Research The Company |
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Why and how to research your future employer
Why should you bother to research a company?
Actually, you might be surprised how many candidates don't bother. And how bad an impression that makes.
Whether you’re writing your CV or you’re already at the interview stage, it’s vitally important to research the company that might become your future employer. |
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But spending a little time finding out more about the company will deliver four main benefits:
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- Help you better understand what the company’s ideal employee would be like, so you can make sure you demonstrate your suitability in your CV and the interview (big head start!).
- It can help you decide whether the job is right for you and whether you want to work for the company. This can get you excited about your application and will shine through in any contact you have with the company. Employers are drawn to recruit candidates who are enthusiastic about their business.
- Understanding more about the company culture can even influence how you handle the interview and the types of questions you will ask the interviewer.
- If you are applying for a professional position, for which there has been much competition, the interviewer will expect you to have “done your homework”.
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So what's the best way to research the company? After all, time is probably tight and you don't want this to turn into a major project!
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Firstly:
You might be surprised by how much you already know.
Depending who you’re hoping to work for, chances are you already know quite a lot about them. Maybe they are a “household name”. Maybe they’re a local employer and you know people who work there. Whatever your level of awareness of the company and its market, it’s worth spending a few minutes brainstorming what you already know.
Second step:
What do I still want to know?
Go through your brain-storming list, looking for gaps. Then prioritise these to the top 5 that really make a difference. Keep your time under control by limiting yourself to these areas.
Third step:
So, where can I find this information?
With the internet, finding out about a company has never been easier. If you don't have internet access at home (and can't surf to research future employers at work…), then it is available at internet cafes and in local libraries.
Research resources include:
- Contacts who work at the company
- Family & friends
- Telephone the recruiter
- Company reports
- Company website
- Specialist websites
- Newspapers and magazines
- Mystery shopping (e.g. in-store / telephone / product research)
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Telephone the recruiter |
It’s perfectly acceptable to phone the recruiter, before applying for a job or going for an interview. If you’ve applied through a recruitment agency, they may well have good insight into the recruiting company. However, if you can, it’s better to talk directly to the prospective employer.
Before you pick up the phone, take a step back and do some quick preparation.
You can either call the contact mentioned in the advert (typically someone in the company’s Human Resources department or a recruitment agency contact), or try to get through to the manager of the position advertised. This second option has both advantages and disadvantages:
- Your potential future manager may admire your initiative and remember you when your CV arrives or they meet you in the interview, but they may be difficult and time-consuming to track down and might not appreciate the interruption.
- Many companies prefer their Human Resources team or appointed recruitment agency to screen applicants before the interview stage. It’s up to you who you decide to contact.
If you get through to someone involved in the recruiting process, it’s your chance to make a great first impression. And you only get one shot at that, so it pays to make the most of it.
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Going The Extra Mile - Check Out Competitors, Too |
Once you’ve secured an interview, you’ll need to prepare thoroughly.
The more well-known the company, the more they will expect you to have researched beyond the obvious “everyone knows that” information.
It’s important not just to look at the company you’re applying to, but to be able to show an understanding of their competitors in the market.
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In Summary |
Researching the company you want to work for is easier than ever before. It doesn’t have to be in great detail, prior to applying, but it is useful to complete properly, if you are offered an interview.
Researching a company (and subtly showing your knowledge) demonstrates that you are a motivated self-starter with plenty of initiative: characteristics valued by the majority of employers. |
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