Job Seeker 101: Do Your Research
As a job seeker, there really isn’t an acceptable excuse for not doing your homework. In our increasingly transparent world, company research is easier and easier to obtain. For the most part, employers expect it at this point and there are a variety of places a job seeker can find this insider information.
Speaking from personal experience as a recruiter, there’s nothing more frustrating than sitting across from a candidate and receiving a blank stare when you ask, “What questions do you have for me?”
RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT
A little company research before you hit that apply button or schedule that interview will allow you to see what it’s really like to work for a particular company — what kind of people will you be surrounded by, and is this company the type of place you want to invest your time and skills into?
As a job seeker, you should never be surprised when you show up to the new job. Sure, you’re not going to uncover every single detail, but you should have a pretty good grasp on the company’s values and culture before ever signing the offer letter.
How can you as job seekers uncover these hidden gems? First, start online. The company’s website is probably the best place to begin your research. Public and private companies alike are publishing additional information on their websites that can supply you with a wealth of information.
FIRST STOP: THE COMPANY’S HOME PAGE
On your digital scavenger hunt, you should be able to find the company’s mission, vision, core values and purpose. You should also be able to easily locate the company’s value proposition to its potential customers. What does the company sell, what is its promise, strategic advantage, and/or differentiator?
These items should give you the general 30,000 foot view of the company.
THE COMPANY’S ABOUT PAGE
Next, take a look at the “About” page. Here you should find some information about how the company started and who it does business with. Typically, you can also find information about some of the leaders at the company. Read those biographies and see if the people at the top would inspire you to work hard every day.
Bonus points now that you know the company’s leadership, check your network to see if any of your friends have any connections to those decision-makers at the company.
THE COMPANY’S PRESS PAGE
Next up, check the “Press” page for news mentions, press releases, event information, awards won and other digital assets. If a company is putting out press releases, you can obtain valuable information from these — what awards have they won, what employees are being recognized and what new services or products are now being offered, just to name a few.
You can really impress an interviewer if you’re able to reference a recent press release or news mention that is pertinent to the role you’re interviewing for.
THE COMPANY’S SOCIAL CHANNELS
We all know social media is ever-present and a company’s social presence is increasingly becoming a favorite for that behind-the-scenes look at the company. In fact, some companies even have entire social accounts devoted 100% to “Life at Company XYZ.” Does the company you’re interested in have a robust social presence? If not, how come, could they be hiding something?
In your social search, you can also search the social accounts of other employees at the company. What are they saying about the company or their bosses? There can certainly be extremes, but using good research skills you can see the trends and cut through the noise to find the truth.
THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES
Finally, companies such as Glassdoor, LinkedIn and The Muse all house a ton of information about employers. Photos from recent events, employee testimonials, and even videos are popping up on these sites regularly now. Glassdoor, Indeed and Kununu all go even further soliciting anonymous feedback in the form of reviews about the company, the interview process and benefits.
Just as you did when researching the social accounts of other employees, you’ll have to identify the trends and weed through the reviews on these sites from folks who complain just to complain and will never be happy.
YOUR JOB JUST GOT EASIER — ENTER EMPLOYER BRANDING
Savvy companies are investing time and resources into developing and cultivating their employer brand. Companies know the candidates they’re after, and more importantly know these candidates are highly sought after. It’s not uncommon for talent acquisition teams and marketing teams to work together to treat candidates as they would consumers. Resources and efforts are strategically deployed to attract candidates, nurture those candidates along the candidate journey and make certain job seekers get an authentic vision of what it’s like to work at a company.
The great news for you as the job seeker is this rise in the importance of employer branding significantly and positively impacts your research efforts.
As you can see there are many avenues available for job seekers to do their research. Remember, it goes both ways. A well-prepared candidate can leave a great impression with the interviewer, so the ball is in your court now.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Skaggs is the co-founder of BODDHI Branding, a creative agency with a vision to authentically and creatively construct stories to help your brand grow. Digital and social media, branding, recruitment and content strategy are all functions Chris has developed building teams, processes and strategies from the ground-up. Dedicated to giving back Chris also co-founded Leighton’s Gift, a non-profit with a mission of turning a tragedy into something positive. He also serves on the boards of a variety of different organizations. A natural storyteller, Chris’ work and experiences have been featured on CNN, Marketing Sherpa, Thrive Global, CBS Radio, Recruiter.com and Glassdoor. Get connected online, @chrislskaggs.