Why they ask it
The National Careers Service says employers ask this to see if you have a genuine interest in working for them.
It also suggests showing what you've learned about the company throughout the interview, not just in this answer.
Where to look
- The employer's website, especially the "about us" pages: products, services and values.
- The annual report and plans. For public service interviews, the APSC suggests the agency's annual report and corporate plan.
- News stories about the employer and its industry.
- Its social media, to see how it presents itself.
- The job ad and the information pack, for what the team does.
CareerOneStop's guide to researching employers lists what to look for. That includes the mission and values, key products and services, and customers.
It also lists the leaders, plans and projects, the culture, and trends in the industry.
How to answer: facts, then links
- Give two or three facts: what they do, who for, and one current plan or piece of news.
- Link each fact to the job, or to why you applied.
- Finish with what you'd like to learn more about.
Northern Ireland's guide suggests showing you've researched their products, services, plans and culture.
Common mistakes
- Reading the website back to them.
- Getting a fact wrong, such as an old name or a closed service.
- Only mentioning pay, perks or the location.
- Treating online reviews as facts. Use them to form questions, not claims.
Make it fit the job ad
Read the ad for the team's purpose. Then find one plan or project that team will work on. That's your strongest fact.
Our guide to answering "Why do you want this job?" shows how to turn these facts into reasons.
A worked example, made up
This made-up example uses STAR: Situation, Task, Action and Result. The actions show what he found and where, and the result links it to the job.
Made-up example
Tariq, applying for a customer information job at a regional bus company
Question
Situation
Task
Action
- I read your latest annual report. You run 42 routes, and carried about 9 million trips last year.
- I read your plan to replace a third of the fleet with electric buses by 2028.
- I rode the new route 12 at peak time, and noted three questions passengers asked the driver.
- I read your service updates from the last 6 months, to see which changes caused the most complaints.
Result
Tariq gives a few facts from good sources, then links them to the job. He doesn't recite the website.
Questions
How much research is enough?
Enough to say what they do, who for, and one current plan. An hour or two of focused reading is often enough.
What if it's a small business with no website?
Look for news, reviews and social media. Visit if you can, and ask people who know it.
Can I use AI tools to research the employer?
CareerOneStop lists them as one source. Check anything they tell you against the employer's own pages, because AI tools can be wrong.
Sources
Written by Seal the Offer from these pages, last checked on . Rules change, so check the employer's own page and the job ad before you apply.