Employers need to rent somebody who’s deeply curious about their firm. Clearly, a very candidate will analysis the corporate earlier than the interview.
Additionally see my publish, “ Analysis the Interviewer.” Now, let’s discover how one can acquire helpful insights in regards to the firm itself, and why.
Once you’ve accomplished your homework, it exhibits. Your solutions to the interviewers’ questions shall be extra related and the questions you ask shall be well-informed. You’ll be extra prone to get a suggestion. You’ll even be higher capable of decide whether or not you need to settle for it, or whether or not the corporate is in bother or is a poisonous office.
Researching the corporate doesn’t even should take a variety of time. An hour or two of firm analysis could also be all you want.
First, spend 30-60 minutes on-line, as follows.
You’d be stunned how a lot you possibly can be taught in 30-60 minutes by skimming the next sources:
- The investor relations web page of their web site. Should you don’t see a hyperlink to this on their residence web page, strive an online search like “investor relations (firm).” A few of the sources discovered right here could embody annual studies and 10-Ok varieties that may inform you how the corporate is doing, quarterly outcomes convention calls, and particularly press releases of current information headlines.
- Headlines on their residence web page.
- Outcomes from a easy net search on the corporate’s identify. After that, search once more, including the phrase “developments.” You may as well look go to firm evaluate pages, however the info on these websites–Glassdoor, for instance–must be taken with a grain of salt.
- Their LinkedIn firm web page, particularly the “Posts” and “Life” tabs.
All through your analysis, search for information of vital current occasions equivalent to product launches, new funding and trade developments. These insights will allow you to ask good questions, equivalent to: “I noticed your current enlargement into…” or “How is the crew approaching… given [recent initiative]?
You should utilize AI to hurry up (not change) your analysis.
AI instruments like ChatGPT or Perplexity AI might help you put together extra effectively—however they work greatest as a shortcut, not an alternative choice to your personal pondering.
A very good strategy is to make use of AI to rapidly summarize info you’ve gathered. For instance, you would possibly ask:
- “What are this firm’s prime priorities proper now?”
- “What challenges would possibly they be going through?”
You may as well use it to generate concepts for considerate questions.
That mentioned, watch out. AI-generated questions can sound polished however generic. All the time refine what you get so it displays your personal perspective. And double-check any vital info utilizing the corporate’s web site or current information, as a result of AI makes errors.
Used nicely, AI can save time and make it easier to concentrate on what issues most: forming clear, related insights you possibly can convey into the interview.
Subsequent, search informational interviews with present and former workers.
This isn’t solely a good way to grow to be extra educated, it could additionally lead to somebody placing in an excellent phrase for you!
Listed below are two methods to make use of LinkedIn to seek out people who find themselves linked to your goal employer:
Job Opening Search:
- Search for the job opening on LinkedIn, if the corporate has posted it there.
- In case you have 1st-degree LinkedIn connections on the firm, they’ll present up close to the highest of the posting.
Individuals Search:
- Enter the corporate identify into LinkedIn’s most important search bar, then choose “(firm identify) in Individuals” from the dropdown.
- If the “in Individuals” choice doesn’t seem, choose “see all outcomes” as an alternative, then click on “Individuals” on the prime of these outcomes.
This may present many extra individuals. It’s possible you’ll not know them, however that doesn’t imply they received’t discuss to you if you happen to go about it proper. See my publish, Contact Somebody You Don’t Know on LinkedIn, for Free.
In your information interviews, put rapport and relationship first.
Ask for a 10-15 minute “chat” or a “transient dialog” by way of cellphone or Zoom. The time period “informational interview” sounds extra formal and time-consuming. “Dialog” sounds straightforward and “chat” sounds fast.
Hold the concentrate on their experiences with the corporate, not on your self. Learn their profile earlier than speaking with them. Respect their time; if you happen to requested for “a couple of minutes,” make some extent of ending the assembly inside quarter-hour. Don’t count on them to be the timekeeper.
In the event that they occur to grow to be impressed with you and put in an excellent phrase, that’s a plus, however be cautious about asking them to take action. In any case, they barely know you. Do you sense they might be comfy with such a request, or not?
For extra tips about conducting this dialog, learn my evaluate of The 20-Minute Networking Assembly.
Then, use what you’ve realized to arrange for a well-informed, standout job interview.
The knowledge you acquire out of your analysis will make it easier to craft higher solutions to many interview questions, and never solely “Why are you curious about working right here/this position?”
For instance, if you happen to realized that the corporate has a “transfer quick and break issues” tradition, your response to the preliminary “inform me about your self” query would possibly embody an instance of a time while you took a threat to strive one thing progressive.
It may be useful to say your conversations with different workers when it comes up naturally, for instance when answering a query like “What have you learnt about our firm?”
Many job seekers go no additional of their analysis than studying the corporate’s residence web page. Observe the steps above and also you’ll stand out as a motivated, proactive candidate who understands the corporate’s wants and might make an distinctive contribution towards assembly them. (This publish has been up to date in 2026.)
