What Do You Know About Our Company? Best Interview Answers

To answer "What do you know about our company?", give a short, confident summary in three parts: what the company does and for whom, one or two specific recent facts (a product, a client segment, an expansion or an announcement), and why that connects to you and this role. Keep it to about a minute. The point isn't to recite the website; it's to show that you did your homework and that you want this job, not just any job.

Below: why interviewers ask it, how to research a company in under an hour, a simple structure, sample answers, and mistakes to avoid.

Why interviewers ask this question

This is one of the most common opening questions in HR and first-round interviews. The interviewer wants to know:

• Did you prepare? Candidates who haven't even opened the website are easy to filter out.
• Are you genuinely interested? Specific details show you chose this company on purpose.
• Do you understand the role in context? Knowing what the company sells helps you understand what your job will actually involve.

It is closely related to "Why do you want this job?". Your research for one answer helps with the other.

Other ways the question is asked

• What do you know about our company?
• What do you know about us?
• Why do you want to work here?
• What do you know about our products or clients?
• Who do you think our competitors are?
• Have you used our product?

How to research a company in under an hour

Write down five to six points on one page. You won't use them all, but they will also help with follow-up questions and with the questions you ask at the end.

Only use facts you have actually read in a reliable source, and check the date. Quoting an old number or a project that ended years ago hurts more than it helps.

A simple structure for your answer

Sample answers

These are illustrations written for this guide. The companies described are fictional; replace every detail with real, current facts about the company you're interviewing with.

1. Fresher, IT services company

"From your website, I understand you're an IT services company that builds and maintains software for banks and insurance firms, mostly in India and the Middle East. I read that you recently set up a cloud practice and are hiring freshers for it. During my final-year project I deployed our app on a cloud platform, and I enjoyed that part the most, so a role where I can learn cloud work on real client projects is exactly what I'm looking for."

2. Fresher, consumer startup

"You're a startup that delivers groceries in under an hour in tier-2 cities, which I found interesting because most quick-commerce apps focus on metros. I've used your app in Indore for a month; ordering was simple, though I noticed the search didn't handle Hindi spellings. Since this is a product analyst role, I'd love to work on understanding how people in smaller cities actually use the app."

3. Experienced, sales role

"I know you sell accounting software to small and mid-sized businesses, and from your recent posts it looks like you're expanding your team in South India. I've spent three years selling SaaS to SMEs in Chennai and Coimbatore, so I understand how these business owners make buying decisions. That's why this territory role caught my attention."

4. When information is limited

"I couldn't find much beyond your website and LinkedIn, but I understand you build inventory software for pharmacies, and that the company was founded about four years ago. The job description mentions you're moving to a new mobile app, which matches my React Native experience. I'd like to know more about who your typical customers are."

What to focus on for different kinds of companies

IT services companies

Know the main industries they serve (banking, retail, healthcare and so on), the kinds of services they offer, such as cloud, testing or data, and any training programme for freshers. Interviewers like candidates who understand that their work will be for clients, not an in-house product.

Product companies and startups

Use the product before the interview. Note what it does well, who it's for, and one thing you would improve. Read the founders' posts or recent interviews to understand where the company is heading. For startups, knowing their stage and their main market matters more than history.

Banks and financial companies

Know their main products (savings, loans, cards, insurance), the kind of customers they focus on, and any recent digital launches. If the role is in sales or branch operations, find out about their branch presence in your region.

Manufacturing and core companies

Know what they make, where their plants are, and their main customers or markets. For engineering roles, read about the specific product line or plant you'd be working with.

Government and PSU organisations

Know the organisation's role and the ministry it comes under, its main functions, and anything about the department you're joining. Use the official website and its annual report rather than news summaries.

A one-page prep template

Before each interview, fill this in on one page:

• What they do: one sentence in your own words.
• Customers: who pays them, and where.
• Recent news: one or two items from the last year, with dates.
• The role: the team and the top three skills in the job description.
• My connection: one project or experience that fits.
• My question: one thing I genuinely want to know about them.

Reading this page for five minutes before the interview is often enough to answer confidently.

Keep these pages for every company you interview with. If you get a second-round call weeks later, you won't have to start your research from scratch, and you can add what you learnt in the first round.

What not to say

• "Not much, actually." It ends the conversation and suggests you aren't serious.
• Reading the "About Us" page aloud. Use your own words and add one insight of your own.
• Only talking about salary or perks. "I know you pay well" isn't a reason they want to hear first.
• Too many numbers. One or two facts are impressive; ten sound memorised, and you may get one wrong.
• Confusing them with a competitor. Double-check the products and clients you mention belong to this company.
• Criticising the company. Even if you noticed a weakness, frame it as an opportunity you'd like to work on.

Follow-up questions to prepare for

• Who do you think our main competitors are?
• What do you think we could do better?
• Which of our products interests you most, and why?
• Why do you want to leave your current company for us?

If you're switching jobs, prepare that last one carefully; our guide on why you are leaving your job helps. And if you're short on time, follow our one-day interview prep plan.

Use your research beyond this question

Good company research helps throughout the interview. It shapes your answer to "Tell me about yourself", gives you examples that fit their business, and helps you ask smart questions at the end. It also helps before you apply: tailor your resume to their job description and keywords. You can update yours with the free resume builder.

Sources

This guide is interview advice, not a set of rules. The sample answers are illustrations about fictional companies, written for this guide. Use only facts you have checked from the company's own website, reports or reliable news, and make sure they are current.