Why Researching a Company is Important and How to Do It?

Researching a company is a crucial element of job search. You need to know who you’ll potentially work for and learn about their values, company culture, policies, and more.

In this article, you will discover why to research a company before an interview, how to do it, what factors to look at, and which resources to use.

Overview

Researching a company is important because you have to know if you will be happy working in such an environment. It also gives you background knowledge that is necessary to have in an interview. When doing company research, you should consider aspects such as employee and customer reviews, online presence, workplace culture and values, and media mentions. Use tools such as Glassdoor, LinkedIn, company website and social media, online forums, and press releases and other publications. 

Why is it important to research a company before applying?

Researching a company before applying is important for two reasons. First, you need background knowledge to succeed in a job interview. And second, you have to decide if the company is a good match for you.

The outdated assumption that it’s the employer who picks the employee and not the other way around is still prominent in the job market. But it’s not true anymore. Or at least, it shouldn’t be.

We spend a third of our lives at work. We deserve our workspace - whether remote or physical - to be a place we feel good in. Working somewhere we feel happy is beneficial for our productivity, so employee well-being is important to employers as well.

Or at least, it should be. 

What to research about a company before an interview?

Just to be clear - researching a company isn’t necessary only before an interview. Yes, it is crucial in this case, but you should also do it much earlier, even before applying. After all, you don’t want to waste time tailoring a CV and crafting a perfect cover letter for an employer who isn’t a good match. 

Here are a few elements to include in your company research:

1. Reviews

You probably wouldn’t buy a car or a new phone without looking at reviews first. So why would you apply for a job without doing the same?

Start your company research by checking out the company’s reviews. Use resources such as Glassdoor to see what current and former employees have to say about working for the company that interests you. 

What are their pain points? What do they complain about? What aspects of their jobs do they like?

What’s more, go a step further and consider reviews left by the company’s customers. You don’t want to associate with a company with a bad reputation. Besides, how a business treats its customers is often a reflection of how it treats its employees. Don’t forget about it. 

2. Workplace culture

When researching a company, pay attention to the workplace culture it promotes. It is a broad term, so make sure you examine every aspect of it.

Look into the dress code, growth opportunities and training programmes, and team-building activities. And don’t forget all kinds of policies, especially the ones you personally care about.

If you’d like to work in an international setting, what are the company’s policies on diversity and inclusion? If you have a dog that needs your attention, what is the employer’s stance on bringing pets to the office? Is there a possibility to climb the career ladder if you care about long-term professional growth?

It’s your job to find the answers to your questions before you get hired. If you don’t manage to access the information you need, prepare some questions to ask a recruiter during the job interview.

3. Values

Company values are a crucial element of company research. Working for a business whose values you don’t agree with is a quick way to professional burnout.

Most companies have a tab on their websites titled “our values”. If not, it’s often part of the “about us” page. Pay it a quick visit before you apply for a job. 

You might say that in times when the job market is more competitive than ever, not everyone has the luxury of choosing an employer based on their values. It is a fair argument, but navigating a workspace which doesn’t support your point of view or promoting a product or service you don’t approve of can be damaging to mental health.

Imagine working for a company which makes no qualms about testing its products on animals when you’re a fierce fighter for animal rights. Or supporting equality when your employer openly discriminates against minorities in the workforce.

It doesn’t sound like a job you would be happy going to every day, does it?

4. Online presence

Raise your hand if you follow a marketing software or a cutlery-making company on social media. 

Yeah. We neither.

Unfortunately, you need to follow them if you want to work for them. First, they might post information about upcoming vacancies, which is great news.

But most of all, monitoring the online presence of the companies you wish to work for is crucial for researching a company. You can learn a lot about a business from its social media posts. Pay attention to the tone of voice and the type of content they publish. Is it formal or more laid back? Which one do you prefer?

Companies also use social media to post about important milestones and achievements. It’s beneficial to be up-to-date with company life because a) you’ll know what to expect if you join the team and b) you will shine during your job interview.

Imagine a company you’d like to work for has recently received a prestigious award. Acknowledging it in front of the recruiter will earn you some extra points. 

