LumaResume

The Complete Company Research Checklist

What to research before any interview - from mission & values to recent news and tech stack.
Company Research

LumaResume Team

Dec 15, 2024

10 min

The Complete Company Research Checklist

Walking into an interview without researching the company is like taking a test without studying. Sure, you might get lucky, but why risk it?

Here's what candidates who research well accomplish:

  • Answer "Why do you want to work here?" with genuine, specific reasons (not generic "growth opportunity" fluff)
  • Ask informed questions that impress interviewers
  • Tailor their stories to align with company values and priorities
  • Identify red flags before accepting an offer they'll regret

The reality: 68% of candidates do minimal company research, limiting themselves to the About Us page. The other 32% dive deeper—and they're the ones who stand out and get offers.

This guide provides a systematic checklist to research any company in 2-3 hours, from startups to Fortune 500s. Use this before every interview to show up prepared, confident, and genuinely informed.

Why Company Research Matters

1. It Shows You're Serious

Generic answers like "I'm excited about growth opportunities" could apply to any company. Specific answers like "I'm impressed by your initiative to reduce carbon emissions by 40% and want to contribute to that mission" show you did your homework.

2. It Helps You Evaluate Fit

Research reveals:

  • Is the company financially stable?
  • Do employees stay or leave quickly?
  • Does the culture align with your values?
  • Are they growing or struggling?

3. It Prepares Better Questions

Instead of asking "What does your company do?" (embarrassing), you ask "I read about your expansion into the European market. How does this role support that strategy?" (impressive).

💡 Pro Tip: Spend 30 minutes on basic research before the first interview, then 60-90 minutes of deep research before final rounds. Adjust depth based on interview stage.

Phase 1: Company Fundamentals (30 minutes)

Start with the basics: what they do, who they serve, and recent news.

☐ Company Website Deep Dive

1. About Us / Company Page

  • Mission statement: What are they trying to achieve?
  • Values: What principles guide them? (Note: these will likely come up in behavioral questions)
  • Founding story: When and why did they start? Who are the founders?

2. Products / Services

  • What they sell: Understand their core offerings
  • Who they serve: B2B, B2C, enterprise, SMB, consumers?
  • Value proposition: What makes them different from competitors?

3. Leadership / Team Page

  • Executives: Who leads the company? What are their backgrounds?
  • Board members: Any notable investors or advisors?

4. Newsroom / Press Releases

  • Recent announcements: New products, funding, partnerships, awards
  • Filter last 3-6 months: Focus on recent news to reference

What to capture:

  • 2-3 specific recent initiatives or achievements to mention
  • 1-2 company values that resonate with you

☐ Quick Google News Search

Search: "[Company Name] news" and filter by past 3 months

Look for:

  • Product launches
  • Executive changes (new CEO, departures)
  • Acquisitions or partnerships
  • Funding rounds (if startup)
  • Layoffs or restructuring (red flag)
  • Awards or recognition
  • Expansion into new markets

What to capture:

  • Any major positive or negative news
  • Topics that might come up in the interview

Example: If they just launched a new product, expect questions about how you'd contribute to its success.

☐ LinkedIn Company Page

Visit their LinkedIn page and review:

1. Company Overview

  • Employee count (growing or shrinking?)
  • Headquarters location
  • Industry classification

2. Recent Posts

  • What are they talking about? (Company culture, wins, initiatives)
  • Tone and values reflected in content

3. Employee Highlights

  • Who recently joined? (Check if roles are growing)
  • Employee testimonials or stories

What to capture:

  • Company size and growth trajectory
  • Culture signals from posts
  • Any employees you might know or want to connect with

Phase 2: Culture & Employee Experience (30 minutes)

Understand what it's actually like to work there from people who know.

☐ Glassdoor Reviews

Visit Glassdoor and read 10-15 recent reviews (last 6 months)

What to look for:

Pros Section:

  • Consistent themes: "Great work-life balance," "Strong leadership," "Learning opportunities"
  • Specific examples: "Manager gave me ownership of X project"

Cons Section:

  • Red flags: Repeated mentions of toxic culture, micromanagement, excessive hours, poor leadership, high turnover
  • Minor complaints: Every company has some—look for patterns, not one-offs

CEO Approval Rating:

  • Above 70%: Generally positive sentiment
  • Below 50%: Leadership issues

Categories to review:

  • Work-life balance
  • Compensation & benefits
  • Career opportunities
  • Management quality

Interview Reviews:

  • What's the interview process like?
  • How long does it take?
  • What questions do they ask?

💡 Pro Tip: Sort by "Recent" to get current culture, not reviews from 3 years ago when things were different.

