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FIG. 00 / RESEARCH INDEX

The Company Research Desk

Know the company before you walk in. This is the homework half of how you stand out before the interview.

FIVE CHAPTERS · 10 NOTES · UPDATED WEEKLY
Featured sheets

Featured sheet · CH 03

How do I research my interviewer on LinkedIn without looking creepy?

Map your interviewer by looking for their past team members, their personal posting style, and the specific metrics t…

  • 01What should I look for first on their profile?
  • 02How do I use their past companies to my advantage?
  • 03Should I leave my profile viewing public or go private?
  • 04How do I bring up my research without sounding creepy?
Read the sheet →

Featured sheet · CH 05

How do I answer "why do you want to work here" without sounding fake?

Shift your answer from praising the company's culture to solving their specific business problems.

  • 01Why does my current answer feel so generic?
  • 02How do I find the real problems they are facing?
  • 03What if I really just want the job for the paycheck?
  • 04How do I structure my response in the room?
Read the sheet →

Featured sheet · CH 04

How do I spot company red flags before I accept the interview?

Identify company red flags by analyzing executive turnover, reading between the lines of recent job postings, checkin…

  • 01How do I spot high turnover in a sales department?
  • 02What does a constantly reposted job ad mean?
  • 03Should I trust anonymous negative reviews on Glassdoor?
  • 04What do sudden changes in the ideal customer profile reveal?
Read the sheet →

Featured sheet · CH 04

What do job postings really say about a company's problems?

Analyze job postings for repeated keywords, unusual requirements, or urgent language to uncover a company's operation…

  • 01What does urgent hiring language really mean?
  • 02Why do some skills show up again and again?
  • 03Is 'wearing many hats' a good thing or a warning?
  • 04What if the job description asks for too much?
Read the sheet →

Featured sheet · CH 02

How do I find sales intelligence on a company that doesn't publish public financials?

Uncover a private company's sales priorities by analyzing their executive interviews, tracking employee headcount shi…

  • 01Where do I look if there is no 10-K filing?
  • 02How do I map their customers without an internal CRM?
  • 03What do employee headcount shifts tell me about their strategy?
  • 04Why is standard company research advice mostly useless?
Read the sheet →
The chapters, in the order the homework happens
CH 01
The 20 Minute Research Sprint

What to learn about a company the night before, and where to find it fast.

2 notes + the chapter brief →

What should I actually research the night before my interview?

Focus your limited time on identifying the company's core buyers, their primary product use case, and the most urgent…

Inside this sheet
  1. 01Where do I start when time is running out?
  2. 02How do I figure out who the buyers are in ten minutes?
  3. 03Is it possible to over-prepare for the conversation?
  4. 04What if I need a complete plan but only have minutes left?
Inside this sheet
4 MINRead →

How do I research a company for an interview when I am short on time?

Focus your limited time on three specific targets: the company's core revenue driver, their immediate hiring pain, an…

Inside this sheet
  1. 01What do I actually look for first?
  2. 02How do I decode the job posting quickly?
  3. 03Where do I find their recent strategic moves?
  4. 04What is the contrarian truth about company research?
Inside this sheet
4 MINRead →
CH 02
Reading the Public Record

The 10-K, the earnings call, and the press page, read like a candidate, not an analyst.

2 notes + the chapter brief →

How do I find sales intelligence on a company that doesn't publish public financials?

Uncover a private company's sales priorities by analyzing their executive interviews, tracking employee headcount shi…

Inside this sheet
  1. 01Where do I look if there is no 10-K filing?
  2. 02How do I map their customers without an internal CRM?
  3. 03What do employee headcount shifts tell me about their strategy?
  4. 04Why is standard company research advice mostly useless?
Inside this sheet
4 MINRead →

How do I read a 10-K and earnings call without getting lost in the numbers?

Scan the company's 10-K Item 1A for risks and the latest earnings call Q&A for executive priorities, rather than read…

Inside this sheet
  1. 01Where do I actually start looking in a massive 10-K?
  2. 02What is the difference between the 10-K and an earnings call?
  3. 03How do I use this financial data in a sales interview?
  4. 04Is it possible to overprepare with financial filings?
Inside this sheet
3 MINRead →
CH 03
Mapping the Room

Who owns the hire, who sits on the panel, and what each of them wants.

2 notes + the chapter brief →

How do I research my interviewer on LinkedIn without looking creepy?

Map your interviewer by looking for their past team members, their personal posting style, and the specific metrics t…

Inside this sheet
  1. 01What should I look for first on their profile?
  2. 02How do I use their past companies to my advantage?
  3. 03Should I leave my profile viewing public or go private?
  4. 04How do I bring up my research without sounding creepy?
Inside this sheet
4 MINRead →

How do I map out target accounts before my sales interview?

Build an account map by identifying the decision makers, technical buyers, and blockers within a target account liste…

Inside this sheet
  1. 01What does mapping the room actually mean for an interview?
  2. 02Where do I get the data to map their accounts?
  3. 03How do I present my account map without overstepping?
  4. 04Why is traditional interview preparation failing sales candidates?
Inside this sheet
3 MINRead →
CH 04
Reading the Signals

What job postings, product pages, and recent news actually tell you about a company.

2 notes + the chapter brief →

How do I spot company red flags before I accept the interview?

Identify company red flags by analyzing executive turnover, reading between the lines of recent job postings, checkin…

Inside this sheet
  1. 01How do I spot high turnover in a sales department?
  2. 02What does a constantly reposted job ad mean?
  3. 03Should I trust anonymous negative reviews on Glassdoor?
  4. 04What do sudden changes in the ideal customer profile reveal?
Inside this sheet
3 MINRead →

What do job postings really say about a company's problems?

Analyze job postings for repeated keywords, unusual requirements, or urgent language to uncover a company's operation…

Inside this sheet
  1. 01What does urgent hiring language really mean?
  2. 02Why do some skills show up again and again?
  3. 03Is 'wearing many hats' a good thing or a warning?
  4. 04What if the job description asks for too much?
Inside this sheet
4 MINRead →
CH 05
From Research to the Room

Turning what you learned into answers, questions, and a point of view.

2 notes + the chapter brief →

How do I answer "why do you want to work here" without sounding fake?

Shift your answer from praising the company's culture to solving their specific business problems.

Inside this sheet
  1. 01Why does my current answer feel so generic?
  2. 02How do I find the real problems they are facing?
  3. 03What if I really just want the job for the paycheck?
  4. 04How do I structure my response in the room?
Inside this sheet
3 MINRead →

What should I ask my interviewer during a sales interview?

Ask questions that treat the interview like a discovery call and reveal how you will hit quota on day one.

Inside this sheet
  1. 01How do I ask about the actual sales pipeline without sounding intrusive?
  2. 02What is the best way to uncover the real challenges of this sales team?
  3. 03Is it okay to ask about the onboarding process and ramp time?
  4. 04How do I close the interviewer at the end of the meeting?
Inside this sheet
3 MINRead →