Employer research can superpower your job search. CareerOneStop reports that it can make the difference between not quite making the grade—and getting hired. It can also help you decide which company you’d like to work for and that the job you accept is one you actually want.
What is Employer Research?
There are two dimensions to employer research:
- Basic information about different companies that hire people in your field. This level of employer research helps to focus your job search on thriving companies that align with your values and priorities and have good future potential.
- In-depth information about any company you interview with and all you can learn about the jobs you apply for. This helps ensure you understand and can communicate how your experience and strengths match their needs. It’s also important in preparing for the interview to be ready to talk about the organization’s priorities, current projects or challenges. This will also help you ask thoughtful questions and understand whether you will likely thrive in the position.
Information to Look For
The term “employer research” encompasses many different types of information. A starting point could be an environmental scan to gather information about opportunities and threats that will likely impact the industry or types of organizations you’re interested in. Look for trends, competitor activity, regulations or resource availability changes, weather impacts, security issues, etc.
You’ll also want to look for details about the companies in your local area that are likely to hire people who work in your occupation or job title. Look for the essentials such as location/s, number of employees, year established, positions the company typically hires for and hiring policy information. If they turn out to be good job prospects, you can target an outreach to them directly, whether they currently have any jobs posted in your field.
As you focus on specific companies, identify the organization’s core purpose. Learn the organization’s mission—what they exist to do, vision—where they aspire to grow, and company values—what’s most important to them in how they get there. What is their messaging about the organization? These will tell you where the organization’s priorities lie.
Other Questions to Consider
- What are the primary products and services provided by the organization?
- What are some of their prominent current projects and collaborations?
- What is the company’s financial situation? Is it making money? Has it downsized in the last five years?
- Has there been any recent important news related to the company?
- What do others think about the company?
- Who leads the company?
- What do current/former employees say about working for the employer?
Where to Find Information
Most of this information can be found online at the company or organization’s websites, but you’ll also want to look at news sources, social media accounts and employee review websites. Other sources you may want to consider include:
- Financial reports
- Business directories
- Business libraries
- Annual reports
- Professional and industry associations
- Association publications
- Current or past employees
- Job recruiters
Remember, you’re not the only one being interviewed for a job position. You want to ensure that your potential employer can provide for your needs and the working environment in which you can thrive.
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