why research company before interview

12 Effective Ways to Research a Company Before an Interview

• Early Career

In preparation for your next job interview, we’ve gathered insights from top professionals, including HR executives and CEOs, to offer you the most effective strategies for researching a company. From analyzing employee social profiles to utilizing LinkedIn for company insights, explore the twelve comprehensive strategies these experts recommend for a deep dive into your potential employer’s world.

Analyze Employee Social Profiles

Observe active social media channels, check crunchbase for financial history, conduct informational interviews, research interviewers and company staff, study the company’s digital footprint, review website, reports, and employee insights, utilize glassdoor for candid feedback, leverage official channels and employee reviews, read between the lines of company communications, compare company with industry competitors, utilize linkedin for company insights.

Drawing from my dual background as an HR professional with five years of experience and an HR writer with four years under my belt, I’ve developed a keen eye for assessing company cultures and work environments beyond the company’s LinkedIn page and traditional review sites like Glassdoor. 

A key strategy is to closely observe how employees discuss their work environment and culture on their personal LinkedIn profiles. This approach offers authentic insights into the company culture, beyond what is officially presented.

For instance, recurring mentions of overtime, burnout, or high stress levels among employees are clear red flags, indicating a potential culture of overwork. Conversely, posts celebrating team achievements, work-life balance, or professional development suggest a positive, supportive environment. Such nuances provide valuable, candid insights into the company’s real culture, guiding you toward making a well-informed decision about your potential workplace.

Maheen Kanwal , HR Executive, B2B Tech SaaS Copywriter, Founder, Call to Authority

Assess the socials that they’re most active on so that you can really get a sense of what makes them ‘tick’, and what they’re likely to respond positively to. For example, if they have an office dog, then you can share your mutual love of dogs, or if they’re working on a certain project that they’ve shared, then you can comment on that project specifically.

Tracey Beveridge , HR Director, Personnel Checks

If you plan on working for a start-up, a scale-up, or a rapidly growing organization, I strongly recommend looking at Crunchbase to see their financial history. A great many privately owned companies survive almost entirely on venture capital, and the availability of this capital is paramount to their continued existence. 

Crunchbase outlines a company’s investment history, providing powerful insight into where the money is coming from. Consequently, when applying for jobs, it’s always worth keeping an eye on how much funding they have received, and for two reasons. Free-flowing funding means that salaries are likely to be paid as promised, as they are unlikely to run into financial problems in the short term. But also, if venture capital firms are interested in investing, this suggests the organization has something special going on, which is a positive sign.

Oliver Savill , CEO and Founder, AssessmentDay

One strategy I highly recommend for thoroughly researching a company before an interview is to leverage informational interviews with current or former employees. While online resources provide valuable information, speaking directly with individuals who have firsthand experience with the company can offer unique insights and perspectives.

Start by reaching out to your professional network or utilizing platforms like LinkedIn to identify individuals who currently work at or have previously worked for the company. Politely request a brief informational interview where you can ask questions about their experiences, company culture, values, and any other relevant aspects.

During the informational interview, focus on open-ended questions that encourage detailed responses. Inquire about the company’s mission, recent projects or initiatives, workplace environment, team dynamics, and growth opportunities. Additionally, ask about challenges they’ve faced and how the company addresses them, as well as any advice they have for potential candidates.

Listening attentively to their responses can provide valuable insights beyond what you might find in official company materials. Pay attention to recurring themes or sentiments, which can help you better understand the company’s culture and values.

After the informational interview, take notes and reflect on the information gathered. Compare it with other research sources, such as the company’s website, news articles, and employee reviews, to gain a comprehensive understanding.

Daniel Jorge , Senior Consultant, EC1 Partners

At the end of the day, companies are made up of people. It’s super important before an interview to do research about the people you’ll be speaking with. Just five minutes of Googling can do a lot… Look at their LinkedIn page (maybe you have connections or education in common) and find something interesting to discuss.

I’ve interviewed hundreds of people, and many don’t even look at our company website before speaking with us. Those that do just a little bit of research about the company and me really stand out and show they go the extra mile!

Corey Schwitz , CEO & Founder, On-Demand Salesforce, Hubspot and Revenue Ops Customization, Skydog Ops

A unique strategy for researching a company thoroughly before an interview is to study its digital footprint beyond the traditional scope of its official website and social media profiles. This involves a deep dive into various online platforms and resources where the company’s indirect presence can provide insightful context about its culture, reputation, and operational nuances. Here’s how to approach this:

Participate in or review discussions on industry-specific forums and online communities related to the company’s field. These platforms can offer unfiltered insights into the company’s reputation within the industry, emerging challenges it might be facing, and the innovations it’s known for.

Websites like Trustpilot, Yelp, or even product review sections on e-commerce platforms can provide a wealth of information about the company’s products or services, customer satisfaction levels, and how the company handles complaints or feedback. This research can explain the company’s customer service ethos and product quality.

Companies in regulated industries (finance, healthcare, etc.) should check reports and filings with regulatory bodies. These documents can shed light on the company’s compliance history, financial health, and any regulatory challenges it may have faced. This information can be particularly insightful for understanding the company’s operational rigor and market standing.

Vaibhav Kakkar , CEO, Digital Web Solutions

Before your interview, check the company’s website to learn about what it values and who leads it. Look at reports and financial statements for information on its finances and performance. Check news and social media for recent projects and how the company is perceived publicly. Read what employees say on sites like Glassdoor to understand how people feel about working there. 

Also, check LinkedIn for key people and connect with current or past employees if possible. This will give you a good understanding of the company, and during the interview, you can show that you know about its goals and values.

Eva Toledo , Senior Researcher, Kepler Search Pte Ltd

I would highly recommend using Glassdoor or any other tool that will provide candid feedback about an organization. While organizations can pay to try to have bad reviews removed, the on-the-ground feedback and how an organization responds can show a lot.

In my consulting practice, I was burned by this previously. A client that I was going to work for had really bad reviews about the culture, the owner, and red flags that would have been a tip-off of things to come. However, I ignored the data in front of me. They turned out to be very much like the reviews, and I should have heeded the warnings. I ended up leaving the client after about six months.

Ben Madden , Owner, HR Action LLC

I highly recommend utilizing the company’s official channels, particularly its website and published materials. Start by reviewing the About Us, Mission Statement, and Values sections to grasp the organization’s foundational principles and culture. Examine annual reports and financial statements for insights into the company’s financial health and performance. 

Additionally, explore recent news articles, press releases, and social media profiles to understand current developments and employee interactions. Leveraging employee review platforms like Glassdoor can provide valuable perspectives on the work environment. Connecting with current or former employees on platforms like LinkedIn can offer firsthand insights. 

This comprehensive approach ensures that candidates not only understand the business’s objectives and financial standing but also its culture and employee experiences, facilitating a more informed and tailored interview preparation.

Steven Mostyn , Chief Human Resources Officer, Management.org

The most important thing is to read between the lines on a company’s website and public communications to figure out what they really care about. Study their About page, press releases, leadership bios, and so on. Look for signs that they value innovation, people, or social responsibility in a way that appeals to you. Understanding what motivates a company will help the conversation flow better in interviews, beyond just your qualifications.

Additionally, check out news articles and reviews to get balanced inside perspectives from employees. Approach learning about a company as an interesting research project where no detail is too small. Doing this groundwork will allow you to assess if it’s a good fit, align values, and show how you can contribute.

I’ll admit I didn’t always do enough research early on and stumbled in interviews. But being your real self, focused on helping people more than profits, makes connections that the right organization will recognize.

Lou Reverchuk , Co-founder and CEO, EchoGlobal

One very effective tactic when researching the company you are about to interview with is not only studying the company’s history, products, services, and culture but also the company’s competitors to get a broader view of the industry and how the company stands against those competitors.

You can find company intelligence in industry reports, news articles, or in financial statements. This can help you to understand the competitive dynamics, current market trends, or present challenges. A good way to impress the interviewer can be to refer to their competitors and how they might be able to take account of this in the job you are applying for. It would show that you can think strategically and that you tend to be proactive.

An interviewer may ask you to describe some ways you might contribute to the company if you got hired. It’s a way of asking, “What can you do for us?” It can also be a way to determine your motivation and commitment to the company. Answering this question can help build your credibility and show the interviewer that you are excited to help the company grow. Some possible ways you might be able to contribute to the company that you’re interviewing for include bringing in new trends, being knowledgeable about the company, and being innovative.

Blake Smith , Marketing Manager, ClockOn

LinkedIn provides a wealth of information about companies, including their mission, values, products or services, and recent news or updates. Additionally, you can explore the company’s culture page on LinkedIn, which often includes employee testimonials and insights into the work environment. 

Another valuable aspect of LinkedIn is the opportunity to leverage your professional network. If you know anyone, past or present, who has worked at the company, you can reach out to them for insights or information. 

Connecting with current or former employees can provide you with firsthand perspectives on the company’s culture, work environment, and overall experience. They may be able to share valuable insights that go beyond what you can find through public sources. This knowledge will help you prepare for your interview and demonstrate your genuine interest in the company.

Heidi Hauver , Chief People Officer

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How to Nail your next Technical Interview

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The Complete Guide to Researching a Company Before an Interview

Last updated by Ashwin Ramachandran on Apr 01, 2024 at 01:15 PM | Reading time: 20 minutes

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

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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.

The Ultimate Guide to Researching a Company Pre-Interview

You know that weird feeling between excitement and dread that accompanies an invitation to interview? It’s especially strong when you know next to nothing about your potential workplace.

But, even if the first time you’ve ever heard of the company you’re interviewing with was the day you sent in your application, you can still walk in like you’ve known about the place for years. Here are several ways to tackle researching the company pre-interview.

1. Know the Company’s Strong Suits

The best way to convince your interviewer that you know the company well is to be able to articulate what makes it special compared to competitors. The good news? Companies will often tell you the answer to this question right on their websites.

One way companies share how they stand out is through their mission or values, which are typically prominently displayed in the “About Us” section. Read closely to learn what might be different about this organization than others. For instance, if you’re interviewing with a marketing agency, “commitment to client service” is probably something that its competitors boast, too, but if one of its other core values is sustainability , that’s good to know.

