Pre-Interview Research – What to Look for When Researching a Company

Researching a company prior to an interview is a very good investment of your time.  Coming prepared with a high-level grasp of the organization will bolster your confidence and help you speak more directly to why you are a strong fit. If you targeted your resume (and the fact that you have an interview means you probably did), then you already have a basic understanding of the organization.  In that case, you can spend your time going a bit deeper.  If you haven’t yet explored the company, here are some ideas of what to look for.

Understand the industry: Come to the table with an understanding of the industry in which the company operates and how the organization fits into the industry.  What do they do, how do they do it and what does success look like?

Know their solutions: Entering into the interview with a broad grasp of the solutions (products, services, etc.) an organization provides is key.  Speaking to how you can support, enhance and / or drive adoption of those solutions is a key way to articulate your potential impact.

Get a sense of the culture: Start by reading an organization’s mission and vision statement.  These will give you an idea of what the company stands for (or at least what they say they stand for).  This will help you speak to how you are good cultural fit – something many employers will be looking for.

Once you have done some research, you will be much better prepared to speak to how your unique skills and experience will help the company meet strategic objectives.

Good luck!