Researching an employer before interview
Where to look for details on a possible employer
Need to find out all the juicy details about a company before an interview? The e-revolution has made things a tad confusing when it comes to searching for company information, so we’ve put together this handy guide to get you started.
Information is power
It pays to be informed for two reasons. First, it’s obviously in your own interests to find out as much as possible about the place where you may be spending most of your waking hours. You need to know that the company has a sound business record and that it’s the kind of environment you’d enjoy being a part of. Second, employers will expect you to show an awareness of the company and the industry at interview and may ask you related questions. So what are the key places to look for information about your prospective employer?
Employer websites
Once you’ve looked at the employer profiles on targetjobs.co.uk, the obvious place to start is the website belonging to the organisation you’ve applied to. You’d be hard pushed to find a company without a website of some description, although quality will undoubtedly vary. You can get an idea of the style and emphasis of an organisation, their marketing and how much effort they put into recruiting the right sort of people. Look out for the number of employees, annual turnover and recent history. There will probably be a ‘mission statement’ stating the overall purpose and aims of the company that you should acquaint yourself with.
Business information websites
There are an amazing number of company and business information sites on the web. It is possible to get information without forking out cash, but many sites ask you to pay for more detailed information. If you are particularly interested in an industry, it might be worth investing in a subscription to keep you updated. hemscott.com offers detailed business information, the sort of stuff you’d find in the Financial Times. hoovers.com contains extensive company profiles with the option to pay for extra information. Features include industry news, a brief history, profiles, company news and analysis (including recent company press releases), finances and also links to profiles of a company’s top competitors – invaluable if you want to be informed of the movers and shakers in a particular field.
Newspapers
If all this talk of websites is making your brain go fuzzy then you could always resort to good ol’ fashioned paper, which you can peruse at your leisure. The Financial Times may be a bit daunting, but it is a good way to keep up with recent developments in business such as mergers, markets and the like. Many newspapers have supplements dedicated to various sectors, with job ads as well as information on the area. The general articles will keep you informed, but you may also find articles related to the organisation you’re interviewing for.
Careers service
Last but not least is your university careers service. They will have all kinds of company and industry-related information, and much more. And they often have their own website too. Just follow the link below to see what they might have on offer. With all these resources at your disposal, you should have no problem finding fascinating facts on your prospective employer. Oh, and there’s always the company brochure itself, but you’ve probably thought of that already.
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