RFS Team
Interview preparation is an art, and one of its essential components is researching the company you're interviewing with. By thoroughly researching a company, you can walk into your interview with confidence - armed with knowledge that not only impresses your potential employer but also helps you make a well-informed decision about your future.
The company's official website is your gateway to understanding its core identity. To thoroughly prepare, we recommend reviewing the following.
The About Us section: Begin your exploration with the "About Us" or "Company Overview" section. Dive deep into the company's mission, values, and history. Comprehending their fundamental principles will enable you to align your interview responses with their culture seamlessly.
Products and Services: Familiarize yourself with the company's products or services portfolio. An in-depth understanding of what they offer and how it fits into the industry landscape will demonstrate your genuine interest and industry knowledge during the interview.
News and Press Releases: Don't forget to peruse the news and press releases section. This will provide you with insights into recent achievements, expansions, or changes within the organization that could be highly relevant to your interview discussions.
This is where a lot of people stop, but we also recommend spending some time reading about:
Recent events or Webinars: If the company hosts or participates in industry events or webinars, this can be a valuable source of information about its expertise and focus areas. If there are recordings online – try to watch some, or at least part of one, to learn more about their offerings.
Investor Relations: If the company is publicly traded, spend at least some time reviewing financial reports, including annual reports and quarterly earnings releases, to understand its financial health and performance (they’re legally required to provide this). Or, if they’re a startup – spend some time researching their investors or where they’re getting capital from.
Spend some time reviewing a company’s Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, but dedicate most of your time to reviewing LinkedIn. Use LinkedIn understand their size, growth trajectory, and key personnel. Pay attention to recent job postings or announcements, as they can offer crucial insights into their current needs and strategic objectives.
Who are recent people who have joined, or left the company? Where did they work before, or where are they moving to? Consider if you have a similar trajectory or want a similar career path if you’re interviewing for a similar role. Are employees posting a lot? Do they seem happy to be working there, and are eager to share about their work, or the projects they’re working on? These are all positive signs. Is there a recent award, or milestone the company has achieved that employees are sharing? Bring this up in your interview!
Everyone knows to read online reviews from places like Glassdoor and Indeed to get a sense of what former employees are saying.
But we also recommend researching customer reviews can provide valuable insight into the customer experience and help inform applicants of what they may face if hired. Pay attention to both positive and negative comments, which can offer key details about a company's level of service, how they handle complaints, and any potential challenges that may arise in the future. This is especially relevant if you’ll be working in a customer-facing role.
This is probably the biggest tip, but if you can - try to start preparing and researching at least a few days in advance of your interview (if not longer). You never want to cram the night before and you'll remember the information you find better. It's important to be well-rested and refreshed.
By conducting thorough research using these methods, you'll be well-prepared for your interview and better equipped to ask informed questions!
Want more interview prep? Check out our posts on:
Interview prep for Founding Engineers
How to answer the interview question, what do you bring to the company
Let our team help you get where you need to be.
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