Career Resources at NYU Shanghai

Focus On

Imagine you are an independent consultant about to meet with a prospective new client. 

You'll want to focus on the following:

• How the organization see themselves, their culture and values — what differentiates them from others in the field
• What the organization is most known for
• What recent news the organization was mentioned in and why
• What are the biggest and/or current initiatives/projects/products/clients
• What is the size of the organization — for e.g., no. of employees, offices in which part of the country/region
• Who are the key decision-makers — so that you are to recognize important names, and their background 

Rationale

Interviewers are unlikely to test you your knowledge of a company.

They might ask a question like “Tell me what you know about us,” but they’re generally just looking to ensure that you know the basics.

Objectives

Remember, this research is for yourself! By the end of the research:

• You are informed about what this organization is all about
• You can understand the context during your interview
• You have an intelligent conversation with your interviewer(s)
• You feel prepared and confident

Doing it Wrong

You're doing it wrong and wasting your time if you are:

• Memorizing the names of their board members, and their sales numbers last year
• Knowing every location which they have an office in, and the precise year they were founded

Databases that cover a broad range or many, multiple industries

Databases that focuses on specific industries/specialized

Summary section adapted from "how to research the company you’re interviewing with." Ask A Manager. 2015. Retrieved 18 Sep 2017. http://www.askamanager.org/2015/03/how-to-research-the-company-youre-interviewing-with.html.