What to capture:

  • 2-3 consistent positive themes
  • Any red flags to probe in interviews
  • Interview process insights

☐ Blind / Reddit (For Honest Insights)

For tech companies or larger orgs, check:

Blind App: Anonymous employee discussions

  • Search "[Company Name]" to find threads
  • Look for discussions on culture, compensation, work-life balance

Reddit: r/jobs, r/cscareerquestions, or industry-specific subreddits

  • Search "[Company Name] culture" or "[Company Name] interview"

What you'll find:

  • Brutally honest takes (sometimes overly negative—take with grain of salt)
  • Compensation data
  • Inside scoop on teams or managers

What to capture:

  • Any insights not found on Glassdoor
  • Compensation benchmarks

☐ Current Employees (LinkedIn Research)

Find 2-3 employees in similar roles and review their profiles:

How to find them:

  1. Go to LinkedIn
  2. Search: "[Job Title] at [Company Name]"
  3. Filter by current employees

What to look for:

  • Tenure: Are people staying 3+ years or leaving quickly?
  • Career progression: Do people get promoted internally?
  • Backgrounds: Where did they come from? (Tells you hiring patterns)
  • Content they share: What are they proud of?

Optional: Reach out for an informational chat

"Hi [Name], I'm interviewing for the [Role] position at [Company] and came across your profile. Would you have 15 minutes to share your experience working there? I'd love your insights."

What to capture:

  • Average tenure (2+ years is healthy)
  • Promotion examples
  • Common background patterns

Phase 3: Business & Market Position (30 minutes)

Understand the company's financial health, competitors, and industry standing.

☐ Financial Health (Public Companies)

For publicly traded companies:

1. Stock Performance (Yahoo Finance, Google Finance)

  • Is the stock up or down over the last year?
  • Recent trends (steady growth, volatility, decline)

2. Earnings Reports (Investor Relations page)

  • Read the latest quarterly earnings summary
  • Look for: Revenue growth, profitability, guidance (future outlook)

3. Analyst Sentiment

  • Are analysts bullish or bearish?
  • Any recent upgrades/downgrades?

Red flags:

  • Consistent revenue decline
  • Layoffs mentioned in earnings calls
  • Lowered guidance

What to capture:

  • General financial health (strong, stable, struggling)
  • Any concerns to address in interview

☐ Funding & Growth (Startups/Private Companies)

For startups:

1. Crunchbase / PitchBook

  • Total funding raised
  • Latest funding round (Series A, B, C, etc.)
  • Investors (reputable VCs signal credibility)

2. TechCrunch / Tech News

  • Search "[Company Name] funding"
  • When was their last round? Recent = runway

What to look for:

  • Well-funded: Raised significant capital recently (12-18 months runway minimum)
  • Profitable or near-profitable: Less dependent on next funding
  • Reputable investors: Sequoia, a16z, Accel, Kleiner Perkins, etc.

Red flags:

  • No funding in 2+ years for early-stage startup (burning cash?)
  • Down rounds (raised money at lower valuation)
  • Layoffs after funding round

What to capture:

  • Funding stage and amount
  • Investor backing quality
  • Financial runway estimate

☐ Competitive Landscape

Identify 2-3 main competitors:

How to find:

  1. Google: "[Company Name] competitors"
  2. Check job description—do they mention competitive position?
  3. Ask ChatGPT/search "companies similar to [Company Name]"

What to research:

  • How is [Company] positioned vs. competitors?
  • What's their differentiator? (Cost, features, customer service, innovation)
  • Market share (leader, challenger, niche player?)

Why it matters:

  • Shows you understand the market
  • Helps answer: "Why us instead of [Competitor]?"

What to capture:

  • 2-3 main competitors
  • Company's competitive advantage

☐ Industry Trends

What's happening in their industry?

Quick research:

  • Google: "[Industry] trends 2025"
  • Read 1-2 recent articles from industry publications

Questions to answer:

  • Is the industry growing or shrinking?
  • What challenges does the industry face? (Regulation, tech disruption, economic headwinds)
  • How is [Company] responding to these trends?

Example:

  • Industry: Fintech
  • Trend: Increased regulation around crypto and digital payments
  • How to use: "I've been following the regulatory changes in fintech. How is [Company] navigating the evolving compliance landscape?"

What to capture:

  • 1-2 key industry trends
  • How company is positioned to handle them

Phase 4: Role-Specific Research (30 minutes - Before Final Rounds)

Understand exactly what you'd be working on and who you'd work with.

☐ Job Description Deep Analysis

Don't just skim—dissect it.

Highlight:

  • Required skills: What's non-negotiable?
  • Preferred skills: Nice-to-haves (mention if you have them)
  • Key responsibilities: Your day-to-day
  • Success metrics: How will you be evaluated?

Cross-reference with your experience:

  • Which of your stories demonstrate these skills?
  • Where are gaps? (Be ready to address)

What to capture:

  • Top 3 skills they're emphasizing
  • Stories that align with each

☐ Team & Manager Research (LinkedIn)

Find your potential manager:

  1. Check if interviewer names were shared
  2. Search LinkedIn for [Job Title] + [Company Name]

What to review:

  • Background: Where did they come from?
  • Tenure: How long at the company?
  • Content: What do they post about? (Signals interests/values)
  • Shared connections: Anyone you both know?

