The things jobseekers should research about a company before a job interview

Don’t go into a job interview without knowing all about what the company does. Here’s what to look up.

CAREERS’ panel of expert recruiters answers a reader’s question each week. Have a question? Email [e-mail]

When researching a potential employer, what kind of things should I look up?

Megan Nicholson

General manager

Entree Recruitment

A great place to start is the company website. You should be able to source a lot of information there, and if you can’t, that might be a red flag! Read about their vision, mission and values to ensure they align with yours. Have a look at their history and also have a look at their career page to see what other roles they are advertising. Google the company name and see if there have been any press releases or news items about them. Look at their social media pages and LinkedIn page to get a feel of the company and the culture.

Megan Nicholson says an employer’s website is a must read for jobseekers.

Andrew Sullivan

Managing director,

Sullivan Consulting

It’s always important to have a good understanding of a company you’re applying to, as you should be tailoring your cover letter to match their business. Questions regarding the company are often asked during interview stages, which can demonstrate to the employer how much you have prepared. The employer’s website and social media pages are all great tools in researching how the company has branded itself and how it demonstrates its values. You can then use online reviews, such as those at Google or Glassdoor, to compare to the experiences others have had with the company.

Andrew Sullivan says researching a company can help jobseekers to frame questions to the employer in a job interview.

Alexandra Rosser

Head of Organisational Psychology Consulting,

Stillwell Management Consultants

I cannot stress enough how important it is to get a strong understanding of the full breadth and depth of the organisation’s products and services (you will be asked this in an interview!) to prevent misperceptions about what you think you would be doing working for the organisation and what it actually does. Research its history and structure to determine whether it is a start-up or mature, and whether it is hierarchical or flat. Research its mission and values, how it describes its team and what it is like to work there, descriptions of its culture, the charities it supports and any employee benefits offered. Look for social media and other news stories about the organisation to get a gauge of its current achievements, general reputation and any key developments such as buyouts, leadership changes or new products/services.

Alexandra Rosser says it is more important than many jobseekers realise to have a good understanding of a company before being hired.

Lisa Morris

Director,

Hays

The information you need about an employer will vary depending on where you are in your job search, but also on the type of role you’re seeking. If you’re compiling a list of organisations you’re interested in, a broad understanding of an organisation is likely to be sufficient. In this situation, look for information such as its products and services, size, reputation, values, employee benefits and current trends or events relevant to the industry. If you are applying for a position or preparing for an interview, it’s time to dig a bit deeper. Find out what you can about recent or current projects, the organisation’s strategic priorities and the professional backgrounds of the hiring manager and key internal stakeholders of the role. It’s also prudent to look for any mentions of the organisation on review and ratings websites, which can surface information about the culture, leadership and employee experiences. In reading any reviews from past employees, keep in mind that one negative review should not deter you. However, take note if there is a pattern or recurrent subjects across recent comments – these can point to the positive features of a workplace as well as red flags. For more senior roles, searching for the end-of-year and financial reports on a company’s website can give you a good idea of its recent performance and financial standing.

Lisa Morris says employee reviews can offer interesting insight into what it’s like to work at a company.

For more Careers news, advice and reader questions answered, visit adelaidenow.com.au/careers

Originally published as The things jobseekers should research about a company before a job interview