What is one specific thing you recommend candidates look for when researching a company before an interview?

Preparing for an interview goes beyond rehearsing answers—it's about understanding the company you're hoping to join. Employers value candidates who do their homework because it shows curiosity, initiative, and genuine interest in the role. But with so much information available online, where should job seekers focus their attention? One specific factor I recommend candidates research is the company's values and culture. While job descriptions outline responsibilities, values reveal how the work gets done and what behaviors are rewarded. Understanding a company's culture can help candidates tailor their answers, highlight aligned strengths, and, most importantly, assess whether the environment is the right fit for them. I recall a candidate who interviewed for a leadership role with our company. Instead of just talking about her technical expertise, she referenced our published values around collaboration and continuous learning. She gave examples of how she fostered teamwork in past roles and how she invested in her own development. The alignment was so strong that she not only received the offer but quickly became a cultural ambassador within the organization. This approach is backed by data. According to a Glassdoor survey, 77% of job seekers consider a company's culture before applying, and Deloitte's research shows that organizations with a strong alignment between employee values and company culture see 40% higher retention. Candidates who research and demonstrate this alignment stand out as engaged and thoughtful professionals. The takeaway is clear: don't just research what the company does—research who they are. Understanding values and culture allows candidates to connect authentically, make stronger impressions, and ensure the opportunity is a mutual fit. After all, interviews are not just about being chosen; they're about choosing wisely.

When candidates research in advance of an interview, I encourage candidates to pay close attention to how the company makes money and specifically who its customers are. Understanding the business model is not only a demonstration of a deeper dive than surface level search, but will also enable you to have responses that correlate in ways that are consistent with the company's overall objectives. For instance, in my world of out-of-home advertising, it makes a big difference if a company focuses on local businesses, national retailers, or on building relationships with agencies. Candidates that are already familiar with our core clients and market position will stand out right away, because they can articulate a deeper connection between their skills and the way we operate.

I always recommend job hunters to look at how the company treats its employees. I believe a company's treatment towards their people heavily reflects on the company's values and affects the longevity of one's growth in said company. There are online platforms that allow the public to read reviews from how past and present employees felt during their job. Were they justly compensated for their work? Were they treated equally and well? Is the working environment, whether face-to-face or remote, safe? It's not just about paychecks or tasks. You'd want to know if this is a place where you can grow and feel valued day to day. I manage a remote team of 10 virtual assistants and I've seen how good communication and support in such a setting directly impacts personal growth and performance. When interviewing candidates for Cleanzen, we're upfront about our culture and how our team supports and recognizes each other.

When we work with candidates preparing for interviews, one specific thing we always recommend researching is the company's mission statement. This might sound basic, but you'd be surprised how many talented professionals skip this crucial step and miss out on powerful opportunities to connect. Your mission statement research goes far beyond just memorizing a few corporate buzzwords. It's your window into understanding what truly drives the organization and whether you'll thrive there. Think of it as getting a sneak peek into the company's DNA before you walk through their doors. We've seen countless candidates stumble when interviewers ask, "Why do you want to work here?" or "How do you see yourself contributing to our goals?" The ones who shine are those who've done their homework on the mission statement. They can speak authentically about shared values and paint a clear picture of how their skills align with the company's purpose. Finding this information is usually straightforward. Most companies feature their mission prominently on their website's "About Us" section or dedicated values pages. But here's the key: don't just read it and move on. Take time to understand what those words actually mean in practice. How do they translate into the company's daily operations and culture? Through our experience placing executives across various industries, we've observed that candidates who reference specific elements of the mission statement during interviews consistently stand out. They demonstrate genuine interest rather than just checking boxes, and they show interviewers they're thinking strategically about their potential contribution. This preparation transforms your interview from a generic conversation into a meaningful dialogue about mutual fit and shared vision. When you can articulate how your personal values align with theirs, you're not just another resume in the pile.

During my 17 years of treating patients and creating NativePath, I have learned that when attempting to hire employees, I can pose one question, which is so ugly: How many sick days per year do you think your average employee has? Most companies crumble here. The bad ones report 2-3 days since their teams are healthy and energized. Bad companies go 6-8 days or go inexplicable in their responses. I discovered this to my own detriment as I would be witness to physical therapists at my former clinic working themselves to death coming in sick every day. At NativePath, I draw these figures every month since they forecast the retention and the runners in half a year. The follow-up question would be like what is the percentage of employees who actually utilize your wellness benefits? Actual businesses that favor their employees have 60-70% attendance. False wellness cultures are hovering at 30 percent and they are not able to justify it. I have applied this two question combination to avoid three horrible job offers and to secure two wonderful ones. Bypass the generic company analysis that everybody carries out. These figures speak all about their attitude to human beings when no one is around.

