Before I start this post, I want to express mixed feelings about the topic. I think that researching companies can be an effective job search strategy but I also don’t want to overload people in their job search. I often see advice that suggests the secret to getting a job is to do more of something you’re not doing currently.

This post isn’t meant to add to your to-do list but instead to offer a few ideas for how you can answer specific questions that come up during your job search, including: Do I have the right experience? Do they have an internal candidate in mind? What question(s) should I ask at the end of my next interview? The goal is to give you tools to gain clarity rather than another punch-list of job search tasks. Ideally, you’ll be able to use these strategies to spend five minutes researching and then decide not to apply to a job or decide to tailor only one part of your resume because it has the closest alignment and is enough to show your qualifications.

Before you start any research project, I highly recommend focusing on exactly what question your research will answer. Research often begets rabbit holes – and sometimes the information we find would be super interesting outside of your job search but doesn’t help you right now. Going into it with a clear goal and a specific ROI (return on investment) can also help you minimize extra labor.

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