Want to land your dream job in the tech industry? You need to know whether the companies and roles you’re targeting will fulfill your goals and needs—whether that’s a high salary, an inviting culture, or the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology. That means you need to research a company before any job interview. But how do you effectively research a business?
You can discover a lot about a company through:
- Social media pages (including the company’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages)
- Corporate website (which will feature a breakdown of its mission, products, etc.)
- News stories (type the company’s name into Google News for a start)
- User comments on sites such as Reddit and Glassdoor
As a first step, you’ll want to focus on learning more about:
- The Company’s Mission and Values: What are its purpose, vision, and core values? How do these align with your own beliefs and career aspirations?
- Products and Services: Explore what the company offers, its target audience, and its market position. Is this stuff you really want to work on?
- Leadership Team: Research the CEO, key executives, and their backgrounds. Are these people who could help you expand your knowledge and skill set? Do their backgrounds offer anything you could use during a job interview?
- Company History and Culture: This is a big one. Based on user reviews on sites such as Glassdoor, does it seem like the company’s culture is ideal for you? Examine the company’s history for any red flags: are they wrestling with funding issues, lawsuits, etc.?
Always Do a Deep Dive
While you can learn quite a lot from even a quick web search, you may want to explore your potential employer a little more deeply, especially so you can avoid potential career mistakes. Here are some potential avenues for doing so:
- Employee Reviews: Hunt down reviews on platforms like Glassdoor, Indeed, and Blind. Pay particular attention to comments about work-life balance, benefits, and culture.
- Social Media: How does the company interact with others on social media? Are their postings creative? What do their postings say about their brand and approach to business?
- Career Page and Job Descriptions: Do the company job descriptions excite you? What does the company seem to expect from its employees?
- News and Press Releases: If you accept the interview, make sure to mention the latest news about the company to show that you’ve done your research.
Research What the Company Can Do for You
Of course, your research is about far more than just scanning social media pages or trying to figure out about the work environment—you ultimately want to know whether a potential employer will really benefit you and your ultimate career goals. In light of that, make sure that your research also focuses on the following:
- Financial Performance: Is the company doing well? Will it exist in a year or two, at least based on its financials? Is it a takeover target? These are all huge things to consider.
- Market Position and Competition: Is the company dominant or on its way down? Is its technology best-in-class, or lagging behind its competitors? Depending on your mindset, a company in trouble is either one to avoid or an opportunity.
- Innovation: Is the company innovative? Is it working with technologies that you want to work with?
- Salary Comparisons: Based on data from sites such as Glassdoor, do company salaries align with your expectations?
- DEIB: Does the company’s efforts at diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) align with your values? Many companies now have dedicated web pages where they break down their DEIB initiatives.
- Remote Work: Do the company’s remote and hybrid work policies match what you need in terms of your own schedule and work-life balance?
Researching a company requires a multi-faceted approach, and you should build in enough time to do it right before applying and/or interviewing. With a comprehensive understanding of your potential employer, you’ll be empowered to make informed decisions, ask insightful questions, and ultimately, impress your interviewers.
Always keep in mind that using your research in your application and job interviews will show your commitment and genuine interest in the company, so make sure you develop some questions for an interviewer based on what you’ve found out.
