St. Cloud State University

Job/Internship Listings

Preparation for Job Search

Employer Research


Researching Employers: why and how
Employer Research Resources & Links

Researching Employers: why and how
	To effectively sell yourself as a job candidate, you need to be able to persuade the employer that you are a fit for that employer's needs. Even when the job market is great for job seekers, employers aren't going to interview and hire candidates who are not a match for their needs.
	You can't present yourself — in cover letters or interviews — as a match for the employer's needs if you don't know enough about the employer to do so.
	By doing research, you get information to decide which employers to contact. Rather than sending (and incurring the associated costs of sending) fifty letters and resumes to employers you know little to nothing about, send ten letters and resumes to employers you know something about and have a greater chance of securing an interview. Targeted letters, individualized to the recipient are more effective than "form" letters — you know a form letter when you receive one; employers do too.
	In interviews, employers expect you to arrive knowing background information about the organization. If you don't, you look like you're not really interested in the job. You have to be able to answer the critical question of why you would like to work for that employer — and not sound like you would take any job.
	Research helps you formulate intelligent and appropriate questions to ask in your interview.

	How to research specific employers
	Talk to people: Find people who work for or know about the organization. This could be people you meet at a career fair, family members, neighbors, parents of friends, students who graduated ahead of you, alumni contacts.
	The employer's web site: If you know the URL for an employer's web site, go there. If you don't know the URL, do an internet search on the organization name. Obviously some employers' web sites will be more helpful to you than others. If the web site posts jobs and/or the organization invites email from job seekers and/or accepts resumes online, this can save time in your job search.

	Do some Internet research
	CEO Express is a very comprehensive meta-site. Explore the links it provides.
	The University Library has resources for research. One example is the Dow Jones News Retrieval Service — online service provides access to a variety of business databases consisting of stock quotes, market averages and company and industry news from such periodicals as the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, and the Washington Post; ask a library staff member for assistance if you are not familiar with research tools.
	Call or write the organization and ask for information. This is perfectly appropriate to do, especially if the organization is small and/or you simply cannot find information about the organization through other sources. If you have an interview scheduled with an employer, the employer should have already provided information (web site, brochures, etc.); if not, by all means, ask for information.



Employer Research Resources & Links
	Reference USA: Only available on-campus in the Career Services Center Resource Area and computer lab. It is an Internet database with detailed information on more than 14 million U.S. businesses, searchable in many ways. Sample searches: * How many zoos are there in the United States with their contact information? * What companies in Virginia with 20-99 employees have sales over $1 million?
	Books and Directories Available in the Career Services Center Visit the Career Services Center for resources in Advertising, Business, Medical, Science, Sports, Non-Profit, to name a few.


	CEO Express An intelligent site for busy people who know what they need. Very comprehensive links to business news, business magazines, company research, financial markets, government agencies, chambers of commerce, national statistics and a lot more.
	CollegeGrad.com Top Entry Level Employers Listing of more than 500 entry level employers along with hiring numbers and links to the employer home page, careers page and college page.
	National Center for Education Statistics Use to identify and obtain contact and demographic information on school districts throughout the U.S.
	The Riley Guide If you are looking for anything related to career and job search, including something specific or unusual, The Riley Guide probably has it. Very comprehensive site.
	Vault.com Research industries, careers, companies, and more.
	WetFeet.com Research industries, research companies, research cities, advice on networking and more. You're not ready for your job search until you've used this site.