5. Employees

Some people don’t know about a very nifty function on LinkedIn. When you open a company profile and go to “people”, you will see a list of employees.

Now, be careful because current employees may be mixed with former, if they forgot to put an end date to their employment after leaving. But you can still get a general idea of the company size and how many people work there. 

You can even reach out to someone in a similar role to the one you’re applying for to ask for their experience working for the company. Most people are happy to share their insights, especially with a potential future colleague.

6. Open positions

The next step in researching a company is investigating its open positions across different departments. It’s not enough to know the current number of employers. You should also be interested in how many people the employer intends to hire in the near future.

Why?

It is always a good sign when a company is growing. It means it has the means and resources to expand its team and accommodate new hires. 

However, watch out for ghost jobs. Employers sometimes publish fake job offers to create an impression of growth. If you see a vacancy that has been open for a very long time, it can be a sign that it is a ghost job. 

7. Media mentions

You already know that monitoring the company’s social media presence is an important aspect of company research. But don’t stop at looking at what the business says about itself.

Find out what other sources are saying about it. Google the name of the company and look for articles mentioning its name, press releases, and threads on forums. You can find a lot of useful information regarding the employer’s reputation, as well as noteworthy news and updates

Where can you look for information about the company in which you are applying?

You already know what to research about a company before an interview. Now, we will show you some helpful resources to look for the information you need:

1. Glassdoor

Glassdoor is a great resource to access factual information when researching a company. Use it to research average salaries, benefits, and employee reviews. You can even find typical interview questions and an overview of what the recruitment process looks like at a specific company, so it’s definitely worth checking out. 

2. LinkedIn

A quick search on LinkedIn will show you current employees, the number of vacancies, and a short description of the company. Make sure to scroll through the posts to see what kind of content it publishes during your company research.

3. Company social media

Companies usually post different kinds of content on various social media channels. You can expect more formal posts on LinkedIn, and a more relaxed approach on Instagram and TikTok. 

Therefore, it is worth monitoring company activity across different channels to get a feel of its workplace culture and stay up to date when you’re researching a company.

4. Company website

The company website is a goldmine of information when researching a company. The two tabs you should visit in the first place are “Careers” and “About Us”. 

Sometimes, you can find more vacancies on the company website than 3rd party platforms such as LinkedIn, especially if they are hiring for multiple positions at the same time. Posting a vacancy on a job board often costs the company money, while advertising it on its own website is free.

The “About Us” page will introduce you to the current team, the products or services it offers, and the company culture and values. 

5. Press releases

Companies publish press releases when they have something important to announce - a new product launch, winning an award, or reaching an important milestone. 

Search for press releases to see if something is happening in the company life. After all, you wouldn’t want to work in a stagnant environment. 

6. Other publications

A press release is issued by the company itself. Therefore, it is still subject to bias and only shows what the company wants you to see. 

To see the whole picture, take into consideration what 3rd party sources such as journals or websites have to say about the company. See what comes up when you Google the company name and discover the good, the bad, and the ugly.

7. Online forums

Forums such as Reddit or Quora are another great resource to research a company - both from the employees’ and customers' points of view. Check if threads concerning the company that interests you already exist, and ask your own questions if they don’t.

One thing to remember is that people are always more likely to complain than to praise. We hardly ever go online to leave a positive review, but ranting will be the first thing we do if we’re unhappy with something.

Therefore, you should take all reviews and opinions you find with a pinch of salt. 

When researching a company, you should consider different aspects such as employee and customer reviews, values, its online presence, or workplace culture. Make a list of things that are important for you in your work environment and see if the company you’re applying for checks the boxes.

There is a range of various resources you can use in your company research. They include company websites and social media, tools such as LinkedIn and Glassdoor, and press releases. Don’t forget to check what other sources have to say about the company on 3rd party websites and online forums. 

Remember that when you research a company before applying, you do yourself a favour. 

Feeling inspired? Visit our blog for more career advice! How can you be sure the information we provide is top-notch? We are a group of professionals working with recruiters, career coaches, and HR specialists from all over the world! 

Trust our experience and let us help you find a new job in Europe!