Candidates should always research a company's culture before an interview, because companies almost always weight "culture fit" at the top of the list of qualities they're looking for. If you have the right skills but don't have the right values, you're not going to advance to the next round. Make sure you understand which values of yours to emphasize, and plan ahead if you're going to speak and behave more casually or formally (depending on the company's culture). How you speak matters just as much as what you say!

I recommend that every job seeker research if they have connections or fellow alumni at the company they're about to interview with. And if so, take the time to reach out to them and see if they can spare any time to discuss what it's like to interview with the company, or more so, how they would describe company culture. In addition, I think every job seeker should spend a good amount of time going through the press release and newsroom of the company homepage. Not only does it contain highly relevant information to life of the company, but a lot of money is spent on putting the company homepage together. Companies enjoy knowing people are reading it, especially before interviewing for a job.

Once you're serious about a role and your profile fits like a glove, research the brand and the values they promote. Are they tech-first, and do they highlight a niche approach that resonates with your experience? Do you believe in the same social justice causes that run through their website's content? This isn't just about passing the ATS, which filters for keywords — it's also about connecting with the human reader. Put yourself in the hiring manager's shoes: they may receive hundreds — if not thousands — of applications. Make it explicitly clear that you're the one they're looking for.

Seek out examples of how the organization conveys its values through action rather than just words. Don't restrict yourself to the "About Us" page--consider more current resources. Conduct a review of the most recent press releases, employee reviews, and social media to see how the organization engages with challenges, recognition of success, and other criticisms and feedback. If a company's narrative (stated values) is focused on innovation, then you would want to verify some idea of whether it's brought a product to market in the last couple of years or have publicly supported an effort to fund and implement employee-led initiatives. If they state they value diversity in their narrative, see if you can determine if there is representation at the leadership level or if the messaging feels inclusive. Researching a company's actions will both help to tailor your interview responses and more importantly, also suggest you are interested and not simply rehearsed.

Review the company tone by examining their LinkedIn content. The company maintains either a formal corporate tone or a relaxed meme-oriented tone. The company maintains a middle ground between formal and casual communication. Great candidates tend to lose interest when their application tone does not match the company's communication style. The client from the fintech industry uses writing style as their main factor to reject candidates who do not match their tone even though these candidates possess necessary skills. The modern definition of culture fit extends beyond office amenities because it now includes how you present yourself and your attitude and communication style.

What I recommend for candidates to check before an interview is the management-to-staff ration. This number demonstrates the way decision-making and daily operations are handled within the company. If there are large numbers of managers compared to the staff, this may indicate slow approval processes, frequent meetings and limited autonomy for employees to operate their own. The overall ratio is an indication that they operate in an environment where ideas are likely getting stuck waiting for sign-offs and they struggle to progress work on their own. A healthy ratio usually means managers supervise more people and have enough faith to let employees do their work responsibly, leading to quicker decision-making processes, more effective communication and an overall sense of ownership among team members. You can check the management-to-staff ratio by looking at the employee list of the company on LinkedIn. There, you will see how many employees have a management title vs the frontline or specialist roles. This will give you a better sense of the structure of the company before you even step into the interview.

If you're researching the company before an interview, be sure to look beyond the company and investigate the founder's prior ventures. Anyone can read the company's mission statement, but few candidates are going to do the research to understand the leadership's complete professional journey. In my experience, this one area of research is more informative of a company's DNA than anything else you could do. This is so effective because a founder's past actions are the greatest predictor of the company's future culture and sustainability. Discovering that a founder has successfully piloted a precious business through a 40% drop in revenue speaks volumes about their resiliency and character that you will never find in a press release. It tells you how they actually respond to real adversity, which is the ultimate test when deciding whether to join any work environment.

Look for recent company news and achievements ... especially from the past 6 months. Here's why this is so helpful:- The nice thing is, when the time comes for your interview, you will be able to share some of the interesting things the company is up to! Perhaps they recently opened a new factory, or won a new award, or released some really interesting new products. You don't let your kids go to school after, for example, pretending to do your homework. That's not your style. When you do your homework, you do it well. You go all out. You make sure, for example, that it's not just the homework that you do, but all the other necessary things, too. After all, you will be the one subjected to a test. It is the same thing your 'd' frame when you say things like, "Oh, I just saw that you guys recently started manufacturing parts for electric cars. That sounds super interesting!" That will be the kiss of death for you! For someone is not aware how to go about your cover letter. You do not see a single thing new about the company, not a single thing out of the norm. Then you go to check your login details, and see the same trending thing, day after day. That will be the things that sink you, I promise you. You want to go for a company that is growing, doing well and has a bright future, and that is on the up and up. From that point on, these will the the best places to find the info needed. 1- The company's website and social media pages. 2- News articles written that are linked to the company. 3- The company's website in the 'news' section. When you mention something current about the company in your interview; the person interviewing you will be impressed that you took time to learn about them. It's like showing you did your homework!!

