How to Conduct Employer Research
Researching an employer is an important part of the job search process. Having a well-formed understanding of an employer helps you know if a job opening aligns with your career goals, enables you to tailor your application and resume, and sets you apart from other candidates, especially during an interview.
Why Seek Information About Prospective Employers?
1. Make an Informed Decision
You may want to research employers to:
- Identify positions related to a particular kind of work, industry or geographic location
- Help refine your job search
- Help select a potential job
2. Set Yourself Apart
Being knowledgeable about a company or organization can help demonstrate to an employer that you are interested and enthusiastic about working specifically with them.
Researching employers also enables you to create better
cover letters and resumes, target specific positions within an organization, and better prepares you for the interview.
One of the top complaints among employers is that recent graduates do not appear to have researched their company prior to applying or interviewing with them.
Facts You May Want to Know About Employers
It is important to establish what information you want to know about a potential employer. Your research will provide an overview of the organization and include valuable information such as:
- Company Overview
- Products & Services Offered
- Employer Image/Consumer Opinion
- Location/Branches
- Career Path Options
- Employee Trainings/Professional Development
- Salary Ranges
- Financial Health
- Plans for Future Growth
- Competitors
- Employee Reviews
Incorporating Your Findings into the Interview
Simply being informed about an employer does not guarantee a successful interview. Knowledge of products and company background is only helpful if you know how to tactfully weave it into the interview. Spouting out facts or prefacing a question with a lot of memorized details will not convince the employer of your interest or knowledge.
During the interview, most employers will ask some variation of, “Why do you want to work for our organization?" or “What are your long-range career goals?” Relating your skills and passions to those valued by the organization can show that you have done your homework. Before the interview, brainstorm how you can help the employer in specific areas based on your research and areas of expertise. Also, remember to highlight transferable skills like communications, writing, sales, or computer knowledge.
Another way to incorporate information is through the questions you ask the employer, usually towards the end of the interview. Based on your research, try to ask about one of the employer’s initiatives or products that interest you, explaining why it caught your attention and how your experience may relate.
Resources for Employer Research
There are general resources for employer research and industry-specific resources.
Employer Blog & Social Media
- Great first resource for employer research
- Most in-depth source of information about company from employer perspective
- Company history
- Company leadership & key personnel
- Locations & branches
- Products & services offered
- Recent news & company performance
- Company culture & why you should work there
- Job openings
- Job search by location or industry
- Helps identify connections you may have within an organization
- Company leadership & personnel
- Location & branches
- Company size
Glassdoor
- Resource for anonymous employee reviews, salary information & interview questions for specific job titles
- Company culture & benefits
- Employee reviews
- Salary information
Hoovers
- Company overview
- Revenue
- Top Competitors
- Company ranking (Fortune, FT Global, etc.)
Government Jobs
- Texas Workforce Commission: State jobs, jobs for veterans, training opportunities & transition programs
- A network or federal job information is located at:
Startup Jobs
- AngelList: Create a profile and view job openings at startups in various cities & industries
- Crunchbase: Provides information on startups including investors, funding raised, leadership & key personnel, & company news.
For more information on research tools by industry, visit the What Can I Do With My Major resource, listed on our Major Exploration website, or talk to your career counselor/educator.