI-based agent support systems are already becoming a key tool for companies seeking to offer extremely effective personal service to demanding customers. These systems can help agents resolve complex queries the first time, simultaneously reducing care costs and boosting customer experience.

One global construction equipment company, for example, uses a gen AI system to help its call center staff navigate thousands of pages of technical-support documentation. The system selects the appropriate steps to resolve a customer’s problem in seconds, based on free text questions entered by the agent and background information such as the serial numbers of vehicles and parts. The tool has cut average call resolution times from around 125 minutes to a few seconds, and it is currently saving customers €150,000 to €300,000 per day in reduced asset downtime.

Elsewhere, companies are using AI to transform the way they manage and support their customer care agents. New AI-based tools can optimize call volume forecasting, for example. This approach helped one company improve forecast accuracy by seven percentage points, while halving the work required to manage team capacities and schedules. The change improved customer service levels by more than 10 percent, while cutting staffing and overtime costs by more than 5 percent.

Companies are also looking outside their organizations for innovative ways to fill capability gaps. Outsourcing, once viewed primarily as a way to reduce costs, is increasingly seen as an effective source of additional skilled capacity and innovation capabilities. Fifty-five percent of the companies in our survey currently outsource part of their customer care operations, and 47 percent of those organizations expect to increase their outsourcing over the next two years.

Outsourcing relationships are becoming deeper too, with respondents telling us that they are now using their business process outsourcing for a range of activities that extends far beyond traditional call and email handling. They include content management and digital-marketing services, payments handling, and the development of AI-based customer care tools. Following the blueprint established by major players in the industrial products, medical device, software, and e-commerce sectors, some companies are now working with outsourcing partners to set up global innovation hubs that will drive the development of next-generation customer care technologies.

Our survey suggests that customer care organizations are running at two different speeds. In the fast lane, top performers have seized the opportunities presented by advances in digital technologies. With ruthless prioritization, they are investing capital to drive efficiency and service excellence across the customer journey. The best have already reshaped their organizations around highly integrated digital platforms. One high-performing company with more than 5,000 service agents is on track to deliver 75 digital-experience improvements this year, for example.

Other companies are still in the slow lane, struggling to fit a patchwork of digital point solutions into legacy care ecosystems. Unsure where to put their dollars, they are trapped in a cycle of continual system adaptation with no clear destination or road map.

In 2024, both types of organizations may need to shift their positions on the road. Gen AI is raising the bar for performance, productivity, and personalization in customer care, and tomorrow’s fully AI-enabled care organizations will operate very differently from those of today. It’s time for companies to look at their care ecosystems with fresh eyes. They should formulate an independent perspective on the changing expectations of their customers and the role of advanced AI in their organization. The future of customer care is calling. Leaders should answer with a bold vision and an aggressive time line for change.

Eric Buesing is a partner in McKinsey’s Charlotte office, where Paul Hurst is an associate partner; Maximilian Haug is an associate partner in the Boston office; Vivian Lai is a consultant in the New York office; Subhrajyoti Mukhopadhyay is an expert in the Chicago office; and Julian Raabe  is a partner in the Munich office.

The authors wish to thank Jorge Amar, Brian Blackader, Marcela Guaqueta, Suryansha Gupta, and Josh Wolff for their contributions to this article.

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6 big mistakes people make during job interviews and how to avoid them, from a hiring manager

• Maya Wald is the head of marketing for a tech startup and has interviewed candidates for various roles.
• She says she often sees candidates coming into an interview unprepared and asking the wrong questions.
• Her advice for nailing an interview includes using metrics to highlight your wins and following up.

In the current job market , job seekers may find themselves armed with optimized résumés and LinkedIn profiles but still struggling to land the elusive corporate dream job. Even if you get a response from a job posting and have years of experience, the interview process can be full of uncertainty.

I'm the head of marketing for a Series A tech startup, and I've played the role of both interviewee and hiring manager for companies of various sizes over the past eight years.

Here are the six most common mistakes I've noticed during interviews and what you can do to avoid them.

1. Not preparing enough

To stand out, do your homework — it's the first step to interview success.

Thorough preparation impacts both sides of the interview. As an interviewee, neglecting to research the company can be a fatal error. As a hiring manager, encountering candidates who haven't taken the time to understand the organization's mission and goals is not only disheartening but painfully obvious.

Go into your interview armed with (at least) an understanding of the product or service offered by the company, an overview of the market landscape and key competitors in it, and an idea of the target audience. Use the resources available to you to create a thorough study guide (you can even use artificial-intelligence tools such as ChatGPT to help you); just be sure not to read from your study guide word for word during the interview.

2. Failing to include metrics in your story

While your résumé or even a networking connection may open the door, it's your ability to tell your story that leaves a lasting impression. I've come to appreciate candidates who go beyond listing achievements and instead share personal anecdotes with metrics demonstrating their skills and values .

As a hiring manager, I don't need an hourlong explanation of every role and project you've been a part of. The most impressive candidates can consolidate their experiences into a succinct and compelling narrative that demonstrates their expertise and drive, associated with key metrics pertinent to the role. This leaves me with a clear understanding of the candidate's past performance and what they're capable of.

3. Neglecting to ask the right questions

Asking insightful questions in your interview showcases your interest in and curiosity about the role and company. As a hiring manager, encountering candidates who have no questions, or only surface-level questions, can signal a lack of genuine interest or preparation.

Related stories

It can be tempting under pressure to ask the common, "What is the company culture like?" But remember — you too are interviewing your interviewer. Ask the questions you need to know the answers to determine whether you'll be your happiest and most successful self in the role.

This includes questions regarding salary . While I recommend waiting to ask about ancillary perks such as free office food or volunteer days, you should always bring up your salary expectations in the first call. Then if the salary expectations are misaligned, time and bandwidth can be saved on both sides.

Leadership style , performance evaluation, team structure, cross-functional collaboration, and key challenges are other great areas to focus your questions on.

4. Overlooking nonverbal cues

Nonverbal communication is important during any interview (especially for roles within marketing, for which excellent communication in all forms is an absolute necessity).

As an interviewee, maintaining eye contact and positive body language can enhance your perceived confidence and credibility — even over Zoom. You should appear engaged through appropriate hand motions and maintain good posture. As a hiring manager, I pay close attention to these cues to gauge a candidate's professionalism and demeanor.

Your actions speak volumes — make sure they're saying the right things.

5. Ignoring cultural fit

Cultural fit is paramount for both interviewees and hiring managers. As an interviewee, take the time to assess whether the company's values and culture align with your own.

Burnout and work-life balance are hot topics. A big mistake I made early in my career was to ignore company red flags because a company name or salary felt too good to pass up. While some of these are certainly subjective, the main things to keep an eye out for are:

The interviewer can't speak to the company values and how the team and employee experience aligns with them.

The interviewer can't speak to how performance will be evaluated and at what frequency.

The interviewer doesn't have an answer to "When did you last take your paid time off?" which often indicates a lack of emphasis on mental health and employees avoiding burnout.

Associating my core values with the values of the companies I choose to be a part of has drastically improved my mental health. Remember, just because something looks good on paper, or feels good to someone else, doesn't mean it's the right opportunity for you.

6. Forgetting to follow up

Post-interview etiquette isn't dead, but in an increasingly remote world, people often forget this is the case. Sending a thank-you email or post-interview LinkedIn connection demonstrates professionalism and reinforces your interest in the role.

Having received and sent such messages, I can attest to their impact — they leave a positive impression and keep you top of mind during the decision-making process. Make sure to include at least one specific anecdote from the conversation that resonated with you.

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