Review this along with any other “basics” you should be familiar with prior to the interview—like company size, location, and history. You don’t want to be that person who asks a question that can easily be answered by checking out the website.

2. Sniff Out the Financial Health

While you’re on the website, click on the “Investor Relations” tab. For most large companies, you should be able to access and listen to a publicly available quarterly earnings conference call and read an annual report. These calls and reports cover a range of topics (that are often otherwise hard to find), including new products, company risks, and whether revenues are growing or stable. If you’re interviewing with a startup, check out its profile on Crunchbase . Here, you can get caught up on rounds of funding, acquisitions, recent hires, and relevant press coverage.

Once you have this information, it’s up to you to draw your own conclusions. While you don’t necessarily want to spout off stock prices or funding history, being able to speak insightfully about where you think the company will go in the future, backed up with facts, is hugely impressive in an interview.

3. Watch Community Interaction

Somewhere along the application process, someone you’re interviewing with has likely Googled you and scoured your social media accounts . You should return the favor by finding out what the company has been up to lately.

Aside from the news that comes up when you Google the company (which you should also read), corporate blogs are gold mines, especially for younger companies that are growing. Whether it’s a post welcoming new staffers to the sales team or detailing new features of a recent software update, this is the kind of stuff you should know about.

LinkedIn is also a good tool for learning about what kind of news the company communicates—and therefore wants you to know. Check the company page on LinkedIn and see what kind of updates are featured. Is there a promotion for Mother’s Day, or a statement on how the sales team exceeded earning expectations? Either way, this will show you what types of things to bring up in conversation. (Oh, and while you’re on LinkedIn, check out the profiles of the people you’ll be interviewing with. Make sure you have your profile set so that they can see that you’ve viewed their profiles. This might seem counterintuitive, but it actually shows that you care and are doing your due diligence before the interview.)

Lastly, check out the company’s Twitter and Facebook profiles. Is the tone professional or casual? Is it nonstop promotion with zero interaction? Is the team responsive to complaints? Tuck away positive news and examples you encounter during your research to use in the interview.

4. Go Undercover to Learn Company Culture

You may be able to glean a bit about corporate culture through a company’s blog and social media accounts, but to really build on that information, try looking for information from external sources.

For example, head over to the company profiles on The Muse , where you can watch interviews with current employees and hear what makes each workplace so different. Or, see what positive and negative things people have to say about the company you’re interviewing with on Glassdoor. (You can also sniff out sample interview questions— here’s how .) You won’t bring up all this information during the interview, but it will at least help you come up with reasons why the company is special and help you to know what topics to avoid during the interview. (For example, maybe work-life balance is a touchy subject and should be brought up after you get the offer.)

Better yet, try to find a past or current employee you can speak with, and try to build on what you already know. You can ask something like, “I understand the company is working on growing its presence in Asia—can you tell me more about how this initiative is impacting the team?” This will both impress and grow what you know about your potential employer. (For more on acing your informational interview, try these tips .)

5. Read Up on the Field and Competitors

Aside from knowing as much as possible about the place you’re interviewing with, it’s a good idea to be able to talk about the industry as a whole and even more impressive to be able to talk about competitors and how the company fits into the bigger picture.

Look up competitors by going to the LinkedIn company page and scrolling down to the “Other Companies People Viewed” section. There should be a few competitors there. Do the same thing with the competitors you find until you have a pretty good sense of who the big players in the field are. (Or, if the company has a Crunchbase page, you should be able to find a list of competitors on its profile.)

Follow the same research steps you did for the company you’re interviewing for, but focus only on those things that are relevant to your interview. Think big picture, not minute details on specific projects. Is a competitor actively acquiring startups that target a different market? Or maybe new collaborations indicate a possible shift in audience for a big competitor.

After all this research, you’ll probably be wondering, “So, what do I do with all this information?” Remember that your objective is to be convincing when you say, “I want to work at your company.” Back this up by being able to talk about what makes the company unique, and express your enthusiasm by showing off your knowledge. Work in examples of what you know in your interview answers, and watch your interviewers nod in approval. After all, few things are as effective in an interview as knowing exactly what you’re talking about.

• Apr 7, 2022
• 10 min read

How to Research a Company Before an Interview: Step-by-Step

Unsure where to start with your company research? Follow these steps and land the job.

Nikki Vivian

Careers Coach and Writer

Reviewed by Hayley Ramsey

Researching a company before an interview is a crucial part of the interview process and can be the difference between landing a job and remaining a jobseeker. A job isn’t just about the role itself. The company you work for has an important part to play in whether you feel happy in your job and how you are expected to work. The same role in two different companies can vary hugely in terms of how the role is structured, the office culture, working hours, mission and ethos.

The way an organization works and what they stand for is what sets them apart and it’s vital that you prepare before an interview by researching a company, so you can better understand their employee requirements and whether it will be a suitable role for you personally.

In this article, we’ll cover why you should research a company, what to look for, and how to research a company properly before an interview.

Why you should research a company

There are several reasons why researching a company before an interview will be beneficial. Job searching can be tedious, so the first thing you should consider when preparing for an interview is the ethos and culture of an organization. This will have a big impact on your job search in general, as it’s important to determine whether you will be a good fit and will save you wasting time applying for jobs that aren’t right.

Researching a company will allow you to see whether you feel aligned with their values. This is important for you to feel motivated and passionate about your job. It will also allow you to be sure that the company culture is suited to you, as the last thing you want to do is make a mistake in your job search and end up in a job that makes you miserable.

Secondly, researching the company is the first level of interview preparation you should be doing. In order to tailor your résumé correctly, you need to understand what the company is looking for in a candidate. In your cover letter , résumé, and job application letter , you need to be showing the recruiter what you can offer the organization, and in order to do this, you need to know what they value.

Leading on from this, at the interview stage, there is a high chance you will be asked about your knowledge of the company. This might be directly through questions like: “What do you know about [company name]?”, or more subtly through questions, such as, “Why do you think you will be a good fit for [company name]?”

To answer these questions well, you need to be able to tailor your experience to the needs of the company you are interviewing for, and you’ll only be able to do this effectively by researching their policies, values and aims beforehand.

What to look for

When conducting your research, there are some important things you need to look for in order to determine whether the company is for you and to gather all the information you need for your interview.

• Company reputation : Check customer and employee reviews online to determine the overall opinion of the company and whether people enjoy working there.
• Company values : What the company stands for and their values is important. Each company should have a mission statement, which will explain their main purpose.
• Company culture : Make sure you are aligned with company culture and working conditions, because this is going to have a big impact on whether you are happy in the role.
• Pay and benefits : If this isn’t clear from the role you’re applying for, check out other job descriptions, job ads and employee reviews to get a better understanding of the pay range.
• Opportunities for growth and promotion : If professional growth is important to you, do your research to ensure that the company supports employee development.

How to research a company

Now that you are clear on what you need to find out about a company and why it’s important, let’s go through some top tips on how to conduct your research.

Step 1: Check the company website

This is the first place to start your research. The company website will give you the best idea of how the company wants to portray themselves and what their aims are as a brand. Head to the “about” section to understand the roots of the organization, their values, and overall aims.

You should be able to find a mission statement that will help you to understand everything the company stands for, and overall, you will get a feel for company culture . You can check for things like whether the company has a focus on work-life balance and wellbeing, whether they are hot on developing employees, and whether they pay competitive salaries, for example.

The company website is also the best place to learn about the company’s products and services, which is essential reading to make sure you know exactly what the company does and offers for their clients.

Step 2: Read the news

If the company website has a press page, start there. You can also use Google news to see if the company has appeared in the news recently. This will allow you to find out more about positive and negative aspects, as well as knowing about any awards and accolades they may have gained. You can set up Google alerts to notify you if the company is mentioned in the press or any news sites.

Taking this approach will give you more knowledge than simply reading the company website. It might also give you the edge in an interview if you can relate your answer to a recent event or news coverage about the company.

Step 3: Check out company review sites

Review sites give an excellent independent view from consumers on what they think of the company. You can also check out employee review sites to find out what employees think. This will help you see if there are any red flags and will give you an insight into whether the company is fulfilling its mission and promises.

Step 4: Review the company’s social media accounts

Social media is a great place to find out about news items and public opinion. It is also excellent for understanding the company from a more personal, intimate point of view.

While websites can be very official, social media is far more relaxed, and is likely to give you insights into work culture, accounts from employees, and even photos and details of events and team outings. You’ll also be able to see how the company interacts with customers through their comments and “stories”.

It’s a good time to note that if you’re still trying to get interviews, then searching for jobs on social media is also worth considering.

Step 5: Research employees on LinkedIn

LinkedIn will allow you to search for the company and profiles of the people who work there. Looking at people in similar roles (or better yet, the role you’re applying for) will give you insights into their background and what the organization may be looking for. You can also see how long they stay with the organization, how quickly they progress and a trend in the type of person the company hires.

You can even use LinkedIn to find a job and make connections in companies you’re interested in, which makes it a brilliant job search tool to consider, along with the other job search apps available out there. Remember to make sure you have a professional LinkedIn profile if you decide to go down this route.

Step 6: Research the hiring manager

LinkedIn will also give you a good opportunity to research the hiring manager. Knowing a bit more about the person interviewing you could be an advantage. You may find something you have in common that you can bring up in your interview, or at least get an idea of their background within the company and beyond.

Connecting with the hiring manager will also give you an opportunity to ask any questions you may have and allows you to follow up after your interview .

Step 7: Check out their competitors

Research competitors in the same way that you research the company you’re applying for. Being able to show your knowledge of competitors and the industry as a whole, including similarities and differences, will impress the interviewer.

If you’re unsure which companies are competitors, you can use websites like Ahrefs or Semrush , where you can type in the organization in question and it will show you their competitors based on keyword use.

Step 8: Tap into your connections

Do you know people who work for the company you’re interviewing for? Do you know anyone who has worked there previously? Or even someone who has done business with them? Networking has many benefits , and your existing connections are useful for finding out things about the organization from all sorts of perspectives. You may even know someone who knows someone who can help you by making an introduction.

Step 9: Contact a current employee

You may have identified a current employee that you can contact via your connections. If not, LinkedIn is the best place to make inroads. Invite current company employees to connect, or ask a mutual connection for an introduction. This will give you the opportunity to ask questions, or to meet the people in the right places, prior to attending your interview.

