Researching Employers

Conducting research on organizations that you wish to apply to and interview at is a commonly overlooked step in the job search and interviewing process.  However, organizations expect candidates to have a basic understanding of the organization when interviewing for a position.  Therefore some careful advance research will not only help you decide if it is a place that you wish to apply to and work at, it will aid you during the interview process. 

Here are some things you should know about a given company:  

  • History of the organization
  • Organizational structure, branches, additional locations, size
  • Major competitors (if applicable)
  • Know what they do and/or what they produce
  • The mission and vision of the company
  • Any recent news, successes, changes to the company
  • Know what is occurring in that company's industry in general

What you need to know will vary by industry, but regardless doing a little homework in advance will pay off.  There are a variety of sources to obtain this information:

  • Word of Mouth: Getting the insider scoop or referral from a trusted source is one of the best resources.
  • Organization Website: Go beyond the "About Us" section and dig a little deeper.  Using the "Site Map" is often helpful.
  • Google the Organization: See if they have been featured in news articles, industry reports, etc.
  • LinkedIn: This professional social network allows organizations to create their own pages with company details, open positions, etc.  You can also see if anyone in your network works for the organization.
  • Professional Associations: Most organizations belong to a variety of industry, trade or business associations in their field of focus.  These groups often have industry information, directories of organizations and similar types of information.  www.weddles.com/associations and Center for Association Leadership: Association Directory are good resources.
  • Chambers of Commerce: These local/regional groups often have organization directories, organization information, networking events and information that you can utilize when doing company research.  U.S. Chamber of Commerce maintains a searchable database of these organizations across the country.

The BSU Library also subscribes to a variety of databases, local and national newspapers which can be helpful in your research.  The full list of these resources are available at: http://maxguides.bridgew.edu/databases.  Specific databases we recommend are:

  • ReferenceUSA (U.S. and International): This database lets you search for organizations by a variety of methods including industry type, size of organization and location.  You can download the reports with company contact information and details.
  • Business and Company Resource Center:  Similar to ReferenceUSA, this database allows you to search for companies but also provides access to newspaper articles and publications related to organizations that you are interested in. 

In addition to these, here are some websites and databases that we have compiled to assist you in conducting research:

 

Last Modified: September 24, 2012