Researching Potential Employers

If you are considering a particular company as a potential employer, the next step is to research them. Do this prior to contacting them. Find out what they do and what they are looking for in new employees. This will allow you to more effectively discuss how you can meet their needs. Also, it can save you time since you won't be focusing on organizations that do not interest you.

In your research try to discover:

Age of the company
Services or products provided
Competitors within the industry
Growth patterns
Reputation
Divisions and subsidiaries
Number of employees
Sales
Assets and earnings
New products or projects
Number of locations
Foreign operations

Begin in Career Services and review the literature of campus recruiters. Also, look in the Career Library. Books such as Hoover's Handbook of American Companies can be a great source of information. When you have considered all available materials, turn your attention to the business reference section of the Columbia College or Columbia, MO libraries and continue your search. The World Wide Web is an almost infinite source of information. Use Yahoo, Alta Vista, Lycos, etc., to search for company information on the Internet.

It's almost a clichŽ, but gathering information will put you ahead of the game. Employers are looking for potential employees who have thoroughly researched their company and are able to talk knowledgeably about it in an interview. People who have done their research are better able to discuss how their experiences and qualifications match up with the company's needs. Prepared candidates who know the company can also talk about how they can make an immediate contribution to the organization. The candidate who can do that is typically the candidate who gets the job offer.

Please send any comments or questions to Career Services Center.