Step 10: Ask your recruitment consultant

If you are applying via a recruitment agency, information about a company can be scarce. Often the name of the company isn’t even released. This makes research difficult, but don’t give up. Be one step ahead of other applicants who simply don’t know and ask your recruitment consultant for details .

If they don’t tell you the name of the organization, they will be able to give you clues as to who they are, what they do, and what they stand for, as well as what you need to know about pay and benefits.

Final thoughts

Being prepared for your interview goes a long way and researching the company you’re applying to is key to this. Really understanding the company, including their values and work culture as well as their products and services mean you can tailor your answers to what they are looking for and demonstrate your knowledge of the company. Go one step further and dig deep for news items and snippets on social media that tell a story of their achievements and future plans.

Research on a company will also allow you to decide whether they are for you. How much you enjoy a job will be impacted by the company and whether you align with their values, opportunities and working conditions.

And there you have it. Now you know how to research a company before an interview!

What did you find out about the company you researched for an interview? Did it help you in the interview itself? Let us know what happened in the comments. We’re dying to know!

This is an updated version of an article originally published on 31 October 2017.

Company Culture

Interview Preparation

Finding a Job

5 Reasons Researching an Employer Before an Interview is a Good Idea

By TERRA Staffing Group

Posted on April 14, 2021

Job interviews can be intimidating. The good news, however, is that there are a variety of ways for you to prepare for your interview and calm those nerves. 

One quick and easy thing you can do? Research. 

Doing a little research prior to your interview can not only help lower your stress, but arm you with the knowledge you need for a successful interview.

Here’s how researching an employer can help:

• It demonstrates your interest in the job.
• You will learn about the company’s culture, mission and values.
• You will be able to better align yourself to the company.
• It will help you craft meaningful questions.
• It will allow you to determine if the company is the right fit for you .

If you’re still not convinced, don’t worry. We’re going to break things down for you and provide specific examples and research tip to make sure you are well prepared for your interview. 

5 reasons you should research a company before your interview:

To demonstrate your interest in the job..

Never plan to go into an interview and “wing it” – especially if you want it to go well. After all, employers are unimpressed by job seekers who don’t know anything about the job they are applying for, or the company itself.

Researching an employer beforehand allows you to LEARN. You’ll learn valuable information about their business, their clients and the industry in general.

The knowledge you gain will, in turn, increase your comfort level and confidence during the interview. It will become apparent to the interviewer that you did your homework. Particularly when you are able to have an actual conversation with them about the job and the business.

Not sure where to start? 

Consider researching the following before your interview: 

• How long has the company been in business? 
• What products and services do they offer?
• Who is the CEO?
• What’s the company’s mission?
• Are there any recent news or updates about this company? 

Simply put, doing research before your interview will demonstrate your seriousness about a position. And it will go a long way in making a good impression.

Show them that you want the job. Take the time to investigate.

To learn about the company’s culture, mission and values.

It’s important to look beyond what a company does. And researching an employer before an interview enables you to do just that.

How? It allows you to view them with a wider lens.

After all, a business is more than just the services they offer or the products they manufacture. A business is also a brand, a culture, an environment.

Knowing what a company’s mission statement is and what they value will help you uncover a deeper layer to the business. You’ll gain insight regarding what the employer cares about, what they prioritize and it will ultimately help you discover who they really are.

You’ll now have a bigger, more clear picture of the business. Not to mention a better understanding of what the company prioritizes — and even what it might be like to work there. 

If you don’t do your research, you’ll have a limited view of the organization. This could be a problem for you later on, especially if you find that the company is not the right fit for you. 

Investing a little time in researching an employer will help you both learn more and make a more informed decision later on.

To better align yourself with the company.

Your main goal in an interview is to show the employer that you are the right person for the job. Since you’ve already learned what the company does and what they care about, you can now market yourself to them in a way that makes sense to their business.  

Take note of any words you find repeated through your research and – when appropriate – incorporate them in the experiences you share. 

For instance, if the company values accountability, share experiences where you demonstrated accountability. Maybe you consistently hit all of your assigned responsibilities before their deadlines. Or maybe you led a team to reach a large goal.

Aligning your skills and experience to a company in this way, will show that you not only understand what’s important to the company, but that you’d be a great fit to their company culture. The hiring manager will have no trouble envisioning you on the team.

To help craft meaningful questions.

It’s important to have questions ready to ask at the end of your interview. It shows you have prepared and have familiarized yourself with the company and what they care about.

And it has the potential to make a great impression on your interviewer.

But you don’t want to ask questions that don’t add value – or that you could have easily found the answer to by researching an employer beforehand.

Avoid obvious questions such as:

• What does the company do?
• How long have you been in business?
• Who are your competitors?
• What is the company’s mission and values? 

These questions are guaranteed to make you seem lazy or uninterested in the position. You most likely would have found answers by doing some investigating. 

Demonstrate that you did your homework by using your knowledge to ask more insightful questions. 

Ask thoughtful questions such as:

• I saw on the company website that X is one of the core values of the business. How would you say this position demonstrates that value?
• I know that the company’s overall mission is X. But can you share some of the company’s short and long-term goals with me? What part would I play in helping the business achieve those goals?
• I see that X is important to your company. How would you say that team leaders set employees up for success in that area? 
• I know the company has a strong culture of X. How do you feel your team exemplifies that culture?

This will show your interviewer you’re eager to be an asset to the business. And, as an added bonus, you’ll discover if their business goals align with your professional goals. 

To determine if it’s the right fit for you.

The average person spends about 90,000 hours at work in their lifetime. 

Now, imagine you hate your job. How many hours of your life will you spend dreading going to work? That’s why researching an employer is so critical. 

Before you begin your research, however, you first need to determine what’s important to you in the workplace. Is it professional growth? Healthy work/life balance? Quality training and development? 

Once you know that, there are several resources you can utilize to investigate a potential employer. Sites like Glassdoor , for example, where you can find feedback from current and former employees about the work environment and company culture.

You can also look into company reviews, customer reviews, and charities and organizations they support. 

Sites like Google and Yelp might give you some general  information on what people think of an organization. You might also find employee and client ratings through more specialized sites like ClearlyRated.  

Getting insight on how people feel about a company and how they present themselves to the world can help you decide if it’s somewhere you actually want to spend one-third of your life.

As you can see, doing research on the company you’re going to be interviewing with can only help you. And it’s also worth mentioning: interviewers can tell if you’ve prepared for the interview or not. 

Invest in your future and do your homework.  Researching an employer before your interview will set you apart from other applicants, increase your confidence and help set you up for success. 

How TERRA Can Help

If you are interested in more interview tips, check out our blog . We have some great articles designed specifically to help job seekers thrive.

Here are some helpful job seeker articles we have available to help you prepare for a successful job interview: 

• How to Prepare for a Virtual Job Interview
• 5 Quick Tips to Make a Good First Impression at Your Next Interview
• Questions You Can Ask to Nail Your Interview

And if you are interested in getting help with your job search, don’t forget that a staffing agency is a great resource. Recruiters want you to be successful and often provide additional support, including interview prep.

Looking for work in the  Seattle-Puget Sound , Portland , Phoenix and Denver metro areas? Consider partnering with TERRA Staffing Group. We’d love to help you find the right fit.

(Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in January 2020 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.)

Categories: Career Tips

Tags: interview tips , job seeker advice , reasons to research an employer , researching an employer

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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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10-15-2022 CAREER EVOLUTION

7 things you need to research about a company before an interview

These are the topics that matter most and how to study up.

[Photo: Drazen_/Getty Images]

BY  CareerBuilder 3 minute read

When you’re searching for a new job, practicing answers to common interview questions is a good idea. That said, it will also help you to research the company. Employers like applicants who are familiar with their business and identify with their core values. With so much information out there, it can be tough to figure out what’s relevant. Take a look at some of the best points to research before you walk into your next job interview.

WHO IS CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW?

It’s likely the interviewer  will look up your name  and social media accounts online, so why not find out who is conducting the interview? A little background research on the person’s name might reveal some shared beliefs or accomplishments. It may also give a hint as to the person’s interests as a hiring manager and what sort of questions they’ll ask in an interview. If you were told that anyone else might be interviewing you as well, be sure to look up any names given.

WHAT ARE THE COMPANY’S VALUES?

A manager will be more interested in hiring you if you show an authentic interest in their industry or job. You can look up a company’s website and general social media to get a pretty quick idea of what they do, how they do it, and why it matters to them. When you express these principles in your interview answers, it will show you are much more than just someone looking for a job.

Values are often deeply personal and can’t be taught, so they point to the core of who you are and what you have to offer. Employers who meet you and see that your values match the company will be more likely to choose you. What’s more, researching companies in this way can help you find the real best place to work for you, at companies whose style of business and objectives most appeal to you.

WHAT SKILLS DO THEY VALUE MOST?

When you upload a resume to a job-hunting portal and look at job descriptions, much of the information you need for this question will be written there. If you know any current employees working at the same company, they can help guide you. For instance, in an office going through a remote work shift, the managers might value new employees who are  tech-savvy and flexible  with work hours.

WHAT CLIENTS OR CUSTOMERS DO THEY SERVE?

Every company has a unique client base. Showing you understand the needs and desires of those people will go a long way. Expressing customer knowledge is an effective,  creative way to get noticed by an employer . Case studies and white papers released by the business can help showcase customer service situations they are proud of, and company websites often have a testimonial page full of stories about why customers prefer them.

WHAT NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE GOING ON?

If the industry, or the specific company, is going through a shift, there might be some media online that can get you up to speed. This information can be great going into an interview. For example, a company launching a new line of products might appreciate someone who knows about it and has insights related to how well those have performed.

WHO ARE THE MAIN COMPETITORS?

Tools like Amazon Alexa,  Ahrefs , and  similarweb  offer data on the biggest competitors to a business online. Once you’ve identified the key competitors, you can compare their websites and other branding. When you get asked why you want to work with a certain company over competitors, being able to give examples that demonstrate research will create a very good impression.

WHO ARE THE COMPANY LEADERS?

During a search through news outlets like Google News, you might find interviews with key leaders in the company, giving you their own words about what the company wants most. If you know who some of the key figures are at the company’s top level, the hiring manager might not just pick you for the job, but also set up an introduction down the line.

