Center for Career Services
Why should I research companies?
According to employers, one of the most decisive factors in their selection of candidates is the quality and depth of research the interviewee has done about the organization and industry. You can present yourself as a knowledgeable and focused candidate. With access to information at your fingertips, employers feel that every candidate should be prepared. This is also true for alumni/ae in the Colgate Connection when students contact them for advice and guidance. They have indicated that they can tell who has done their homework, and are both more willing and able to assist those students in their career exploration and job searches since it is an indication of the student’s interest and commitment. You’ll also need to know which companies to target when you start exploring the unpublished job market. Unpublished positions are not formally posted, and are typically discovered through extensive research and networking.
What information do I need to know about an industry or career field before I start my job search?
Some of the basic questions you should be able to answer include:
1) What are the most common entry-level jobs in this field?
2) What are the top 10 most common responsibilities of someone in these jobs?
3) What are the advantages/disadvantages of working in this career field?
4) What does the typical organizational chart look like and how do people advance?
5) What are the 20 largest/most successful/most admired organizations?
6) What are some of the recent developments in the industry and company?
What key questions, related to company research, do I need to be able to answer in an interview?
While it is hard to predict exactly what an interviewer might ask you, there are several questions that show up every time:
1) Why do you want to work in this industry? This company? This job?
2) What do you know about our products and services? Our competition?
You must articulate to the interviewer that through your research you have determined how a company and position meet your career interests, and how your academic and extracurricular experiences are relevant. Show the employer you know how they differ from their competition and that you understand their goals.
What are my best resources for researching companies?
You have a multitude of superb resources at your fingertips. First, thoroughly review the company’s website, especially their Annual Reports and recent press releases. For on-line and in-house resources, use our website to access Vault, Hoovers, and Lexis/Nexis Academic. You also can find articles in Business and Company Resource Center and Business Source Premier through Case Library’s main link. Or do a search of leading newspapers or periodicals for the industries.
Additional resources:
1) We maintain print resources in our first floor library for organizations that formally recruit Colgate students.
2) The first floor library also contains business and association directories.
3) Alumni/ae who work at an organization of interest can be a great source of inside information. Check out the Colgate Connection by visiting with a Career Services Advisor.
4) If materials are not available on-line. Place a phone call to the public relations or marketing department of the organization in which you have interest and request that they mail you information on the organization. This may be an annual report, press releases, or marketing/organizational brochure.
5) Google searches can provide you with information, yet beware of what is on the internet – not all of it is true.
How can I locate company information via websites such as Lexis Nexis Academic Universe and Business and Company Resource Center?
You will find an excellent tutorial created by Barbara Burd, Head of Information Literacy Programs at Colgate, at the following website:
http://exlibris.colgate.edu/staff/bburd/locating-company-information.htm
The tutorial will take you through the following steps:
1) Locating A Company Overview
*Using Lexis Nexis Academic, Business and Company Resource Center, & Business Source Premiere.
*Check for the company’s disclosure report.
2) Locating Company Homepages
*Look for the annual report to stockholders.
3) Locating Company and Annual Reports
*Review the president/CEO message. This will give you insight into the strategic goals of the organization and where they will be focusing their resources.
*Check the financial ratios.
*Research and development is another area to review.
4) Locating Stock Information
*Immediate stock information you have to pay for . . . yet you can review last year’s stock information and compare it to five year’s ago.
*Has there been consistent progression?
*Did they have stock splits?
5) Locating Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Filings
*A great source to obtain objective information about the company.
*Look for 10K forms; also you may see lawsuits, product deficiency, and accounting standards.
*You can also look up an SEC code for a career field and obtain a list of all companies in that industry.
6) Locating Company News
*What is the company doing today?
*What is newsworthy?
7) Locating Information on Nonprofit Organizations
*Do you agree with the company’s philosophy and beliefs?
*Recommended web resources include ebase, Guidestar, and The Foundation Center.
8) Locating Information on International Companies
*ExecutivePlanet.com is an excellent guide to business culture, customs, and etiquette throughout the world.
9) Tips for Reading an Annual Report
*Tips from Barbara Burd’s presentation on 11.17.03.