Researching a company before an interview is one of those things everyone knows they should do and most people do shallowly. A recruiter can tell the difference between someone who read the About page and someone who genuinely understands the business. Here is how to research at a level that impresses.
Start With the Company Website and Recent News
Read the About page, the mission statement, and recent blog posts or press releases. Google the company name plus “news” to see recent coverage. Check their LinkedIn company page for updates on hiring, products, and announcements. This baseline takes 30 minutes and prevents obvious knowledge gaps.
Understand Their Business Model
Know how the company makes money. Who are their customers? What problem do they solve? Who are their main competitors? This level of understanding lets you speak to the role in terms of business impact, not just job duties. Interviewers notice immediately when a candidate understands the business versus just the job listing. For more on this, see our guide on research a company before a job interview.
Review the Interviewer’s LinkedIn Profile
Look up the interviewer on LinkedIn before the call. Note their background, tenure, and what they have worked on. This context helps you have a more relevant conversation and gives you ideas for thoughtful questions. It also helps you gauge their level and what they likely care about in a candidate.
Look at Glassdoor and Blind for Culture Signals
Glassdoor and Blind reviews give you insight into what the internal culture is like, what challenges the team faces, and what the interview process looks like. Take individual reviews with appropriate skepticism, but patterns across many reviews are informative. Use them to prepare for culture-fit questions.
Know the Numbers if They Are Public
For public companies, skim the most recent earnings call transcript or investor report. You do not need to become a financial analyst, but knowing the company’s revenue range, growth trajectory, and strategic priorities lets you connect your work to what actually matters to leadership. It is a rare signal that very few candidates send. For more on this, see our guide on research a company’s culture before you apply.
Read next
- How to Negotiate During the Interview Before Getting an Offer
- How to Ask About Company Culture in an Interview
- Interview Preparation Checklist: Everything You Need to Do Before the Day
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the STAR method?
STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. It is a framework for answering behavioral interview questions by providing context, your role, what you did, and the outcome.
How long should a STAR answer be?
Two to three minutes. Situation and Task together should take 30-45 seconds. Spend the most time on the Actions and always end with a concrete Result.
What are common behavioral interview questions?
Common ones include: “Tell me about a time you handled conflict,” “Describe managing competing priorities,” and “Give an example of when you failed and what you learned.”
Should I memorize STAR answers word-for-word?
No. Memorized answers sound robotic. Know your 6-8 strongest stories well enough to tell them naturally. Practice key points, not exact wording.
Preparation is the one variable in an interview that you can control completely. The questions a recruiter asks are largely predictable because interviews are structured around a short list of competencies: communication, problem-solving, collaboration, leadership, and adaptability. When you map your experience to those competencies before you walk in the door, you stop improvising answers and start delivering evidence.
After debriefing hundreds of interviews over my career, the single biggest differentiator between candidates who get offers and candidates who do not is specificity. Vague answers about being a “team player” or a “fast learner” signal that you have not reflected on your own experience. Specific answers with real numbers, real timelines, and real outcomes signal that you know exactly what you have accomplished and can do it again.
Research is the second pillar of interview preparation. Most candidates look up the company’s homepage and stop there. Strong candidates go deeper: they read recent earnings calls if the company is public, review Glassdoor comments from employees in similar roles, and follow the company’s LinkedIn for news from the past three months. Specific, well-researched questions at the end of the interview signal genuine interest and leave a lasting impression. For more on this, see our guide on virtual interview tips.
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