Between the job posting and company website, social media, company review sites, and news sites relevant to the industry, you’ll be able to find answers to all of the questions above. Knowing how to prepare for an interview is as much of a skill as staying cool during one, so use the power of social media and the internet to apply to awesome companies that share your biggest values.

This article originally appeared on CareerBuilder and is reprinted with permission.

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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.

• Find a company

Beyond the basics: advanced strategies for researching a company before an interview

Mar 29, 2023 - updated Jul 08, 2024

US Editor at Welcome to the Jungle

Have you ever drawn a blank when asked a question about the company you’re interviewing for? Embarrassing, right? Employers favor applicants who are familiar with their business, and if you fumble over a basic question like, “Why do you want to work here?” you’ll likely be out of consideration. According to an American Staffing Association survey , only 73% of women and 66% of men agree that researching the company before an interview is essential. In such a competitive labor market, job hunters can’t afford to skip this step.

To help you prepare, human resource professional Natalyn McCants shares her expert advice on what to research, where to find information, and how to use it during your interview. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your career , these interview prep strategies are sure to help you make a lasting impression .

How to research a company for an interview

McCants first points out that the more senior the role , the more information she expects the candidate to know. But no matter the level of seniority, here’s where you should start.

The About Us page

The About Us page is the gateway to the company’s DNA. It has all the information about the company, McCants explains. It will have its history and story, which McCants says is important to know. “You want to learn as much as possible about the organization,” she says, and the About Us page will have it all. So go ahead and learn as much as possible from this page.

However, two sections are particularly important, adds McCants: the company’s mission and values . According to a 2022 Qualtrics study, 72% of workers feel personal accomplishment at work when they align with their company’s mission, vision, and values, and 70% are likely to recommend their employer as a great place to work.

Company mission

Effective mission statements summarize and convey the company’s goals and what it represents. It not only tells the world what the company is about, but it’s also a tool the company can use to recruit the right type of candidates . For McCants, finding alignment with yourself and the mission statement is important. Mission statements can distinguish where the company plans to go in the future, and the more their future goals align with yours, the better. McCants also notes that it’s crucial to show this alignment during the interview .

Company values

Ensuring that the company’s values align with your personal values is key, according to McCants. This creates increased synergy between you and the company leading to a better work relationship. “For example, if work-life balance is important in your life, then you don’t want to apply for a company where balance isn’t something they value or provide employees with,” McCants explains. You want a company that allows you to achieve your goals , she adds. Create, practice, and deliver a pitch explaining this connection for the interview.

Of course, it’s not entirely possible to understand the ins and outs of a company’s mission and values just by looking at its website. However, taking note of how they phrase things and how they talk about their workforce can give you some insights. Keep an eye out for these keywords throughout the company website.

Beyond the website

Want to impress the recruiter with more than what’s shared on the website? There’s a whole digital world out there, which means there are a whole lot of resources for you to check out before your interview.

Financial statements

Financial statements are written records illustrating a company’s business activities and financial performance. Some companies make them public, and some don’t. But make sure you check and study up if they’re available, McCants encourages. “I would be impressed if they had looked into the company’s financials,” she adds. “Especially for a more senior role or a position close to business operations.”

Find out where the business is now, and work it into your conversation. To get really specific, McCants recommends going deeper. If the company is publicly traded, the SEC’s EDGAR database provides free public access to corporate financial information and operations.

Latest news and events

Find out what new developments are happening in the company. Most companies have a page on their website dedicated to press releases and events. However, McCants suggests doing your own digging on Google. “If the industry or company is going through a shift, it’s essential to know,” she recommends. Take a look at what they’ve posted on social media lately, especially news and announcements that you can work into your conversation with the interviewer. “You want to learn as much as possible about the organization,” she adds.

Look at the department and role

Depending on the role you’re interviewing for, you should look up past initiatives. For example, “for a marketing position , you want to be aware of what they’ve done in the past, what they missed, and what [you] can bring to the team,” explains McCants. Look at what skills they value most and what skills they’re missing. “Show them what experience you can bring to the table,” she adds. Try to find information relevant to the role you’re applying for, find where they are trying to go, and tell them how you can contribute to the team’s future, McCants recommends.

Customer and employee reviews

Social media platforms and sites like Glassdoor are good ways to discover how the company is perceived from the outside and inside. “This is important for people in marketing or HR roles, as they need insight into this data,” McCants suggests. Look at the feedback, find solutions, and use it in your interview strategy and when preparing your answers.

When it comes to social media, looking at the comments section can be useful, but proceed with caution—disgruntled ex-employees or internet trolls are never far!

Is it stalking or just interview prep?

When it comes to researching the person interviewing you, “I always do,” says McCants. Some interviewers care, while others don’t. “We’re all different people,” she adds. “I personally look people up on LinkedIn where they can’t see me.” You can adjust your LinkedIn settings to browse profiles in private or semi-private mode.

Looking up the interviewer’s profile isn’t about being nosy; you’re learning about their interests. But most importantly, McCants says, you’re looking for similarities between you and the interviewer. “Maybe you like the same sports team, worked at the same company, or went to the same school, anything that might connect the two of you.” You can bring it up during the early introductions, McCants recommends. You want to relate to them, build connections and make yourself memorable. Don’t forget to ask the recruiter who you will speak with for the following interview. “Usually, the recruiter will give you that information,” McCants says.

How to prove you’ve done your research

McCants doesn’t quiz her candidates on company information. She expects the candidate to show their knowledge when answering scenario-based questions.

Slide it into the conversation

“It’s important to be consistent and not sound pompous when answering these questions,” she adds. To know the best time and information to slide into the discussion, you really need to know your facts before the interview. “Catch the opportunity and say it,” she adds. “But this is only possible with the right preparation.” McCants advises against giving their website a quick skim, but rather immersing yourself in their world until you’re comfortably familiar. The more you know, the more opportunities you’ll have to slip your knowledge into conversation.

Showing your values align

When the interviewer asks you a scenario-based question like, “Tell me about a time when X, Y, Z,” McCants says. “You should have a story prepared using the wording in their values.” For example, if teamwork is important to the company, ensure your story shows you’re a team player. This displays, without directly saying, that you have similar values to the company .

Showing you know the business and financials

It can be as simple as congratulating the interviewer on a publicly shared achievement. Or, if the company is a startup , and they have achieved Unicorn status, bring that into the conversation, McCants adds. She gives an example: “If you’re discussing navigating the chaotic startup environment, but you researched that a large company recently acquired them, you can mention how this acquisition benefits them. Then congratulate them.”

How can you tell if your research served you?

Do you want to know if your approach was the right one? Just ask! Recruiters want you to succeed, and they can be valuable resources. Ask the recruiters if they have any additional information and tips, McCants recommends. “They don’t always offer the information, but I have never had a negative response. It’s a smart tactic,” she adds.

McCants always asks for feedback after an interview. However, the feedback will only be useful if you apply it to your future strategies. Early in her career , McCants received input to learn more about the organization, which she had done but hadn’t presented correctly. Now she’s an expert in weaving information into conversations seamlessly!

Remember, you’re only human

Another piece of advice McCants received after an interview was to be more human. “They told me my interview was textbook, but when I asked for feedback, the recruiter hadn’t seen my personality until the last question.” You want to be able to connect with them and be memorable, so if you sound like a robot just reciting their website, the recruiter can’t see who you truly are as a candidate. She adds, “There’s that additional feeling you get when you’re having a real conversation, so make sure you keep your personality in your answers.”

Photo: Welcome to the Jungle

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How to Research a Company for an Interview: A 10-Step Guide

• August 16, 2024
• In Interviewing

Researching a company before an interview is a vital step in preparing for a successful conversation. This 10-step guide will equip you with the tools needed to impress your interviewers and assess if the company aligns with your career goals.

How to research a company for an interview

Preparing for a job interview involves more than just updating your resume and rehearsing answers. Researching the company you’re interviewing with is crucial for leaving a lasting impression and demonstrating your genuine interest in the position. Here’s a 10-step guide to effectively research a company before your interview:

Step 1: Visit the company website

• Step 2: Explore social media

Step 3: Consult employee reviews

Step 4: analyze competitors, step 5: network for insider information, step 6: read industry publications, step 7: understand the company culture, step 8: prepare thoughtful questions, step 9: know your interviewers, step 10: review relevant case studies or projects.

• Mission and values: Get to know the company’s mission statement and core values. This helps you align your responses with what drives the organization.
• Products and services : Understand the company’s offerings so you can discuss how your skills and experiences can contribute to their success.
• Recent news : Look for updates or press releases to get insights into new initiatives or changes within the company.

Step 2: Explore social media

• Company profiles : Check out the company’s social media accounts ( LinkedIn , X , Facebook ) to see how they present themselves and engage with their audience.
• Brand personality : Observe how the company interacts with followers to understand its brand personality and customer relations.
• Review sites : Use platforms like Glassdoor and Indeed to read employee reviews about the work environment, management style, and company culture.
• Interview insights : Look for sections discussing interview experiences to prepare for the types of questions you might face.
• Identify competitors : Recognize who the company’s competitors are to understand its market positioning.
• Industry trends : Familiarize yourself with current trends and challenges in the industry, as this knowledge can prove valuable during discussions.
• Reach out : Connect with current or former employees to gain firsthand insights about the company culture and interview processes.
• Informational interviews : Conduct informational interviews to gather in-depth knowledge about the organization and its dynamics.
• Trade journals : Explore industry-specific publications to understand broader market trends and the company’s role within them.
• News articles : Look for news articles that discuss the company and its competitors to gain context about its reputation and performance.
• Cultural fit : Research any content related to the company culture to determine if it aligns with your values and work style.
• Employee testimonials : Pay attention to employee testimonials and videos that showcase the workplace environment.
• Engagement during the interview : Craft questions that reflect your research. Asking about recent projects or initiatives shows you’re engaged and informed.
• Cultural inquiries : Ask about the company’s culture and values to ensure it’s a good fit for you.
• LinkedIn profiles : Research the backgrounds and experiences of your interviewers on LinkedIn to understand their roles better.
• Common interests : Identify shared interests or experiences that might serve as conversation starters during the interview.
• Case studies : Look for case studies or project outcomes related to the company. This can provide you with specific examples to discuss during the interview.
• Recent achievements : Familiarize yourself with any recent achievements or awards the company has received to highlight your awareness of their success.

