6 Tips To Researching A Prospective Employer

Whether you’re doing pre-interview research or you’ve already received a job offer and are deciding whether or not to accept it, the research phase of your job search is perhaps the most critical from a job seeker’s perspective.

Rather than focusing on branding or “selling” yourself to an employer, this is your time to figure out if they are right for you, as you consider things like company culture, career path opportunities, work/life balance, and, in general, whether this employer is the right “fit” for your professional (and personal) life?

Here are six ways to research a potential employer so that you’re better prepared for an interview, or make a more informed decision when considering a job offer.

1. Look at their website

First stop, their website. A website can say a lot about a company – especially a tech company. Is it user friendly? Does it provide a good experience? What does the look and feel say about them?

Don’t just glance through it thought – check out their culture, careers and about us pages to get a really idea of who they are as a company and the kind of values they hold. You’ll want to understand their journey and their mission. 

Remember, you’re not only looking for successes but also for potential red flags or challenges. 

2. Check out their social media

Naturally, the next step is checking out the organisations social media. What kind of company are they? Do they use LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram?

What kinds of content are they posting? What audiences are they engaging with, and what kind of feedback are they getting (be sure to look at the comment sections for this)? What’s the size of their following? What is the tone they’re setting in that professional space, and how are they positioning or branding themselves on social? How strong do they stand against the completion?

All of this will give you a good indication as to how they want to be perceived, their wider mission – it can even give you insight to what their future goals may be. All of this is useful information to have at the interview, or to negotiate terms and salary upon an offer, or very simply to know whether or not you’d like to work with their organisation. 

3. Ask about company culture

Of course, you’ll want to ask your interviewers direct questions about the company culture. But, you can also tap into your own networks for any insights here as well. If you meet any other employees (past or present) from the company during your interview phase, this question should also be at the top of your list.

4. Check out the financials

Check the organisation out on Companies House. Company finances are an important thing to consider before accepting, or working towards, an offer. 

Some organisations will make this information pretty readily available on their website, although in other circumstances you may just have to find the information on Companies House.

5. Work your contacts

Tap into your network, whether personal or on LinkedIn, and find out as much as you can about the employer through a more personal experience lens. You’ll be amazed how much you can find out about an employer by simple word of mouth.

6. Eye up the competition

Another often-overlooked strategy in the research phase is looking at the competition. 

You should be aware of who your biggest competitors are in that field. When you’re interviewing for an organisation, or have an offer, it’s important to know their competition and how well they’re doing against them. You can gain a lot of information by doing some thorough research on the competitive landscape a company is in. 

Knowing their strong suits and weaknesses will help you when interviewing too. By asking them pertinent questions like how they are going to bridge a gap, and what their mission to stay competitive is you are demonstrating your keen interest in their pursuits.