How to Research a Company Before an Interview
A 90-minute research checklist covering product, financials, culture, recent news, and the people on your panel.
Definition
Researching a company before an interview means understanding its product, business model, recent news, culture, and the specific people who will interview you. The goal is to walk in able to ask informed questions and tailor your answers to what the company actually cares about right now.
Why It Matters in Interviews
According to a Glassdoor survey, the most common reason hiring managers reject otherwise-qualified candidates is failing to demonstrate knowledge of the company. Recruiters at Greenhouse echo this: research is the cheapest signal of genuine interest.
How to Use It
Spend 90 minutes total: 20 on the product (use it if you can), 15 on financials and recent news (10-K if public, recent press if private), 15 on culture (Glassdoor reviews, employee blogs), 20 on LinkedIn-stalking your interviewers, and 20 on writing 5 to 7 informed questions to ask. Pull role-specific context from our company interview guides. Related reading: "Why This Company?" Question and How to Prepare for a Job Interview: A Step-by-Step Guide.
Example
Interviewing at Notion: Day 1 spend 30 minutes building a project in Notion you have never tried. Day 2 read the last two product launch posts on the Notion blog. Day 3 search "Notion" on LinkedIn for recent news, find each interviewer, note one shared interest. Day 4 draft questions: "I noticed the recent calendar launch — how is the team thinking about overlap with existing tools?"
Quick Tips
- Use the product if it is a consumer product. There is no substitute.
- Read the most recent two press releases — they tell you what the company is currently fixated on.
- LinkedIn-research every interviewer; mention something specific only if it comes up naturally.
- Save your best research-driven question for the end of the interview, not the start.
FAQ
How long should I spend researching?
60 to 120 minutes for a normal interview, more for a final round. Beyond that you hit diminishing returns.
Should I mention I researched the interviewer?
Only if it is genuinely relevant. Reciting their LinkedIn profile is creepy; mentioning a shared school or a podcast they were on is not.
What if the company is small and there is little public info?
Read every page of their website, every blog post, and every press mention. Then ask the recruiter what the team is currently focused on.