Research a company for an interview FAQ

How can I learn about the company culture?

Consider effective ways to gauge this, such as looking at employee reviews on platforms like Glassdoor or Indeed, checking the company’s social media presence, or networking with current employees. This can help you assess whether the work environment aligns with your values and expectations.

What questions should I prepare to ask the Interviewer?

You might seek guidance on what questions to ask during the interview . It’s essential to ensure your questions reflect your research and demonstrate genuine interest in the company. Avoid basic questions that could indicate a lack of preparation, like asking what the company does.

How can I stay updated on the company’s recent developments?

You may want to know the best ways to keep up with the company’s latest news. Look for advice on following press releases, news articles, and the company’s social media channels. This knowledge can be crucial for discussing relevant topics during your interview.

What are some red flags to look for during research?

You might ask about potential warning signs that could indicate a negative work environment or company instability. Common red flags include high employee turnover rates, negative reviews, and frequent changes in leadership.

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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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What should you research before an interview?

Do you have a job interview coming up? Then you might already be rehearsing answers to potential interview questions . But did you know that researching the company you’re applying for work with is one of the best ways to stand out from other candidates during the recruitment process?

Research helps you learn about what the company does, what they look for in their employees and helps you be better prepared to answer questions. It’s also a great way to find out whether you’d be a good cultural match for the company and whether they’d be able to meet your own career and lifestyle needs. In a SEEK survey, 51% of Australians felt that the company they worked for didn’t align to their initial impressions, making the need for candid company research ever more necessary. Dean Davidson, Executive General Manager at Hudson Recruitment Australia advises to “research as much as you can about the organisation - its history, corporate culture, competitors, profitably and future plans, for example.” As you prepare for your upcoming interview, we’ve simplified this list to a few things to research about your potential new employer.

In a SEEK survey, 51% of Australians felt that the company they worked for didn’t align to their initial impressions, making the need for candid company research ever more necessary.

Dean Davidson, Executive General Manager at Hudson Recruitment Australia advises to “research as much as you can about the organisation - its history, corporate culture, competitors, profitably and future plans, for example.” As you prepare for your upcoming interview, we’ve simplified this list to a few things to research about your potential new employer.

• The company’s culture, mission and values. When candidates in our survey were asked what the most important factor was when choosing a company to work for, one in three people said work/life balance. Being equipped with the company’s views on things like flexible working hours and locations, as well as other cultural values such as their input to employee development can help you prepare your own questions at the end of the interview. An example of what to ask? “I read a review that your company runs a mentoring program - can you tell me more about this and the positive impact it has had on your employees,” is certainly a good place to start.   
• The company’s recent achievements and news.  More than half the Australian population visits the company’s website to find out more about them in the job seeking process. This is an effective tool especially when wanting to find out about the company’s recent involvement in industry events and the community, as well as achievements and other general news. Another great tip; search the company’s name in the “News” section of Google to find out information they may not be willing to self-publish. This will help give you a more balanced and realistic view of the company you may work for in the future.  
• Insider information such as remuneration, employee functions and the hiring process.  Don’t prejudge a company based on their popularity in the market. Often the smaller and lesser known companies are more inspiring places to work, because of the people who work there. Use SEEK’s company reviews to read honest reviews from past and present employees on the kind of topics you wouldn’t read elsewhere. You’ll find people sharing their thoughts and first-hand experiences from managerial styles to monetary bonuses. Davidson also says, “Make sure you know your interviewer’s full name and how to pronounce it, as well as their title.”

​Other important things to learn about a company include the skills and experience the company values in their employees, as well as their clients, products and services - so you can tailor your responses and questions accordingly.

Davidson reiterates, “It goes without saying that to be successful, you need to be prepared.” So gather your research, ask people their thoughts on working at the company, and use SEEK company reviews as your launching pad for employer exploration. This way, you’ll be best positioned to impress the company you’re keen to work for, and will know how to ensure the company impresses you! Jump onto SEEK company reviews, and read real reviews by real employees today .

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Researching a company before an interview

Find out if the company is the right fit for you.

Before an interview, or even before sending off an application, you should always ensure you research the company as thoroughly as possible. Not only will this increase your chances of getting hired, it can also help you to decide whether the company will be a good cultural fit for you.

Research the company

The company website is the best place to conduct your initial research, particularly the 'About Us' section. This should give you a good idea as to the size, scale and overall ethos of the organisation - how corporate, friendly, creative, or commercial it is.

The organisation's social media sites are another great way to see firstly, what they say about themselves, and secondly what others are saying about them!

Pay attention to the content and tone of their posts as this is another great indicator of the organisational culture.

Additionally, you may want to use sites like LinkedIn to find employees of the company and ask them about their experience. Remember – just because they love it, it doesn't mean you will. Work out what's important to you.

Utilise the knowledge of your recruitment agent/consultant

If you've applied for a job via an agency such as Reed, their experience working with the employer can really pay off. They'll have insight into the qualities hiring managers usually look for and the type of interview you can expect. You can also ask them about things like the office atmosphere and dress code to see if it really is the kind of place you can imagine yourself working. Your consultant is there to help you through the process, ask them as many questions as you like, they'll be happy to assist!

The interview: a two way-experience

People often forget, but your interview is just as much about you finding out about your potential employer as them finding out about you. In your interview, ask questions about the culture, the teams you'll be working with, and the values of the organisation as a whole.

While you're there, take a good look around if you can – see what other people are wearing, how they are interacting, and what the building is like.

The final question to ask yourself is: can you see yourself fitting in there?

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Why You Should Research a Company Before an Interview

• Interview Advice

One of the most important things you should do before going to an interview – or in some cases before you even fire off an application – is to research your prospective employer. Showing that you’ve done some research will go a long way towards proving that you’re enthusiastic about the role, and will also give you more to talk about during the interview. It will help you demonstrate how you match the organisation’s culture and values as well. Here are our tips on what you should know and where you should look for it. Employer information

Even before you start your application, have a look at the company’s website and make sure you have a basic understanding of:

• what the company does
• where it is located
• the company’s history and defining moments
• who its customers/clients are
• the areas and markets in which it operates
• how, where and why it is growing
• big news from the last year or two – products or services it has launched, how it has reacted to changing regulations and economic conditions, any mergers and acquisitions etc.
• if you have an interview, search the interviewers, it is good to get a basic understanding of who will be asking you questions and how long they have been in the company.

If you can’t find details of the last few on the company’s own website, a quick Google search should do the trick.

Once you’ve reached the interview stage, you’ll want to start delving deeper into the company’s core values. These will often be on its “About” page, though can also be commonly found by examining the phrasing in its mission statement.

What you’re looking for here is not the “what” of the company but the “how”. Are things such as equality or fair trade important to it? Does it run any charitable endeavours? How does the company like to see itself, and how is it viewed externally? Looking at recent news articles about the company will give you an outsider’s perspective and further insight.

Social media

Nine out of 10 employers will search for you on social media before you walk into an interview, so it seems only right for you to have a look at their profiles.

You can tell a lot from the way a company presents itself on social media. This is the face it shows the public, and will give you a great insight into how it wants to portray its brand. Is it formal or casual? Serious or jokey?

In addition to the company pages, you may want to look up your interviewer. LinkedIn is a great place to start, and you may be able to find some extra topics to discuss, such as shared interests or similar projects you’ve worked on. Competitors

During any job interview, you want to make it clear that you understand the specific niche that the company is trying to fill. That means also knowing who its direct competitors are. It’s easy to know what one company does, but being aware of the competition means that you can understand the sector as a whole.

Search for some of the key terms connected to the company. This can sometimes be as simple as looking for firms in the same city, but often requires a bit more digging. Were there any contracts the company lost out on? If so, who won them? Once you know who the competition is, you can make this a part of your answer to why you want to work for a specific company. What makes it different from the competition, and why do you want to help it become the best in the industry?

Use your connections

If you have a connection that can help you access inside information, use it. Do you know any current or former employees? Ask them what the company culture is like and how accurate the information on the company website is.

Job review websites

• Glassdoor gives you an inside look at company salaries, job reviews and interview questions for more than 250,000 companies.
• WikiJob  is a candidate-focused graduate recruitment website designed to help students and graduates alike find out what careers, employers and interviews are really like.
• TheJobCrowd  offers anonymous job reviews written by employees.

Related links

• Social Media: What Employers Like to Find on Your Profile
• Creating Rapport in an Interview
• So You Got an Interview – Now What?

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A product manager who switched from Snap to Meta walks through her interview practice, including her favorite question to ask the hiring manager

• Sarra Bounouh is a product manager at Meta. She previously worked at Microsoft and Accenture.
• For interviews, she emphasized the importance of mock interviews and role research.
• Bounouh advised preparing a list of questions to ask both leaders and hiring managers.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sarra Bounouh , a product manager in Meta's Seattle office. It has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified her employment history.

I grew up in Morocco and moved to France after completing high school.

I studied applied mathematics at university and had a couple of career options.

I decided to go into consulting because I wanted to explore different types of projects and different types of problems, work with different industries, and find out what I'm passionate about. I interned at Accenture and eventually converted to a full-time job.

Working on artificial intelligence projects built my interest in tech, and I started pursuing some courses after work. It was difficult to keep up with my consulting schedule, and I decided to go back to college to study computer science.

I moved to the US to pursue a master's from Texas A&M and landed a product manager role at Microsoft after graduating in 2020.

I worked at Microsoft for about three years, before moving to Snap. I made the switch from Snap to Meta earlier this year.

Product manager applications typically involve between five to eight rounds of interviews and include a mix of technical and behavioral sessions.

Here are four ways I prepare before an important Big Tech interview:

Mock interviews

Product management has several frameworks, and there are too many things to learn. There are also far too many resources, and it is very easy to get distracted and overwhelmed.

Related stories

My go-to strategy has been mock interviews. One week before a big interview, I schedule practice interviews with mock partners and I select some questions I want to work on each day before the interview.

Research the role and company

In the days leading up to the interview, I do some research about the role. I read the job description again and think of instances in my past experiences that map to the responsibilities listed.

