How to research a company ahead of a job interview
Having been involved in recruitment across the agricultural sector for several years, I’ve seen first hand the difference good preparation makes. In an industry where businesses take real pride in what they do, candidates who properly research a company stand out immediately and tend to perform far stronger at interview.
What do you need to find out?
When researching a company ahead of a job interview, the aim isn’t to memorise facts or impress with obscure detail. It’s about building a clear picture of who the business is, how it operates and whether it’s somewhere you’d genuinely want to work. Good research gives you context, helps you ask better questions and allows you to have a more informed, two way conversation.
At a minimum, you should be looking to understand:
- What the company does and what they sell
- Their background and history
- Their culture and values
- What makes them different from competitors
- What they do particularly well
- Why you would want to work for them specifically
- Where the business is heading and whether they are investing in the future
- Their reputation within the industry or local area
- The challenges they face in their market
If you can cover these points, you’ll not only come across as prepared, but you’ll also be in a much better position to decide whether the role and the business are right for you.
Why does researching a company matter?
Put simply, if you don’t research a company before an interview, you’re unlikely to get very far. Preparation shows commitment and genuine interest, and candidates who have done their homework almost always make a stronger impression.
People take their businesses seriously, particularly in agriculture, and want someone who wants their business specifically, not just any job. I’ve even known of interviews where a candidate admitted they didn’t know much about the company and the conversation ended there. That’s an extreme example, but more often it shows in subtler ways, with interviewers remaining polite while mentally checking out and writing you off.
It’s also for your own benefit. Research helps you understand what the business does, what they sell and where the role fits, so you’re both on the same page.
The bottom line is that it comes down to respect, commitment and intent. If you can’t be bothered to put the effort in, it’s fair to ask why they should invest in hiring you. It’s also worth asking yourself whether this is the right job for you in the first place.
The bare minimum
When interviewing with a company, these are the absolute basics you should have covered. Later in the article, I’ll share my own tips for going deeper so you can really impress your interviewer.
Start with the company website
Your first port of call should always be the company website. Almost all agribusinesses will have one, as will many larger farms and estates, although smaller individual farms may not.
Begin with the About page. This usually provides useful context around what the business does, its history and its values. From there, look for a Meet the Team page to get a sense of the size of the organisation and the type of people they employ.
Next, dig into what the business actually does day to day. What products or services do they offer? A website is effectively their shop window, so spend time on the relevant pages to understand how they operate and where the role fits.
Finally, check for blogs, news updates or articles. These can highlight recent achievements, developments or challenges and give insight into how the business communicates and thinks.
Revisit the job description
Most roles will be advertised either by a recruiter or directly by the company. Once you’ve been invited to interview, go back and read the job advert carefully. If there’s a full job specification available, ask for it.
Make sure you understand exactly what the role involves and what will be expected of you. This ensures that when you sit down with the interviewer, you are aligned from the outset. Interviewers are always happy to answer questions, but it quickly becomes clear if a candidate hasn’t grasped the basics.
Good preparation doesn’t require hours of work, but it does require intent. Doing these two things properly will put you ahead of a large proportion of candidates.
Pro tips for a deeper dive
The points above are the bare minimum I’d expect from anyone preparing for a job interview. Below are some additional ways to research a company more thoroughly and make a stronger impression.
Google News
A simple but often overlooked step is to search the company name on Google and click the News tab. This pulls in articles from trade publications, local press and other sources.
It’s a quick way to gain insight beyond the company website. Larger businesses tend to have more coverage, but smaller farms and businesses can often feature in local or industry press too.
Social media
Most businesses have some form of social media presence. Many without a website will still have a Facebook page. Activity varies, but this is often where you see the personality of the business.
Look at recent posts to understand what they’ve been doing, such as events, product launches or team updates. This helps build context and makes conversations more natural.
Stick to official company pages and avoid personal profiles.
LinkedIn is a professional platform and a useful research tool when preparing for an interview in agribusiness.
You can use the People tab on a company page to get a sense of size and identify key individuals. It can also be useful to look at the background of your interviewer to understand their experience.
Unlike other platforms, this stays within professional boundaries.
Companies House
All UK companies are registered with Companies House, which makes it a valuable source of information.
You can see directors, giving you visibility of decision makers, and in some cases financial information. For those who understand accounts, this can indicate performance, scale and growth.
Smaller businesses aren’t required to report financials in the same level of detail, so the information available will vary.
Competitor research
You don’t need to go into huge detail, but having an awareness of competitors shows a stronger understanding of the market.
It’s about building broader context. Understanding how the business differs from its competitors, what need it serves and how it positions itself demonstrates commercial awareness. It also gives you better questions to ask around how the business is addressing similar challenges and staying competitive.
Ultimately, researching a company before an interview is about more than simply increasing your chances of getting the job. It allows you to assess whether the business is the right fit for your own career, values and ambitions. The best interviews feel less like an interrogation and more like a professional conversation, and good research gives you the confidence to contribute meaningfully. By taking the time to understand the business, its people and its place within the industry, you demonstrate genuine interest, commercial awareness and professionalism. In a competitive job market, that extra effort can be the difference between being remembered as just another candidate and standing out as someone the employer can genuinely see joining their team.
Written by Harry Porter
Part of our recruitment team, Harry wrote this article to share his experience on the subject having been heavily involved in recruitment during his time with De Lacy Executive.
Harry Porter Key Account Consultant
