"What Do You Know About Our Company?" — How to Answer & Research Any Employer

"What do you know about our company?" is one of the most common opening questions in interviews at every level, from retail jobs to graduate schemes. It is rarely a pop quiz. The interviewer is checking three things: whether you took the time to prepare, whether your interest is genuine, and whether you understand the context in which you would be working.

Candidates who answer vaguely — "you are a big company that does a lot of things" — signal low effort. Candidates who recite the About page word for word sound rehearsed. The strongest answers combine a few specific facts with an opinion or connection to the role, showing that you can think about the business, not just read about it.

The question is a close cousin of "Why do you want to work here?" and "Why do you want this job?". The research you do for one lets you answer all three well.

Give yourself 60–90 minutes for a thorough pass. This table shows where to look and what to take away from each source.

If the employer is a consultancy, bank or similar firm, add sector knowledge — see our commercial awareness guide for how to build and demonstrate that. For public sector or healthcare employers, look at their strategy documents and published values; our NHS values-based interview guide shows how closely some organisations tie interviews to their stated values.

What to write down

• Three facts: what they do, who they serve, and how big or established they are.
• Two recent developments: news, a launch, a milestone or a strategic change.
• One cultural or strategic point that attracts you, with a reason.
• One question you genuinely want to ask the interviewer.

Use this structure to turn raw research into a smooth answer of about 60–90 seconds:

• 1. Core business (one sentence). "I know you are a [type of company] that [what you do] for [who you serve]."
• 2. A recent development (one or two sentences). "I noticed that last quarter you [launch/acquisition/result], which suggests [what it means]."
• 3. What attracts you (one or two sentences). Link to values, strategy, culture or reputation, with a reason that is specific.
• 4. Connect to the role (one sentence) and invite dialogue. "That is a big part of why this [role] interests me, because [your skills]. I would be interested to hear how the team contributes to that."

Example 1: Retail or customer-facing role

"I know you are one of the UK's biggest supermarkets, with stores in every region and a strong online delivery business. I read that you have been expanding your own-brand ranges recently, which interests me because I enjoy helping customers find good-value options. I also noticed the emphasis on colleague development on your careers page, which is part of why I applied. Could you tell me how new starters are supported in their first few weeks?"

Example 2: Graduate scheme in professional services

"I know you are a global professional services firm with audit, tax and advisory practices, and I have been following your recent investment in AI-enabled audit tools. That is relevant to me because my dissertation involved data analysis and I want a career that combines client work with technology. I also like that the scheme rotates across teams, which would help me find where I add the most value. How are graduates involved in those technology projects?"

Example 3: Tech or startup role

"I know you build scheduling software for small clinics, and that you recently raised a funding round to expand into Europe. I used a similar tool in my last role, so I know the pain of manual booking. I like that the engineering blog explains how the team approached reliability, because that is how I like to work. I would love to hear how the team prioritises between new features and stability."

Adapting by role level

• Reciting the website. Anyone can read the About page. Add interpretation or opinion.
• Giving only generic praise. "Great reputation" and "great culture" mean little without evidence.
• Out-of-date information. Refer to recent events, not a five-year-old story. Check the date on every source.
• Mentioning negative news carelessly. If you raise a controversy, do it respectfully and as a question, not a criticism.
• Confusing the company with a competitor or parent brand. Double-check names, divisions and the business unit hiring.
• Making it about you only. A company-focused answer should still connect back to the job, but start with them.
• Skipping the answer because "it is on the job ad". If you cannot summarise what they do in a sentence, interviewers will notice.

Use the same material across your application. Keep the key facts you gathered in one note so your cover letter, interview answer and questions are consistent. If the interview is by video, our video interview tips show how to keep notes visible without sounding scripted.

For competitive roles — particularly in finance, consulting and large graduate schemes — a deeper level of research sets you apart. These steps take extra time but pay off in answers to multiple questions, including motivation and commercial awareness.

• Read earnings calls or results summaries. Public companies explain strategy and challenges in plain language here.
• Follow the industry press. Know the two or three issues the whole sector is discussing.
• Know your interviewers. Their LinkedIn profiles can reveal shared interests and career paths; use this to prepare questions, not to flatter.
• Compare the company with peers. For example, see how our guides to Deloitte and PwC show differences in selection processes between similar firms.
• Prepare a "so what". For each fact, ask: why does this matter to the business, and to the role?

Finally, remember that company knowledge is only one element. Employers still assess your skills, so keep up your practice for online assessments and your STAR-format behavioural examples.