I also look into the company and research the recent releases from the company or even from the team I plan to join, if possible. I like going into the interview having an overview of the company, and what their strategy is so far.

Prepare a list of questions

An important part of my interview strategy is to prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer. I separate my questions based on whether it is someone in a leadership position or a hiring manager.

For a leader:

• What is the strategy of the team and the company? How do this team's objectives and key results fit into the overall mission and strategy of the company?
• What do you have in mind for the team in the next six months and the next 12 months?
• What would make the person in the role that you're hiring for stand out?

For a hiring manager:

• Who are the people someone in this role will be working closely with?
• What does success mean for this role?
• Tell me about a project the team worked on recently, and the impact it had?

This is one of my favorite questions. I like it a lot because it helps me evaluate the scope of work that the team has and then link it back to the role they're hiring for. I make sure to ask all hiring managers this question if there are multiple interviews.

Switch gears 24 hours before

I've tried two strategies for the day before an interview, and I've found one to be far better for me mentally.

In the past, I continued to work on preparing for technical product management questions even on the last day. I've observed that I'm much more nervous and anxious on the day of the interview, and I felt that it impacted my overall interview performance the next day.

More recently, I have decided to relax and not do too much 24 hours before a big interview. I just try to reflect on what I have learned so far and not work on any new problems.

I have found that it helps me feel less stressed on the day before the interview. I have also come to realize that the last 24 hours cannot change much, and it is better to go in feeling confident that you have done your best and are prepared.

Do you have a story to share about your career journey? Please reach out to [email protected] .

Watch: "Don't run too fast" – the best advice Delta CMO Alicia Tillman received

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Harris proposes raising the corporate tax rate to 28%, rolling back a Trump law

CHICAGO — Vice President Kamala Harris is calling for raising the corporate tax rate to 28%, her first major proposal to raise revenues and finance expensive plans she wants to pursue as president.

Harris campaign spokesman James Singer told NBC News that she would push for a 28% corporate tax rate, calling it “a fiscally responsible way to put money back in the pockets of working people and ensure billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share.”

“As President, Kamala Harris will focus on creating an opportunity economy for the middle class that advances their economic security, stability, and dignity,” Singer wrote in an email.

If enacted, the policy would raise hundreds of billions of dollars, as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has projected that 1 percentage point increases in the corporate rate corresponds to about $100 billion over a decade. It would also roll back a big part of former President Donald Trump’s signature legislation in 2017 as president, which slashed the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%.

Trump, meanwhile, recently said he would cut taxes even further if elected president, including on businesses .

The move comes as Harris slowly adds details to her governing vision on the week of the Democratic convention , including conveying to critics how she would seek to pay for costly ideas, such as expanding the child tax credit and easing the cost of housing and medical debt. She has not provided a cost estimate of her proposals so far or matched them with pay-fors.

A 28% corporate tax rate is lower than what Harris proposed in her failed 2020 presidential campaign, when she called for fully repealing Trump’s tax cuts, which would have returned the corporate rate to 35%. The new stance aligns Harris with President Joe Biden’s most recent budget proposal.

Republicans are sure to object to a 28% corporate tax rate, meaning Harris may need Democrats to control the House and Senate in order to get it through Congress. But a potential President Harris would have some leverage over the GOP for negotiations on tax policy, as many other portions of the Trump tax cuts expire at the end of 2025, which will lead to a major debate in Congress next year about which parts to extend.

At a recent press conference, Trump predicted that Democrats will be “under tremendous pressure” to renew his expiring tax cuts next year, and “if the Democrats don’t renew them or make it impossible to renew,” it would “destroy the economy.”

Singer, meanwhile, tied Trump to an “extreme Project 2025 agenda” that he said would “drive up the deficit” and “increase taxes on the middle class,” citing estimated impacts of Trump’s proposal to impose tariffs up to 20%.

Sahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.

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Shots - Health News

The new covid shot is now available. here's what you need to know.

New COVID Vaccines

A new round of COVID-19 vaccines will be rolled out soon. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption

It’s that time of year again.

New COVID-19 shots are now available all over the country.

That comes after the Food and Drug Administration last week greenlighted the two updated vaccines, which are aimed at helping protect people from the latest strains of the virus.

The arrival of the new shots may come as a relief to those who’ve tried to dodge a summer surge in cases, fueled by the FLiRT variants.

Whether or not you decide to rush out and get the vaccine could depend on a few factors, including when you last had COVID-19 and your underlying risk of getting seriously ill.

Here’s what you need to know:

Is COVID endemic yet? Yep, says the CDC. Here's what that means

What exactly are these new shots.

The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines rely on the same mRNA technology as the earlier versions of the vaccine, but they now target the KP.2 variant – a member of the omicron family that rose to prominence over the summer.

As many of us know by now, the virus continues evolving to better evade our immune defense, which means regularly updating the vaccines to keep up with the latest strain.

It turns out the KP.2 variant has already been overtaken by newer variants. Because those are also descendants of omicron, the hope is that the new vaccines are close enough matches that they can still boost immunity and protect people in the coming months – ideally reducing the chances of a big winter wave.

“The vaccine is not intended to be perfect. It’s not going to absolutely prevent COVID-19," Dr. Peter Marks from the FDA told NPR in an interview.

"But if we can prevent people from getting serious cases that end up in emergency rooms, hospitals or worse — dead — that’s what we’re trying to do with these vaccines.”

On average across all age groups, the new vaccines should cut the risk of having COVID-19 by 60% to 70% and reduce the risk of getting seriously ill by 80% to 90% during the three to four months after receiving the shot, Marks says.

A third vaccine is also expected to get the FDA’s stamp of approval soon.

That one, made by Novavax, is based on older technology (not mRNA), and targets an earlier strain of the virus, called JN.1.

Who should get them?

The FDA gave the OK for anyone ages 6 months and older to get one of the new shots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending the vaccines for those age groups.

“In my opinion, everyone should get one of the new vaccines,” says Dr. George Diaz , chief of medicine at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett and a spokesperson for the Infectious Disease Society of America.

That said, it’s most important for those at high risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19, namely those over the age of 65 or who have other underlying health problems like a weakened immune system.

Studies suggest getting vaccinated can also reduce the risk of long COVID, Diaz adds.

While anyone can get a shot, Dr. Paul Offit says not everyone necessarily needs another one.

“Anyone who wants to get this vaccine should get it,” says Offit, a vaccine expert at the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia who advises the FDA.

The vaccine does lessen your chance of getting a mild or moderate infection for about four to six months and to “some extent lessens your chances of spreading the virus,” he says.

But the calculation could be different for younger people who may have enough immunity from previous COVID shots and infections that they’re already protected from getting very sick.

“Were I a 35-year-old healthy adult who’d already had several doses of vaccine and one or two natural infections, I wouldn’t feel compelled to get it,” he says.

And regardless of the public health advice, it’s far from clear how many people will want one of the new shots. Only about 22% of eligible adults got one of the last ones.

Should I get the shot now? Or wait?

That’s a personal judgment call.

Marks suggests most people get vaccinated sooner rather than later because there’s an ongoing surge in COVID cases and the current vaccine is a “reasonably close match” to the current strain that’s circulating.

“Right now we’re in a wave, so you’d like to get protection against what’s going on right now,” Marks says. “You’re probably going to get the most benefit.”

However, it would be wise to hold off if you had COVID-19 over the summer.

People should wait at least two or three months since their last bout, or their last shot, in order to maximize the chances of getting the best protection from this new vaccine, says Marks.

Some people may want to get vaccinated later in September or October if they are primarily concerned about fending off COVID during a potential winter surge and staying healthy over the holiday season.

“This [protection] is not like something that suddenly cuts off at three or four months,” says Marks, “It’s just that the immunity will decrease with time.”

Where can I find the shots? Do I have to pay?

All the major pharmacy chains, including CVS, Rite Aid and Walmart, say the shots should be available at all their stores this week.

Insured people can get vaccinated for free if they get their shot from an in-network provider. But it won’t necessarily be free for those without health coverage.

A federal program that paid for the vaccines for uninsured adults expired. The uninsured may be able to still get the shots for free at some places, such as federally-funded health clinics.

“In the public health community we’re very concerned about how they will access protection,” says Dr. Kelly Moore , who runs Immunize.org , an advocacy group.

“We know that the people who are uninsured are the least likely to be able to afford becoming ill – missing work, staying home from school.”

Can I double up and get the COVID and flu shots at the same time?

Yes, health officials say it’s perfectly safe to get both shots at the same time. In fact, officials are recommending that, especially if that makes it more likely that people will get vaccinated because it’s more convenient.

What about kids? Can they get the same shots?

Yes, children can get the same vaccines that adults receive. But kids get different doses and may need more than one dose, depending on their age and whether they’ve been vaccinated before. They may also need to get their shots from a pediatrician.

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• covid vaccines
• omicron variants
• COVID surge
• COVID boosters

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At the Democratic Convention, a Historic Nomination

What story did the democrats tell about kamala harris and will it be enough to win.

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

[BACKGROUND CHATTER]

I’m standing in a sea of people coming out of this vast convention. And people are holding signs, smiling. There’s confetti everywhere. There are balloons, white, red, and blue. And there’s a lot of excitement.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. And this is “The Daily” from inside the Democratic National Convention Hall, where Kamala Harris has just accepted her party’s nomination, becoming the first woman of color in US history to do so.

Today, the story this convention told about Harris and whether that story could be enough to win.

It’s Friday, August 23.

[SERENE MUSIC]

The work and prayers of centuries have brought us to this day. What shall our our legacy be? What will our children say? Let me in my heart, when my days are through, America, America, I gave my best to you.

On night one of the Democratic National Convention, the evening was really defined by this very emotional, quite bittersweet goodbye from President Biden.

And there’s nothing we cannot do when we do it together.

God bless you all. And may God protect our troops.

It was the closing of one chapter so that another could begin. It was Kamala Harris’s moment.

[UPBEAT JAZZ MUSIC]

So right now, it’s 7:40. We are on the floor at the Democratic National Convention. It is a crazy party atmosphere, which is like a massive understatement.

Day two kicked off with delegates gathering on the convention floor, casting their votes in a kind of symbolic way to make Harris the party’s nominee.

