How To Answer “What Do You Know About Our Company?”

When an interviewer asks “what do you know about our company” they are trying to see if you’ve done your research or not.

In this article we will go over what interviewers want to know, how to answer this question, and provide example answers.

Key Takeaways:

• The interviewer is trying to see if you are prepared for the interview or not.

• Stay positive in your answers and don’t bring up anything bad about the company.

• Try to highlight your answers to the company values and show how they match your own values.

Why Interviewers Ask “What Do You Know About Our Company?”

When an interviewer asks this question, they’re not actually interested in hearing the entire detailed history of their company — they’re trying to figure out if you even bothered to prepare for the interview.

Knowing the history and details of a company will make you a more appealing candidate to the interviewer, especially if your own personal career goals align with those of the company’s.

Many people assume that they will learn everything they need to know about the company during the actual interview and don’t even think to do any research before going in. You need to come to the interview with background knowledge of the company to successfully answer this question.

How to Answer This Question

This is one of the easier job interview questions to prepare for. It’s not a behavioral interview question, so you don’t really need a story. You can talk about how your strengths would be an asset here (based on your research of what the company values), but you don’t need to.

Use the following steps to guide your research, and see yourself what the company is all about:

1. Research and check company website. Spend a lot of time going through the company’s website (if they have one). Read how they describe themselves. Look for new programs or projects. While researching ask yourself these questions:

   • What kind of organization is this? Is this a corporation, a nonprofit, a government institution, or a start-up?

   • What products or services does the organization provide? Who is their target demographic or audience?

   • What is their annual revenue?

   • How large or small is the organization? How many people do they employ? How many locations do they have?

   • What kind of people do they hire?

2. Highlight your interest. During the interview you should be enthusiastic and interested. Your answers should demonstrate that you understand the company and their values. You should also show how they align with your own personal values.

3. See what former and current employees say.Check sites like Glassdoor to see what employees are saying. Keep in mind that disgruntled employees are always more likely to post. However, if most of their reviews are positive, you can bring that up in the interview.

More important questions to ask yourself:

• Why does the company exist? Why was it created?

• What is their mission? What do they hope to accomplish or what aspects do they seek to maintain?

• Who founded the company? What do you know about them?

• What has happened with the company since it was founded? What developments have they made, or what have they accomplished? Have they won any awards or honors for their work?

• How do they fit into the industry that they’re in?

Example Answers

1. Example Answer 1: Healthcare

   “I really appreciate your mission to provide high-quality affordable healthcare, and your commitment to providing education about how to make informed choices and lead healthy lives. I greatly respect your efforts to provide healthcare and education to countries abroad with your local partner organizations. Your commitment to creating a healthier world for everyone resonates with my desire to help and educate others.”

   Why it works: This answer shows that the candidate has researched the company, while also showing that they sharing their goals and values. This demonstrates that they not only know the mission of the company — they understand why it was founded and their long term career goals.

2. Example Answer 2: Green Industry

   “Your company was founded in 2008 with the intent to further the reality of solar energy for utility, corporate, and commercial businesses, regardless of government incentives. Initially your company was focused on residential solar, but after widespread success began to focus on commercial rooftop PV, later becoming a leader in full-scale solar projects.

   You have positive reviews online stating that you have great opportunities for growth, good locations, and that you’re a very security and safety-conscious company. I am excited by these reviews and opportunities for growth, as I would like to succeed and grow with your company.”

   Why it works: This is a good answer because it shows knowledge of why the company was founded, their products and services, and their history and successes. This answer also uses the terminology of the specific industry, which shows that the candidate is informed and familiar with the industry. This answer shows that they have taken the time to read reviews of the company and that they were motivated by the results.

3. Example Answer 3: Founder-Focused

   “When I think about industry leaders, I think about XYZ Corp. Your commitment to customer service is unparalleled and when I started looking into your company, I discovered you’re equally committed to employee satisfaction.

   I’ve seen presentations from your founder and CEO, Barbara Kennedy, and her vision of constant evolution is inspiring. Her talk on continuous learning really resonated with me, as I try to incorporate learning time into each day at work.”

   Why it works: This answer compliments the company and its founder. He also shows that it’s not an empty compliment by getting into the specifics about what sets this company apart. Finally, he brings it back around to his own work values to show how he’d make a great fit here.

Tips to Keep in Mind When Answering

• Don’t bring up everything you find. Stay away from saying negative things about the company. Don’t quote any angry rants posted by an employee online. Don’t mention personal information about staff members.

• Stick to safe topics. Such as their products, services, mission, history, what sets them apart from their competition, etc.

• Don’t go overboard. Mention key points, but don’t recite an entire detailed history of the organization.

• Think of questions to ask. In your research and during the interview process, you’re likely to have gaps in what you know still. By asking questions, you’re demonstrating a genuine interest in the company.

• Compliment the company. If you’re impressed with what your research turns up, turn that into enthusiasm when answering this question. If you can say something nice about the company, the hiring manager or recruiter will feel better about getting you a job offer.

Consider the Hiring Manager’s Perspective When Answering

You should try to learn more about the hiring manager and what they do on a daily basis. Don’t be a robot — the secret to turning an interview from an awkward script-reading into a real human conversation is to understand the company, the hiring manager, and what they do.

Questions to consider about the hiring manager include:

• What is their background or history?

• What is their mission?

• What is the reason for the job opening?

• What are their biggest challenges?

Even if your interviewer turns out to be painfully boring, you should come prepared with enough background information to impress them. Interviewers look for people who are genuine and enthusiastic, but even if you’re neither of these things, you can trick your interviewer with some pre-interview research of the company.

Final Thoughts

You should show that you understand the company’s mission and explain how you would help them succeed. Prepare a condensed statement on how your qualifications and accomplishments can help in reaching their goals. Convey your knowledge with a positive attitude, but don’t go over the top. You want to come off as pleasant and enthusiastic, not psychotic.

When you learn about the details and history of a company, it helps you come up with your own questions for the interviewer. You may even discover that the more you learn about a company, the more passionate and excited you become about the career or industry itself.

Reciting a memorized script of information won’t make you stand out as a potential employee. Researching employers and organizations not only helps you get a job but also helps you better understand what you’re looking for in an employer or a career.

Expert Opinion

Author

Maddie Lloyd

Maddie Lloyd was a writer for the Zippia Advice blog focused on researching tips for interview, resume, and cover letter preparation. She's currently a graduate student at North Carolina State University's department of English concentrating in Film and Media Studies.