My recommendation is to check the retention rates of their workforce and what they openly say about their team as those organizations which care about their people will show employees who have been with them long-term and will explicitly talk about career pathing. You can typically find this info on their LinkedIn company page, employee-ratings, or even glassdoor testimonials. The companies to pursue will have employees who are relatively enthusiastic (not just compensated) about opportunities for growth, work-life balance and feeling appreciated. Even how the organization mentioned specific programs, mentorship opportunities or even how they supported them during difficult moments. I remember when I was scaling my clinics and looking for the right practice management partners I spent many hours researching not only the quality of their services but how they treated their activity partners. They had stunning marketing materials, but when I really dove in, I found there was a ton of turnover in their leadership cadre and no specificity about levels of employee satisfaction. That was a red flag. In our businesses, we make it a highlight to share our team members' excitement and career growth publicly because we are proud of our culture. Organizational culture that is only sharing data strategies but not achievements typically have something they want to hide. Your career deserves an opportunity to thrive as you are not just someone who has a spot to fill.

Most candidates skim the "About Us" page and call it research. But the smartest ones go deeper into the company's direction, not just its history. One of the best things you can do before an interview is figure out what the company actually cares about right now. What are they building? Where are they growing? Are they expanding into a new market, rolling out a new product, or fixing a known issue? If you can connect your skills to their current focus, you move from "qualified" to valuable. Find one key initiative and prep how you'd support it. Maybe they just launched in a new vertical. Think through how your experience could help them gain traction there. If they're hiring a lot, maybe your ops background could improve onboarding or training. Other smart prep steps: - Read recent blog posts or press releases. They often hint at priorities. - Check the CEO's LinkedIn or recent interviews. Goldmine for strategy talk. - Look for open roles on the team you're interviewing with. Job descriptions can reveal pain points. Hiring managers aren't just looking for skills. They're looking for alignment. Show them you've done the work to understand what they need, and that you're already thinking about how to help.

I recommend that candidates review a company's mission statement and values before the interview. By aligning your responses and approach with the company's core pillars, you increase your chances of advancing to the next round of interviews.

I suggest that candidates look closely at the company's recent projects or initiatives, with a specific focus on those that have unique impacts on the industry, specific outcomes for their community, and so on. How can the candidate gather this information? Use a press release, case studies, or a project showcase listed on the company's website to see what is happening presently. Understanding what the company is currently focused on is not only a sign of genuine interest in the role or company, but it will also be helpful for the candidate to steer or tailor their conversation during the interview. Take a similar example: if the company is promoting a recently launched sustainability initiative, candidates can offer some of their own ideas, drawing on their experience or interest in sustainability, rather than simply discussing a similar initiative from a previous job. This significant degree of preparation can help candidates elevate the conversation and demonstrate their abilities relating to the company's current work.

After running COIT New Mexico and consulting with dozens of service businesses, I tell candidates to research one specific thing: how the company handles problems when they go wrong, not just their success stories. Look up their guarantee policy and complaint resolution process. At COIT, we publicly commit to a 100% satisfaction guarantee--we'll re-clean, refund, or replace at our expense. Most companies either hide their warranty terms or make them so restrictive they're meaningless. The best indicator of company culture isn't their 5-star reviews--it's how they respond to 1-star reviews online. Companies that take ownership, explain their process, and show they actually fixed the issue? Those are the places where you'll be supported when things inevitably get challenging. I've seen too many businesses that talk big about "family culture" but throw employees under the bus the moment a customer complains. The companies worth your time are the ones confident enough to put their problem-solving process in writing.

I always tell job seekers to look at the employee's LinkedIn profile to see how long people actually work there and if they move up. This one trick is showing you what the company culture is really like behind all their fancy marketing. A few weeks ago, someone who was applying for our translation team did exactly this with our company profiles. She found out that most of our project managers got promoted in under 2 years. During her interview she asked me specific questions about our training programs and how people move up here. I knew immediately she meant business with her career and hired her on the spot. When you see so many people leaving after short periods of time or remaining fixated on the same job for ages, that tells you all you need to know about bad management, and no growth. Good companies actually care about developing their workers and you can see this proof right there in profile data. Don't spend your time reading their website propaganda. Check out the real profiles of employees instead. Those numbers tell the real story about how they treat people.

One of the most valuable things candidates can research is whether a company's stated values are supported by actionable result and measurable action. It's easy to publish mission statements but I take notice when a candidate recognizes the difference between talk and proof. At OEM Source, for example, our R2v3 and NAID certifications aren't just something you see on a website-they are the result of rigorous audits and ongoing compliance work. A candidate who acknowledges that and asks me how those standards are informing the way things happen everyday shows me that they've gone below the surface in their research. My recommendation: Look for signs of accountability, they be certifications, sustainability reports or third-party recognition, and don't be afraid to ask about how those commitments are being maintained. It shows that you're actually interested, and that you're serious about being able to understand the culture you might join.