This giant festival of lights, people in cowboy hats, people with blinking bracelets, people with Christmas lights wrapped around their hats, heads, shoulders, people wearing donkey hats. I mean, it’s very, very, very celebratory in here.

We need to see that we’re moving on. We are turning a chapter in America.

How do you feel right now?

Awesome, excitement, energized. Ready to win this election.

I love it. I love it. People are just excited, electrified, and they’re just loving it, and they’re happy.

This has been the most electrifying event I’ve ever attended in my life. It’s my first convention. But what a convention to come for, right? To make history right now, as we charge forward to November 5, to elect the first female Black president. I’m excited.

So with Harris now the nominee, a new campaign slogan appeared everywhere. And that was, “A new way forward.” But in a campaign that’s just four weeks old, it was really an open question what “a new way forward” actually meant.

We’re not going back!

We’re not going back! We’re not going back!

And then over the course of the week, as speaker after speaker took the stage, we started to get an answer. The story of forward would be told through the story of Kamala Harris herself. And the question hanging over the week was really whether that story could appeal to a broad majority of Americans, voters outside of the convention hall who will ultimately decide the election.

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Astead, welcome to the show.

Thank you for having me.

Again. The second time in a week. And I’m very excited for it.

So Astead, we had on the show on Monday to answer a question for us, that I think a lot of people have, which is, who is Kamala Harris? And you ended that conversation by saying that the Democratic Party also recognizes this reality, that for a lot of people, she is still this unknown quantity.

And that the party had a big task here at the convention this week, which was to find a way to finally tell her story. It does seem like they’ve tried to do that. Let’s walk through the case that they’re making for her. And what you’ve seen here in your reporting for your show, “The Run-Up.”

Yeah, I mean, I think that the Democrats have definitely laid out a case for her as a candidate, but also a story for her as a person. They have leaned into the different parts of her biography to really follow through on what, I think, is the best version of her campaign, which is a little bit for everybody. There is a story there about more moderate legislation, but pieces of progressive history. There’s different parts of her bio that speak to Black communities, immigrant communities.

Of course, the historic nature of her gender and the roles like that. And I really think it has followed through on what I expected for this week, which is that she seems to function politically as a mirror of some sort, where the party wants to position her as someone who basically, no matter what you’re looking for in terms of a vessel to beat Donald Trump, you can find it in this candidate.

Let’s dig into that more. Where did the convention start, that story?

Hello, Democrats!

Yeah, I think it really starts in her personal biography.

And I’m here tonight to tell you all about the Kamala Harris that I know.

They have told a story that she often tells about her being a first generation American.

Her mother moved here from India at 19.

And being a daughter of an immigrant mother who really raised two daughters in the Bay Area from working class roots. And that’s been a real thing that they’ve tried to own.

Kamala was not born into privilege. She had to work for what she’s got.

When she was young, she worked at McDonald’s.

They talk about her working at McDonald’s in college.

And she greeted every person without thousand watt smile and said, how can I help you?

I think it’s overall about trying to present this as someone who pulled himself up by bootstraps. It represents the American dream. And I think for Democrats, it really returns them back to the place they want to be. Democrats like thinking of themselves as a party who appeals to the diversity of America, both in racial ways, in gender ways, but also in class ways.

In Kamala Harris, we have a chance to elect a president who is for the middle class because she is from the middle class.

And I think they used other parts of her identity, specifically thinking about being the first Black woman to accept a major party’s nomination.

We know folks are going to do everything they can to distort her truth.

And I think Michelle Obama’s speech, specifically, spoke to the power and anxiety that sometimes that identity can bring.

My husband and I sadly know a little something about this.

For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us. See, his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black.

And I would also say that it was an implicit response to what Republicans and others have been trying to say, talking about Kamala Harris as a DEI hire, someone who was only in their position because of their identity. But the way that Michelle Obama framed it was that those identities have power.

I want to know. I want to know. Who’s going to tell him, who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs?

Just because someone the first to be in a position, does not mean that is the only reason in the position. But it also doesn’t make those identities meaningless. The fact that she is a Black woman should be seen as a strength, not as a weakness.

Is there a risk to that, though? I mean, by openly talking about race, is there a risk that goes too far and begins to alienate voters outside the convention out in the world who they need to win in November.

I mean, there’s always a risk. But I don’t really think so. Democrats have had increasing trouble with Black voters. There’s been a downturn in Black vote share all the way dating back to 2012.

In Biden’s now suspended candidacy, that was one of the things driving his polling weaknesses was kind of tepid reception from Black voters. A pitch to them is something that is a upside of the Kamala Harris campaign. And the hope that they could consolidate that community is where any Democratic nominee needs to be as a baseline.

We both got our start as young lawyers, helping children who were abused and neglected.

One thing I noticed that came up a lot during the speeches was her background as a prosecutor. How did the party present that part of her biography?

As a prosecutor, Kamala stood up for children who had been victims of sexual abuse.

She put rapists, child molesters, and murderers behind bars.

They talk about it in the way that I think fuels what they want to say is the reason she can take on Trump, that this is someone who has stood up to bullies before, who’s not going to be intimidated easily —

And Kamala is as tough as it comes.

— who’s tough, and who doesn’t shirk away from a challenge.

And she knows the best way to deal with a coward is to take him head on, because we all know cowards are weak. And Kamala Harris can smell weakness.

I think all of that adds up to say, you can trust this person to go up against Donald Trump. You can trust this person to go up against the Republican Party, because she’s not someone who is scared.

She never runs from a fight.

A woman, a fierce woman for the people.

But then, of course, we heard about another side of Kamala Harris, a more personal side.

Yeah, and I think this is the part of Kamala Harris where I think was kind of most missing in the presidential run. Frankly, it’s the part that she keeps most private. She is a warm family member and friend.

Hello to my big, beautiful blended family up there.

And I think what the speech from her husband did was really show and lay that out.

I got married, became a dad to Cole and Ella. Unfortunately, went through a divorce, but eventually started worrying about how I would make it all work. And that’s when something unexpected happened, I ended up with Kamala Harris’s phone number.

He talks about the kind of awkwardness of their first interaction.

I got Kamala’s voicemail, and I just started rambling. “Hey, it’s Doug.”

And I think you have a real kind of sense of their genuine connection to one another.

By the way, Kamala saved that voicemail. And she makes me listen to it on every anniversary.

Like, yes, this is someone who is tough, who is taking on corporations and cartels and all of that stuff by day. But this is someone who also makes a point to cook Sunday dinner for family every week.

And she makes a mean brisket for Passover.

And makes sure to really go close to his kids and is very close with her family.

That’s Kamala. She’s always been there for our children. And I know she’ll always be there for yours, too.

Going back to the last time the Democratic Party nominated a woman, Hillary Clinton, she had presented herself in a very different way. She kind of ran away from that stuff. She was saying, I don’t bake cookies, that’s not what I do. I’m kind of out there with the men, fighting.

And this convention and this candidate, Harris, is very different. She’s a newer generation. And she can do her career and bake cookies. Those things are not in conflict. This is a different type of woman leader.

This week we talked to Senator Elizabeth Warren on “The Run-Up,” and one of the things that she mentioned was she feels that there’s been a big change from 2016, even 2020 to now. Not just the amount of women in public office, but she said they don’t have to choose between sides of themselves. And I think that’s what diversity means.

Of course, Kamala Harris can be a tough politician and also bake cookies. Hillary Clinton did that, too. It was just that she was told that was not the way that she had to present herself. What Kamala Harris is benefiting from is there’s a greater space and ability to choose multiple things at once. And so particularly if others are going to talk more directly about gender or race or other things, that kind of frees her from having the burden of doing that herself.

And in fact, Hillary Clinton, herself, did speak, of course, on day one. She talked about that glass ceiling in the history that has led to now, including her own experience in 2016.

Yeah, I thought the Hillary Clinton speech was really powerful. I think a lot of the speakers put this moment in historical context, both politically and personally.

My mother, Dorothy, was born right here in Chicago before women had the right to vote. That changed 104 years ago yesterday. And since that day, every generation has carried the torch forward. In 1972, a fearless Black congresswoman named Shirley Chisholm —

— she ran for president. In 1984, I brought my daughter to see Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman nominated for vice president. And then there was 2016, when it was the honor of my life to accept our party’s nomination for president.

The last time I was here in my hometown was to memorialize my mother, the woman who showed me the power of my own voice. My mother volunteered at the local school.

I’m the proud granddaughter of a housekeeper, Sarah Daisy, who raised her three children in a one-bedroom apartment. It was her dream to work in government, to help people.

My grandmother, the woman who helped raise me as a child, a little old white lady born in a tiny town called Peru, Kansas.

I want to talk now about somebody who’s not with us tonight. Tessie Prevost Williams was born in New Orleans not long after the Supreme Court ruled that segregated public schools were unconstitutional. That was in 1954, same year I was born. Parents pulled their kids out of the school.

There was a way that I think the candidacy and the person was placed in a long legacy, both about gender identity and racial identity that kind of teed up this Thursday as a culminating moment, both politically and I think, in a broader historical context.

Together, we put a lot of cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling. And you know what? On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris raising her hand and taking the oath of office as our 47th president of the United States!

I wish my mother and Kamala’s mother could see us. They would say, keep going. Shirley and Jerry would say, keep going!

I think you can do a lot to set up a candidate to be in a good position. All of this stuff adds up to some part of the puzzle, but the biggest piece is the candidate themself. At the end of the day, they have to close the deal. And I think this moment is her chance to tell her own story in a way that sometimes she has not decided to. And that’s still what this whole convention success and failure will ride on.

We’re going to watch tonight. We’re going to watch with our colleague, Reid Epstein. And you are going to have a great episode of “The Run-Up” on Friday. We will all be tuning in.

Thank you. I appreciate you doing this, Sabrina.

Really thanks a lot, Astead.

Are you a delegate?

Sorry, we caught you mid French fry eating. What’s your feeling about Kamala and what her story has been? Are you getting to know her this week? Are there things you’ve learned about her this week?

Yeah, I’m learning more and more as we go along. The more and more I learn about her, the more I’m impressed with her. I mean, she worked at McDonald’s when she was going to college to try to pay her way through.

Her very small beginnings. Not a trust fund baby type of thing. I relate to that. Like, I was on food stamps this year. So it’s like if she can do it with that background, it gives everybody hope.