Find your potential teammates:

  • Look at current team members in similar roles
  • Check their backgrounds and career paths

What to capture:

  • Manager's background and interests (helps build rapport)
  • Team composition and experience levels
  • Shared connections to mention

☐ Projects & Initiatives (Engineering Blogs, Case Studies)

Many companies publish:

  • Engineering/Tech Blog: How they solve problems
  • Customer Case Studies: Success stories
  • Product Updates: Recent launches

Where to find:

  • Company website: "Blog" or "Resources"
  • Medium: Search "[Company Name]"
  • YouTube: Company channel for product demos

What to look for:

  • Recent projects or initiatives
  • Technologies they use
  • Problems they're solving

How to use: "I read your blog post about migrating to microservices. How does this role contribute to that architecture evolution?"

What to capture:

  • 1-2 recent projects or initiatives to reference
  • Technologies or methodologies they use

The 24-Hour Pre-Interview Checklist

The day before your interview, review and consolidate your research.

☐ Review Your Research Notes

Skim your notes and highlight:

  • 3 reasons you're excited about the company (specific!)
  • 2 recent news items or initiatives to mention
  • 1-2 potential concerns or questions to ask

☐ Prepare "Why This Company?" Answer

Draft a 60-90 second response:

Bad: "I'm looking for growth opportunities and your company has a great reputation."

Good: "I'm drawn to [Company] for three reasons. First, your recent initiative to [specific project/value] aligns with my passion for [relevant interest]. Second, I'm impressed by your approach to [competitive differentiator]—I saw in your Q3 earnings that [specific metric improved]. Finally, I've connected with several employees on LinkedIn, and the consistent feedback about [culture aspect] really resonates with me."

☐ Tailor 3-5 Questions Based on Research

Pull from your research to craft informed questions:

  • "I read about your expansion into [market]. How does this role support that strategy?"
  • "Your glassdoor reviews mention [positive theme]. Can you share more about how the company fosters that?"
  • "I saw [news about partnership/product]. What's the team most excited about with that?"

☐ Identify Potential Red Flags to Probe

If you noticed concerns (Glassdoor reviews, layoffs, exec turnover), prepare diplomatic questions:

  • "I noticed some reviews mention [concern]. How is leadership addressing that?"
  • "I saw the recent restructuring. How does that impact this team's priorities?"

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake #1: Only Reading the About Us Page

Why it fails: Everyone does this. You won't stand out.

Do this instead: Go deeper—read news, Glassdoor, employee profiles, financials.

❌ Mistake #2: Not Researching Interviewers

Why it fails: Missed opportunity to build rapport and tailor questions.

Do this instead: LinkedIn stalk (professionally). Find shared connections, interests, or background.

❌ Mistake #3: Ignoring Red Flags

Why it fails: You accept an offer and regret it 3 months later.

Do this instead: Probe concerns in interviews. If Glassdoor says "poor work-life balance," ask about it.

❌ Mistake #4: Memorizing Facts Without Connecting to You

Why it fails: Sounds like you're reciting a Wikipedia page.

Do this instead: Connect research to your interests: "Your focus on sustainability aligns with my volunteer work in environmental advocacy."

❌ Mistake #5: Researching Right Before the Interview (5 minutes)

Why it fails: Surface-level insights, no time to synthesize.

Do this instead: 30 mins basic research before first interview, 90 mins deep dive before finals.

Research Template (Download & Fill)

Use this simple template to organize your findings:

COMPANY: [Name]
ROLE: [Title]
INTERVIEW DATE: [Date]

COMPANY BASICS:

  • Mission/Values:
  • Products/Services:
  • Recent News (last 3 months):

CULTURE INSIGHTS:

  • Glassdoor Rating:
  • Consistent Pros:
  • Consistent Cons:
  • Red Flags to Address:

BUSINESS HEALTH:

  • Financial Status:
  • Recent Funding/Performance:
  • Competitors:
  • Differentiator:

INTERVIEW PREP:

  • Why This Company? (3 specific reasons): 1. 2. 3.
  • Questions to Ask: 1. 2. 3.

  • Stories to Emphasize:

Key Takeaways

  1. Research is a competitive advantage: 68% of candidates don't do it—stand out by doing it well
  2. Go beyond the About Us page: News, Glassdoor, financials, and employee profiles reveal the real story
  3. Tailor your prep to interview stage: 30 mins for first round, 90 mins for finals
  4. Use research to craft specific answers: "Why here?" should reference real initiatives, not generic platitudes
  5. Identify red flags early: Glassdoor and news reveal concerns to probe before accepting
  6. Research your interviewers: LinkedIn stalking (professionally) builds rapport and prepares better questions
  7. Consolidate the day before: Review notes, prepare tailored answers and questions

Next Steps

  1. Pick a company you're interviewing with (or want to interview with)
  2. Set a timer for 2 hours and work through this checklist
  3. Fill out the research template with your findings
  4. Draft your "Why this company?" answer using specific research
  5. Prepare 3-5 tailored questions based on your research
  6. Read our guide on Insightful Questions to Ask to refine your questions

Remember: Company research isn't about impressing interviewers with obscure facts. It's about showing genuine interest, evaluating fit, and having informed conversations that help both sides make better decisions. Invest the time, and you'll walk into interviews confident, prepared, and ready to stand out.