| Researching Employers - It's
Easier Than Ever Until recently, the interview question that I dreaded the most was "What do you know about our company?" No matter how many hours I spent searching in the library for information on an organization, I always felt unprepared. Either the information was seriously outdated or I just couldn't find what I needed. Also, many times my schedule would be so jammed with interviews that I wouldn't have the time to do the proper research. In those cases, I just crossed my fingers and hoped that the interviewer wouldn't ask that question. However, over the last few years the Internet has changed the entire job search process, and researching employers is easier than ever. From the comfort of your own home, you can find a wide variety of free information on most public companies (and some private companies) including financial data, annual reports, news articles, information on products and services, industry trends, analysts' recommendations, competitor information, and public opinion data. In just an hour or two, you can gather enough information to provide a rather impressive answer to that dreaded question. And in a close race with another candidate, your demonstration of a proactive interest in a company can give you the edge you need to land the job. Yet, conducting adequate research on an organization is important for another reason. Along with the information you gather during the interview process, research can help you make an effective employment decision. Certainly it would be helpful to know about pending mergers, acquisitions, layoffs, or changes in key personnel. News and periodical articles often reveal information on corporate culture and business philosophy. Financial profiles and analysts' reports disclose Wall Street's expectations for company performance. Clearly, data like this can provide insight as to whether you and the organization are compatible. To help in this effort, I have developed a step-by-step, interactive tutorial on researching companies and employers using a wide variety of free resources on the Internet. For new Internet users, the tutorial provides detailed instructions on using over 50 resources for finding valuable company information. More experienced users can choose to visit each resource directly. Give it a try and please let me know if it helps you make that perfect job match! Researching Companies Online - A Tutorial Employer Research - More information on researching employers from your About.com Guide |