Why?

2 reasons.

• Worth a try? You need to know whether the company’s financial result is okay in order to decide whether it’s worth it. No point jumping into a company with serious cashflow problem. Besides that, you also need to know whether the company’s culture is suitable for you. What’s the point of joining a company with a culture which does not suit your personality? For example, if you know the company will make you work 12 hours a day but you don’t fancy such working culture, then no point wasting your time going for the job.
• Information for interview? By knowing the company profile, their history and what they do, you can actually use the information to your advantage during the interview. Nearly all the interviews I’ve been to (especially the big companies) will ask what do I know about their company. And if you’re able to impress them by saying something they don’t know (like saying the Fortune ranking of the parent company in US), you will most likely impress the interviewers. It also shows that you know the reason you want to join the company. You’ll be surprised that some people just go for the interview without knowing what the company is doing.

That’s why before you go for an interview (or even before you apply for the job), always find out about the company. It is one of the most important things to do.

Remember that to join the wrong company and then quit few weeks later, is a very bad record for you especially if you do that too often.

All the best and hope it helps.