4/11/2014 Job Hunting Advice: Why Company Research is Important - Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology - Spartan Blog

http://www.spartan.edu/blog/job-hunting-advice-why-company-research-is-important 1/2

JOB HUNTING ADVICE: WHY COMPANYRESEARCH IS IMPORTANTby Artium Lisa Hanlon in Jobs/Careers

Hits: 255

With our Spring Career Fair drawing closer, it's time to think about researching potential

employers. Why spend time on company research? There are several good reasons

why it's worth investigating companies.

First of all, spending some time looking for and at employers will give you an idea of

what companies are in your industries and fields of choice. You will be able to determine

which companies are hiring and what types of job openings they have. If you're

interviewing, you will be able to find out everything you need to know about the company

before you sit down for an interview. In addition, you will be a well-prepared candidate for

the job.

04Apr

255

4/11/2014 Job Hunting Advice: Why Company Research is Important - Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology - Spartan Blog

http://www.spartan.edu/blog/job-hunting-advice-why-company-research-is-important 2/2

Focus on your industry - or on your area of interest and expertise. Spend some of your

valuable company research time investigating the needs and benefits of organizations in

your industry that appear to offer job hunters like you the world. Do they specifically need

people in your field? Or are they generalizing to, as they say, "cherry pick" the workforce.

You don't want to find yourself welcomed one day and then laid off six months later.

If you can, talk to people who work there to determine whether it's a place you want to

work, and if they would really appreciate your particular skills. It is also helpful to find out

the company history, financial stability, products and services, personnel, and perhaps

some information about the company culture and how you will fit in; most companies,

large and small, have web sites where they strut their best stuff.

Preparing for an interview is another reason to research employers. You'll want to know

as much about your potential employer as possible. Standard interview questions are

"what do you know about us" and "why do you want to work here." Research will enable

you to have the right response - and the right questions. Remember, an interview is a

dialogue. They're not out to get you-- they're out to see if you're a good fit for their role.

Taking the time to do company research will help you show them that you are.