Interview Tip: Do Your Homework and Show It for Extra Credit

You wouldn’t show up to a college exam without studying, right? The same goes for job interviews. Walking in with surface-level knowledge of the company isn’t enough anymore—especially when you’re up against dozens (or hundreds) of other candidates. If you really want to stand out, show up with “extra credit”: proof that you’ve done your homework and thought critically about how you can help.

Start by diving deeper than the About page. Look at recent news, product launches, customer reviews, and social media. Is the company struggling with a clunky user experience? Suggest a fix. Could they boost engagement with better email marketing? Share a creative idea. Identify a real issue you found—big or small—and mention how you’d approach solving it. Bonus points: research the hiring manager and any team members you’ll be meeting with. Check their LinkedIn profiles to learn about their roles, background, or shared interests—you might uncover conversation starters or gain insight into what they value most in a teammate.

This kind of prep doesn’t just impress hiring managers—it shows you’re serious about them, not just any job. And in a world where enthusiasm and initiative matter just as much as your resume, that’s the kind of energy that gets callbacks.