Hillary was my girl. When Hillary ran, I championed her as well. But I didn’t feel this way as I feel about Harris. I’m like, do I want to run for office? If she can do it, I can. She looks just like me, right? She represents, she works at McDonald’s. She paid for every. It’s relatable. And that’s what everybody needs.

We’re going to break that glass ceiling. I’m getting teary, teary in my eyes. And it just means so much to be inclusive.

[WHIMSICAL MUSIC]

What does it mean to you that Kamala Harris is a woman? What does it mean to you that she’s a Black woman?

To have a Black woman become the president of the United States, and for her to turn the world upside down in 30 days, to know that I’m in the midst of this miraculous history is phenomenal.

One delegate who really stood out to us was Beverly Hatcher, a 76-year-old Black woman from Texas.

I was raised by a wonderful Baptist mama. I just lost her. But I am who I am because of my mother. We were always pushed to do whatever we wanted to do. I’ll never forget. I wanted to be a majorette. I taught myself, because we had no money for, what is it called, lessons

And a majorette is like the baton twirler, right?

Yes. And when I did finally try out in my 11th grade, I won right off. And my classmates, who were predominantly white, as years have gone by, have told me at class reunions and stuff, Beverly, the sleepy town of Wellington woke up.

Oh, my god, we got a Black girl getting ready to be the head majorette. But it happened because I had the drive and the will. My mother and my family stood behind me, and didn’t miss a parade, or a football game, or a basketball game.

And you see that in Harris?

Beverly, what would your mom say if she saw this?

My sisters have been telling me every day how proud my mom is. And I’m just happy. I’m happy to make her happy. Yeah.

We women, who have had mothers like Kamala, like Michelle, I remember Hillary’s mother, we women value their strength and their wisdom. And we’re just glad that they gave us a legacy to pass it on.

Thank you very much.

We’ll be right back.

Reid, hello.

OK. Kamala Harris just wrapped up her acceptance speech. Before we talk about what she said and the case she presented, tell us how her campaign was thinking about the stakes of this moment.

Sabrina, this evening was one of two opportunities, along with the debate next month, for her to speak to tens of millions of people at once. And so for that, the stakes were really high.

Her goal was to present herself as a serious person and a serious candidate, who was not the candidate who flamed out in 2019 or the unsteady vice president from the beginning of her term. She had to show that she had the gravitas to be the commander in chief, the political aptitude to reach out to the middle, and also to progressives in her party all at the same time.

A very tall order. Tell us how she went about doing that.

Good evening, everyone. Good evening.

Well, she started talking around 9:30 Chicago time to a packed United Center with 14,000 or 15,000 people, many, many wearing all white, the color of the suffragettes, a color that makes a statement just by wearing it. And when Harris took the stage —

— they erupted in a cheer that forced her for a couple of minutes to wait before she could start talking.

Thank you. OK, let’s get to business. Let’s get to business. All right.

And what did she finally say once she started talking?

She told the story of her life.

The path that led me here in recent weeks was, no doubt, unexpected. But I’m no stranger to unlikely journeys.

My mother, our mother, Shyamala Harris, had one of her own. And I miss her every day, and especially right now.

She talked about the influence of her mother, who raised her and her sister.

And she also taught us, “And never do anything half-assed.” And that is a direct quote. [LAUGHS]

She spoke about her family’s humble beginnings in Oakland.

Before she could finally afford to buy a home, she rented a small apartment in the East Bay.

Then she started talking about her career as a prosecutor.

In the courtroom, I stood proudly before a judge and I said five words.

She brought back one of the lines that she used in her 2020 campaign about how when she stood up in a courtroom, she began with the same words.

Kamala Harris for the people.

And she said she would bring that same philosophy to the White House, that she was not working for specific individuals, but for the people at large.

And so on behalf of the people —

Eventually she did a bigger wind up to formally accepting the nomination.

— on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, gender, or the language your grandmother speaks —

And listed the people on whose behalf she did so.

— on behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth —

It was really a kind of a feat of speech writing to build up to this big emotional moment.

— I accept your nomination to be president of the United States of America.

And what did you make of that, how she was doing that?

It was building up this speech to be a serious political document and present her as a serious figure in this moment. And so she still has to prove to people that she is capable of being the commander in chief and running the country.

And how does she try to prove that she’s capable of being a commander in chief?

What she did was try to draw the distinction between herself and Donald Trump.

In many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man. But the consequences, but the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious.

And she warns that Trump would not have guardrails on him if he were elected to a second term.

Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails.

And how he would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States not to improve your life, not to strengthen our national security, but to serve the only client he has ever had, himself.

The speech was very clear-eyed about the stakes of the election.

They know Trump won’t hold autocrats accountable because he wants to be an autocrat himself.

There was a whole section in the middle of the speech where she ticked through, one by one, a whole series of warnings about things that Trump would do to the country if he were back in the White House.

Get this, he plans to create a national anti-abortion coordinator and force states to report on women’s miscarriages and abortions.

Simply put, they are out of their minds.

What else stuck out to you?

It was remarkable, the section of the speech where she talked about Gaza.

President Biden and I are working around the clock, because now is the time to get a hostage deal and a ceasefire deal done.

She did not veer too far to the left.

I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself.

She managed to say things that would be appealing to both sides.

President Biden and I are working to end this war, such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination.

It was a remarkable moment to hear the arena erupt at the end of that section, to hear her support for both the Israelis and the Palestinians reveal that kind of enthusiasm, after the party has been really ripped apart for months about how to handle the situation.

Fellow Americans, I love our country with all my heart.

She ended this speech with a paean to patriotism.

We are the heirs to the greatest democracy in the history of the world.

She dove headlong into the American exceptionalism argument that is native to Republicans and to older generations of politicians, like Joe Biden.

It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done. Guided by optimism and faith to fight for this country we love. To fight —

But is not something you always hear from younger Democrats, who are a little less comfortable with some of the flag waving.

Let’s vote for it. And together, let us write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told. Thank you. God bless you and may God bless the United States of America. Thank you all.

She seemed to really be taking aim at this criticism of her, which is that she’s this radical California liberal and she can’t be trusted with the keys to the country.

I mean, that was one of the tasks that she had tonight, was to make the argument, particularly to voters in the middle, the suburban voters that used to vote for Republicans, but have been repelled by Trump and driven to Democrats in the last several years, that they can vote for her without worrying that she’s some kind of Bernie Sanders acolyte.

And some of that is based on the way she ran her last presidential campaign. Some of it, frankly, is because she’s a Black woman from California. And that the voters who will determine this election are voters in less diverse states, for the most part.

So Reid stepping back here, it feels worth remembering just where we were at the end of the Republican National Convention that was just over a month ago. Things couldn’t have felt more different. The GOP was on top of the world, while the Democrats were in disarray over Biden’s refusal to leave the race.

And now here we are. And it feels like things couldn’t be better for the Democrats. At least that’s the feeling I’m having coming out of this convention.

I mean, the whole race has turned upside down from where it was when we left Milwaukee. And Democrats are upbeat. They are confident. It is a party that is remarkably united behind their candidate.

But you have to remember, this election will be very close. It is, indeed, a game of inches in the key battleground states. And what she was trying to do was to present herself as someone who can be trusted as commander in chief to win over the tiny slices of the electorate that will determine the winner in places like Wisconsin, and Michigan, and Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona.

And those are the states that will determine the election. And they have made a calculated decision that those voters needed to see her as a commander in chief, something they had not seen from her before. And we will see in the coming days and weeks whether she’s accomplished that in a way that brings enough of those people on board for her to win a term as president.

Reid, thank you.

Thank you, Sabrina. [WHIMSICAL MUSIC]

Here’s what else you should know today. On Thursday, the Supreme Court allowed Arizona Republicans, for now, to impose tougher voting requirements, including a new rule that people registering to vote there before the coming election must show proof of citizenship.

As a result, Arizonans newly registering to vote for this year’s presidential election must provide copies of one of several documents, such as a birth certificate or a passport, in order to prove that they are US citizens. Democrats have denounced the new rule as an attempt to prevent legal immigrants from voting.

And US Health officials have approved the latest slate of annual COVID vaccines, clearing the way for Americans six months and older to receive updated shots in the coming days. The approvals come amid a prolonged surge of COVID infections, which have risen all summer.

Remember to catch a new episode of “The Interview” right here tomorrow. This week, Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Jenna Ortega, the star of the Netflix series “Wednesday,” and the new “Bettlejuice” sequel, about her head-spinning success over the past few years.

One day I just I woke up in somebody else’s shoes. I felt like I had entered somebody else’s life. And I didn’t know how to get back to mine.

Today’s episode was produced by Lynsea Garrison, Rob Szypko, Jessica Cheung, Asthaa Chaturvedi, and Shannon Lin. It was edited by Rachel Quester, contains original music by Rowan Niemisto, Dan Powell, Diane Wong, and Marion Lozano, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

[THEME MUSIC]

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. See you on Monday.

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Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Featuring Astead W. Herndon and Reid J. Epstein

Produced by Lynsea Garrison Rob Szypko Jessica Cheung Asthaa Chaturvedi and Shannon Lin

Edited by Rachel Quester

Original music by Rowan Niemisto Marion Lozano Dan Powell and Diane Wong

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow ‘The Daily’ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio

Last night, at the Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris accepted her party’s nomination, becoming the first woman of color in U.S. history to do so.

Astead W. Herndon and Reid J. Epstein, who cover politics for The Times, discuss the story this convention told about Ms. Harris — and whether that story could be enough to win the presidential election.

On today’s episode

Astead W. Herndon , a national politics reporter and the host of the politics podcast “ The Run-Up ” for The New York Times.

Reid J. Epstein , who covers politics for The New York Times.

Background reading

Kamala Harris promised to chart a “new way forward” as she accepted the nomination.

“The Run-Up”: It’s her party now. What’s different?

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Michael Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson, Nina Lassam and Nick Pitman.

Astead W. Herndon is a national politics reporter and the host of the politics podcast “The Run-Up.” More about Astead W. Herndon

Reid J. Epstein covers campaigns and elections from Washington. Before joining The Times in 2019, he worked at The Wall Street Journal, Politico, Newsday and The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. More about Reid J. Epstein

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