Employer Research: A great summer project

Researching employers over summer break …..really???  Okay, so it may not be as awesome as going to the beach, but if you are on a job search or even thinking about a job search, employer research is critical.  

Every employer expects you to know how to research as a result of your education.  Therefore it is expected that you know as much as possible about his/her company.  Research coupled with being able to ask pertinent questions and discuss the organization and field with some degree of familiarity will reflect your ability to be a self-starter.

Areas you could research include

• History of the organization
• Types of products/services offered
• Reputation
• Locations
• Size and organizational structure
• Financial stability
• Philosophy or mission
• Prospects for growth or change
• Major competitors
• Promotional activities
• Current industry trends/issues

 Here are some ideas to get you started

LinkedIn: Companies have profiles on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com), just like people do. You can find out plenty of information on organizations through the statistics section on the right hand side of a company profile. Look for where it says “Check out insightful statistics about….” And click the link.

Vault: Login at www.mu.edu/gateway using your emarq username and password

Don't forget about the company web site. Annual reports, brochures and internal publications can be helpful to.

Recent business magazines, trade magazines often have recent article or information on current trends in your industry.

Happy Researching!,

-Jeremy