How to Research a Company Before Applying

Why Most Candidates Skip This Step

Company research is one of those things everyone knows they should do but few actually commit to. The typical job seeker reads the job description, glances at the company homepage, and hits "Apply." Then they repeat this 50 times and wonder why nothing sticks.

The problem isn't effort — it's misdirected effort. Sending 50 generic applications takes the same time as sending 15 well-researched, tailored ones. The difference is that the 15 targeted applications actually produce interviews.

Good research does three things for you: it helps you decide whether you even want to work there, it gives you material to customize your application, and it arms you with talking points that impress interviewers.

Step 1: Understand What the Company Actually Does

This sounds basic, but you'd be surprised how many candidates can't clearly explain the company's business model in an interview. "They're a tech company" isn't understanding. You need specifics.

The 5-Minute Company Snapshot

Answer these questions before you write a single word of your application:

• What product or service do they sell? Be specific enough to explain it to a friend.
• Who are their customers? B2B, B2C, enterprise, SMB, government?
• How do they make money? Subscription, transactional, advertising, licensing?
• How big are they? Employee count, revenue if public, funding stage if startup.
• What's their growth trajectory? Hiring aggressively or in a holding pattern?

Where to Find This

For public companies, the annual report or 10-K filing is a goldmine. The CEO's letter to shareholders usually lays out the company's strategy in plain language.

For startups, look at their most recent funding round. Who invested and how much tells you a lot about the company's prospects and how long their runway is.

Step 2: Assess the Financial Health

You don't want to join a sinking ship. Spend five minutes checking whether the company is on solid ground.

For Public Companies

Look up their stock price trend over the last year. Check their most recent earnings report. You don't need to be a financial analyst — you're looking for obvious red flags:

• Revenue declining for multiple quarters
• Major layoffs in the last 6 months
• Leadership turnover (CEO, CFO departures)
• Stock price down significantly from its peak

For Private Companies and Startups

Check Crunchbase for their last funding round. A Series B company that raised 18 months ago and is hiring aggressively is probably in good shape. A company that raised a small extension round and has open roles only in sales might be struggling.

Also look for layoff news. Sites like Layoffs.fyi track tech layoffs specifically. A company that cut 20% of staff six months ago might be stabilizing — or might cut again.

"The best time to evaluate a company is before you invest your time applying. Ten minutes of financial due diligence can save you months at a company that's about to implode."

Step 3: Read Employee Reviews (Critically)

Glassdoor, Blind, and similar platforms give you the employee perspective that company marketing won't. But you need to read reviews with nuance, not just check the star rating.

How to Read Reviews Effectively

Ignore the extremes. The 5-star "best company ever" reviews and the 1-star rage-quit reviews are both unreliable. Focus on the 3-star reviews — they tend to be the most balanced and specific.

Look for patterns. One person complaining about management is an anecdote. Fifteen people mentioning the same issue is a pattern. Pay attention to themes that appear repeatedly:

• Work-life balance complaints
• Mentions of micromanagement or lack of autonomy
• Comments about compensation and equity
• Notes on career growth and promotion paths

Filter by role and recency. Reviews from engineers might not reflect the experience in marketing. Reviews from 2019 might not reflect the current culture. Filter for your department and the last 12-18 months.

Red Flags to Watch For

• "Great culture" but consistent mentions of 60+ hour weeks
• High turnover mentioned repeatedly
• "Fast-paced" combined with "no work-life balance" (meaning: understaffed)
• Positive reviews that all sound like they were written by the same person (astroturfing)

Step 4: Study the Product and Competitors

Using the company's product before you apply — or at least understanding it deeply — gives you a massive advantage. Most candidates haven't done this. When you reference specific product features in your cover letter or interview, you immediately signal seriousness.

How to Study the Product

• Sign up for a free trial or demo if available
• Watch product demos on YouTube — both official and third-party reviews
• Read their documentation or help center to understand the user experience
• Check Product Hunt or G2 reviews for honest user feedback

Understand the Competitive Landscape

Knowing who the company competes with shows you understand their market. It also helps you frame your experience in terms of their specific challenges.

Research template for competitive analysis:

Company:        [Target company]
Main competitors: [2-3 competitors]
Key differentiator: [What makes this company different?]
Market position:  [Leader, challenger, niche player?]
Recent moves:    [Product launches, partnerships, pivots]

In an interview, being able to say "I noticed you're competing with [Competitor X] but differentiating on [specific feature]. My experience with [relevant skill] maps directly to that" is incredibly effective.

Step 5: Research the People

If you know who you'll be interviewing with, research them. If you don't know yet, research the hiring manager and team lead for the role.

What to Look For on LinkedIn

• Their career path. Where did they work before? How long have they been at this company?
• Shared connections. Do you know anyone in common? A warm introduction or mention goes a long way.
• Content they've published. Articles, posts, or talks give you insight into their priorities and perspectives.
• Their background relative to yours. Common schools, industries, or interests can build rapport.

How to Use This Without Being Creepy

Don't open an interview with "I saw your LinkedIn post from three weeks ago." Instead, weave the knowledge naturally:

"I read an article about how your team is approaching [topic]. That aligns with something I worked on at [previous company], where we..."

This shows initiative without being unsettling. The line is: reference their professional work and ideas, not their personal life.

Step 6: Check the Culture Signals

Company culture is hard to evaluate from the outside, but there are signals you can read.

Look at Their Public Presence

• Engineering blog: Companies that invest in technical writing tend to value learning and knowledge-sharing.
• Social media: Look at how they communicate. Corporate and stiff? Casual and fun? This often reflects the internal culture.
• Job descriptions: The language in job postings reveals a lot. "Rockstar ninja" tells you something different than "collaborative team member."
• Careers page: How they describe their benefits and values. Watch for specifics vs. vague platitudes.

Look at LinkedIn Activity

Check what current employees post about. Enthusiastic posts about company events and achievements suggest genuine engagement. Radio silence from employees is worth noting.

Putting It All Together

Here's how to structure 30 minutes of research before submitting an application:

• Minutes 1-5: Company snapshot — what they do, how big they are, growth trajectory
• Minutes 5-10: Financial health check — funding, revenue trends, recent news
• Minutes 10-15: Glassdoor reviews — filter by role and recency, look for patterns
• Minutes 15-20: Product research — try the product, read reviews, understand the competition
• Minutes 20-25: People research — hiring manager, team leads, shared connections
• Minutes 25-30: Culture signals — blog, social media, careers page

At the end of 30 minutes, you'll know whether this company is worth your time. If it is, you'll have everything you need to write a tailored resume and cover letter that stands out.

Make Your Research Count

The research only matters if it shows up in your application. Mention specific company details in your cover letter. Mirror the language from the job description in your resume. Reference the company's challenges and how your experience addresses them.

To turn your research into a perfectly tailored application in minutes, try Superpower Resume. Upload your resume, paste the job description, and get an optimized version that speaks directly to what the company is looking for.

Sources

• Harvard Business Review: How to Research a Company Before Your Job Interview
• LinkedIn Talent Blog: What Candidates Want to Know About Your Company
• SHRM: Conducting Effective Job Research