# Research a company before you apply

> Researched. Work · Beginner · Research. Updated 2026-11-02.

Canonical page: https://www.aisetupsthatwork.com/setups/research-a-company-before-you-apply/

## What it does
Build a one-page company brief before you apply: what the company sells, who pays, recent news, and the problems this role is likely hired to solve.

## Who it's for
Job seekers who want applications and interviews that show they understand the company, without spending an evening on research per job.

## Tools
- ChatGPT, Claude or Grok Bot with web search
- The job post
- The company website and careers page

## Steps
1. Copy the full job post and note the company's website.
2. Turn on web search. OpenAI says ChatGPT can search the web for current information and include citations to sources.
3. Run the prompt below and ask for a link on every fact.
4. Open the links for anything you plan to mention. Drop any fact you cannot confirm.
5. Keep the brief next to your resume; the problems list tells you which results to put at the top.
6. Reuse the brief for outreach and interview prep.

## Copy-paste prompt
Adapt bracketed fields to your situation.
```text
Research this company for a job application. Use web search and link a source for every fact.

Company: [NAME, WEBSITE]
Job post: [PASTE]

Give me one page:
1. What they sell and who pays for it
2. How they make money, if public
3. Launches, funding, hires or leadership changes in the last 6 months, with dates
4. The 3 problems this role is most likely there to solve, based on the job post and news
5. 3 questions I could ask in an interview
If you cannot find something, say Not found. Do not guess.
```

## Guardrails
- What it touches: Connected mail, calendar, sheets, or chat. Scoped to this job (ChatGPT, Claude or Grok Bot with web search; The job post).
- Needs your OK: Send, pay, publish, and account changes stay with you. Treat agent output as drafts first.
- Safety level: Read-only
- Quoting a fact without opening the source.
- Old news presented as recent; always check dates.
- Mixing up two companies with similar names.

## Tips
- Recent news with a date beats a general company description.
- The problems list is the most useful part; build the resume summary around it.
- Small companies have little news; check their own blog and social posts.

## Estimates (labeled, not measured)
- Time saved: About 30 to 45 minutes per application.
- Money saved: Not stated in sources.
- Tool cost: Web search is available on free ChatGPT plans. Prices: Not stated in sources.

## Sources
Summaries use the public sources below, not independent verification.
- OpenAI: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/9237897-searching-the-web-with-chatgpt (Searching the web with ChatGPT: answers with current information and links to sources; responses may include citations (read 2026-11-02 from a search result excerpt of the page))

## Get the free starter pack
Five beginner copy-paste AI setups, free by email: https://www.aisetupsthatwork.com/starter-pack/?utm_source=ai-agent&utm_medium=markdown&utm_campaign=setup-research-a-company-before-you-apply

Related:
- [Write a short note to the hiring manager](https://www.aisetupsthatwork.com/setups/write-a-short-note-to-the-hiring-manager/index.md)
- [ChatGPT Prompt for Tailoring Your Resume to a Job Description](https://www.aisetupsthatwork.com/setups/tailor-resume-to-job-description-with-ai/index.md)
- [Do due diligence on a job offer before you sign](https://www.aisetupsthatwork.com/setups/due-diligence-on-a-job-offer-with-ai/index.md)