Originally published at https://easedit.co/blog/researching-company-culture
How to Research Company Culture Before Your Interview
The company website will tell you the company's version of itself: values, mission, what it's like to work there. Most of this is aspirational rather than descriptive.
The more useful question is: what is it actually like to work there? That information is available — it just requires looking in different places.
Why culture research matters beyond impressing the interviewer
Most interview advice frames company research as a tactic for appearing prepared. It's more than that.
Culture fit is one of the most common reasons offers fall through on both sides — the company decides the candidate won't thrive, or the candidate accepts an offer and leaves within a year. Neither outcome is good. Ten minutes of real research before an interview can surface signals that change how you evaluate the opportunity.
Where to look
Employee reviews — with calibration
Glassdoor is the most widely used source. The limitations are real (self-selected reviews, companies can sometimes flag reviews), but consistent patterns across many reviewers over time are informative. Look at:
- The management ratings, not just the overall score
- Reviews from people in similar roles to the one you're applying for
- How the company responds (or doesn't) to negative reviews
- Whether the same complaints appear repeatedly over different years
Blind (for tech roles) — more candid than Glassdoor because it's anonymous and used primarily by people in tech. Useful for culture specifics at named tech companies.
Indeed — broader coverage, particularly for non-tech roles. Filter by job title.
LinkedIn — what the data shows
Beyond what people say, look at what the data shows.
Tenure — how long do people stay? Short average tenure (under 18 months) across the team is a pattern worth understanding. You can estimate this by looking at employees' profiles and how long they've been at the company.
Career trajectory — are people being promoted from within? Or does the company hire senior roles externally? The latter sometimes signals limited growth for those already there.
Alumni — where do people go when they leave? Companies that produce alumni who go on to strong next roles are investing in their people. Companies where alumni move laterally or downward may not be.
Recent hires vs departures — if the company is hiring rapidly in one department while another is shrinking, that's a signal about where internal investment is going.
Job postings
An unusually high number of open roles in one area, or the same role being posted repeatedly, often indicates a retention problem. It's not conclusive, but it's worth noting.
News and industry coverage
Google: "[company name] [year]" — set the date range to the last 12 months. News stories about layoffs, leadership changes, acquisitions, product pivots, or customer issues are relevant to understanding the current state of the company.
Crunchbase / Companies House — for startups and private companies, funding history and legal filings are publicly available. A company that raised its last round two years ago and is hiring aggressively may be under financial pressure.
The recruiter — directly
"Can you tell me about the team culture?" will get you a curated answer. More specific questions get more useful answers:
- "How long has the person I'd be reporting to been in their role?"
- "Has there been much change in the team in the last year?"
- "What would you say is the biggest challenge someone in this role typically faces in their first six months?"
These questions are not aggressive — they're normal due diligence.
Using what you find in the interview
Background research gives you material for the questions you ask at the end of the interview. See questions to ask the interviewer — the questions that signal genuine research are the ones grounded in something specific you found, not generic prompts.
It also connects to the night-before preparation checklist: the 20-minute research routine includes a company culture scan as a standard step, not an optional extra.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glassdoor reliable for company culture research?
Partially. Glassdoor reviews are self-selected — people who had extreme experiences (very positive or very negative) are more likely to write reviews. Look for patterns across many reviews rather than individual data points. Consistent complaints across different reviewers and different time periods are more meaningful than a single strong opinion.
What if the company has almost no public information available?
That itself is a signal — smaller companies and startups often have fewer reviews and less public material. In that case, prioritise speaking with current or former employees through your network. A 20-minute conversation is worth more than an hour of web research on a company with minimal digital footprint.
Should I mention my company research in the interview?
Yes — selectively. Referencing something specific you found demonstrates genuine interest and preparation. But surface what's relevant to the role and conversation, not everything you found. Questions like "I noticed you recently [did X] — how has that changed the team's priorities?" work better than reciting research verbatim.
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