If you didn’t take the time to research the company you are interviewing with, this could be a red flag to your interviewer.

“It is critical to understand the company business, intention, history and mission,” said Joe Mullings, career expert and founder and CEO of The Mullings Group. “It is not uncommon for an executive to start out testing an interviewee with, ‘Tell me what you know about our company and what we do.’ It is a very fair question to see what research has been done in preparation for the interview session. The more that you are able to articulate an organization’s goals, mission and history, the more impressive you will be. It sets a serious tone and establishes a mindset of research, maturity and preparation — all critical characteristics that are evaluated during most interview processes.”