Thorough research of potential employers is essential for tech professionals looking to advance their careers.
Diving into a company's workplace culture and values helps individuals gain valuable insights into whether a potential employer aligns with their career aspirations and personal goals. In addition, this research can also help tech pros spot red flags, such as whether a company is financially solvent.
Platforms such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn offer invaluable resources, providing access to employee reviews, salary information, and company profiles—even if most tech recruiters caution to take reviews left on Glassdoor "with a grain of salt.” Other websites and forums will likewise provide critical information about a company’s inner workings.
Thomas Vick, senior regional director at Robert Half Technology, said leveraging these resources effectively will not only help you gain a deeper understanding of a company's reputation, growth trajectory, and industry standing, but also the company culture.
“You want to look at the company’s values and what their core principles are to make sure those align with what you believe in,” he said. “That's first and foremost. What's the mission statement? What are the core values? In which direction is the company going? Make sure it aligns with what it is you want.”
Having a good look at the organization should also be paired with a close reading of the "job behind the job description" so you have an idea of performance expectations, other job openings, and what skills are actually required once you're hired for the position.
A trio of tech recruitment specialists shared their thoughts on how to best research a company pre-interview, and what you should do for research ahead of an interview and how it can benefit you.
Company Webpage and Careers Page
Jim Halpin, senior unit manager of technology recruiting at LaSalle Network, said the main thing to research before applying is the legitimacy of the company.
“There are scams out there where people may pose as a representative of some big-name company,” he said. “The biggest thing I would is make sure you're applying to a legitimate link or legitimate job.”
Most company websites have dedicated company pages allowing users to look for jobs or view open positions, information concerning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, benefits, opportunities for students and other aspects of company culture.
Hannah Johnson, vice president, tech talent programs CompTIA, agreed a good place to start is on the organization's webpage—and thinks visiting the careers page is an absolute must.
“See what they have on their culture and their benefits,” she said. “All that information offers tremendous data points for whether it is going to be an organization that aligns with what you want and need out of your career.”
Halpin also highlighted LinkedIn, the social media site with a more professional bent, as a useful research resource. Detailed company pages and employee profiles help applicants gain insights into the organization's mission and values as well as its size and where offices are located.
“Get a quick summary of what the company does—you can also find out if you have any mutual connections there you can lean on,” Halpin said. “You don't need to get bogged down in too much research before hitting the Apply button.”
LinkedIn's networking features (a mix of free and paid features enabled through a Premium subscription) enable connections with an organization's current and former employees. The site also offers employee reviews, although they're less detailed than those on other platforms.
Lots of organizations also post jobs directly to LinkedIn, giving you insights into other opportunities or where the company is actively looking for (or lacking in) talent.
Company updates offer insights into recent projects and initiatives, which can help inform applicants about the company's latest activities and developments. “Check out what people are posting, read some of the articles, and get a feel for how individuals are speaking about the organization,” Johnson said. “Those are all helpful data points.”
Glassdoor
Glassdoor, where current and former employees post anonymous reviews of companies and their management, is a popular resource for researching companies before applying for jobs or accepting offers.
The platform also allows users to anonymously submit and view salaries, and they can search and apply for jobs on its platform. Johnson, Halpin and Vick all mentioned the site as source of potentially valuable information—but all three also qualified its value with the exact same phrase: “Take it with a grain of salt.”
The website is known as a dumping ground for emotionally disgruntled employees, and anonymity could (and often does) lead to exaggerated or more strongly biased assessments. “You don't want it to be the only source of information you use to make a decision about whether it's an organization you want to be a part of,” Johnson said.
Moreover, company cultures can—and do—change and evolve, so a handful of negative experiences in the past may not reflect the organization's current structure or values. “If you're seeing negative reviews out there, continue to at least explore further,” Halpin said. “It's a good place to start, but sometimes those reviews don't truly reflect a company culture.”
Personal Contacts and Recruitment Firms
All three recommended reaching out to friends and colleagues and even extended professional networks to get the inside scoop on a prospective employer. Even a casual connection can impart a higher degree of trust than an anonymous Glassdoor takedown.
“See if there's anybody within your network you trust who might have worked at that organization,” Vick said.
Tech recruiters and staffing firms are additional sources of information about prospective employers. Based on their experience working with these companies as they place candidates, they may have additional information gleaned from experience and working relationships that can guide you.
“We know these companies, we know their processes, and we know what it is they look for,” Vick said.
Bonus Benefit: Match a Resume to Company Culture
Vick points out how, when you're applying for a position, researching the company beforehand may provide you with opportunities to put information on your resume or in an application that dovetail with the organization's goals and culture.
“When you highlight the things that are important to you, that's an opportunity to connect to the things you see the organization going through,” he said. “That's what's going to allow you to really stand out.”
He said companies want to know you're invested and that you're going to put the time into understanding what they do and their organizational mission: “When it comes to selecting candidates, that can often be a big differentiator.”
Research Before the Interview
As you start getting responses and interview offers, it's time to take it a level deeper and read up on recent news about the company. “Find out if they're publicly traded, look into some of their financial history,” Halpin suggested.
Johnson said that, during most interviews, you'll be given the opportunity to ask questions about the organization, and by having more deeply researched the company before the interview, you'll be better prepared to extract additional information—and make an impression.
“Doing your research puts you in the best possible position to ask them questions that are most important to you,” she said. “It shows the employer you're interested and you understand the company, and provides the candidate with another avenue for understanding more about the organization of which they might become a part.”
One word of caution: carefully calibrate your questions appropriately. In a first-round interview, it's a bit early to inquire about the details of the vacation policy, for example. “You are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you,” Johnson said. “Ask them how they live out those values listed on their site on a day-to-day basis in the workplace. Do they really practice what they preach?”
Conclusion
From LinkedIn and Glassdoor to personal contacts and company websites, doing an in-depth search on an organization will help you determine if you feel alignment with culture, values, career goals, and set you up for success in the interview.
By reviewing employee experiences and recent developments, you're able to make a more informed decision. Recruitment firms can also offer additional avenues for gathering insider perspectives, augmenting traditional research methods.
Deeper dives into recent news and financial history further equip candidates to gather impressions and insights before the interview process.
Tailoring resumes and interview questions to match company cultures and goals will help you stand out and demonstrate genuine interest, putting you in the best position to know if you and the opportunity are truly a match.
