Why Research Employers?
WHERE you work is just as important as WHAT you do. Researching prospective employers is one of the most important parts of career exploration, a job/internship search, and the interview process.
- You can learn a lot about what you want in an employer and even the type of career you are interested in. It can take an abstract idea about a career area and help you see what it’s like in the real world.
- Your research will help you make a positive impression when you speak with an employer. Being knowledgeable about a company or organization can help demonstrate your interest and enthusiasm.
- Create stronger cover letters, tailor your resume, and target specific positions within an organization.
- Prepare for interviews and develop good questions to ask. Employers always want to see students who have taken the time to research their organization, and who can reflect on their fit within it. It can help you answer their question, “Why do you want to work for us?”
Be sure to use proper techniques to evaluate sources of information:
- Does the source have a bias?
- Is information based on posted reviews – which usually have a negative bias?
- Is the information from a trusted third-party, is it connected to a more biased source, such as a lobbying group, or from the employer itself?
- Does the author of the information have an interest in crafting a specific narrative?
Evaluating multiple sources of information is the best way to ensure you have accurate information about an employer.
Questions to Help Guide your Exploration
- What industry is this organization in? Who are their competitors and how do they differentiate themselves?
- What is the history of the organization?
- Is it a public, private, non-profit organization, or government agency?
- Where is it headquartered? Are there multiple locations? Is the organization international?
- What is the size of the organization?
- What kind of internship or job openings do they have?
- What skills and experiences does this organization value?
- Who are the key players of the organization? How is the organization structured?
- What is the organization’s culture, mission, vision, and values?
- What products or services does the organization make, sell or provide?
- Who are the clients this organization serves?
- What has this organization been in the news about lately?
- What kind of recognition has this organization received?
Handshake
Handshake is a great place to get a ton of information about employers from a system you are already using. You can also follow employers and organizations, post questions, and read reviews from other students who worked there. You can access jobs right from their profile page. You can also access the employer’s website to explore further.
Employer’s Website(s)
It may seem obvious, but an employer’s website has a ton of information that can help you learn more and determine if you are interested in opportunities. Start with the ‘Careers’, ‘About Us’, or ‘Contact Us’ sections. The ‘News and Events’ sections will show you upcoming activities and recent press releases from organizations.
Most employers have a section of their website to talk about careers, including postings for jobs and internships. Larger companies often have a separate section for students – sometimes called ‘early careers’ or ‘campus/university recruiting’. Often you can create an account to stay informed of recruiting events and programs, as well as when positions are posted.
Networking
Networking is a great way to understand the current, on-the-ground culture of an employer and get a first-hand account of what it’s like to actually work with the employer – you can even learn about specific divisions or departments. Once you’ve done your own research, identify connections through your personal, family, or community connections – and, as always, the Ole alumni network is there for you! Doing some initial research first will allow you to craft a more tailored outreach message and ensure you are making efficient use of your contact’s time. It will also help you identify the most impactful and useful questions to ask.
LinkedIn is a great way to identify Oles or other people who work or have worked for a specific employer. The St. Olaf Alumni Directory is a great way to send Ole alumni an email. (Don’t worry, when you submit the email form, the Ole will receive a standard email.)
Once you find a contact, request an informational interview!
Glassdoor
Glassdoor is a third-party site that provides information about employers (reviews, interview tips, salary information, titles, etc.). Much of the information comes through reviews and postings from people affiliated with the company – keep this in mind as this can often create a negative bias. (e.g. people are more likely motivated to post negative information than positive.)
LinkedIn & Social Media
LinkedIn is a great place to access key information about an employer. (Remember, they control the content so it is also not an impartial source of information.) Most employers post a lot of content related to their business and industry which can be a great source of information and job opportunities.
Be sure to follow companies of interest to stay up-to-date on current events in your LinkedIn feed. Not only can this help you understand an employer better – and determine if it’s a fit for you – it is also a great way to impress the employer with your knowledge, vocabulary, and awareness. Many companies even announce internship or other student programs on their feeds!
Make sure your LinkedIn presence is professional before you start connecting and networking.
Other Company Social Media: Look for pages/feeds on social media sites, such as X (Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok. Organizations often share unique information here directly in platforms you may already be using on a daily basis.
Online News and Publications
It can be really helpful to spend some time reading information published about an employer from credible news sources. Information from news sites or publications will help you access more impartial information and context about an employer in the greater economy. Just like when you access general news, be sure to research an employer across a few different platforms to get a more accurate picture.
- News Alerts: Set up a news alert (e.g. Google News Alerts) to get updates on an organization or industry.
- Industry-Specific Publications: Learn what’s happening in the industry by following publications in your industries of interest. Examples include: Business Week, Engineering News Record, Nonprofit Times, Poets & Writers, Bloomberg, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Advertising Age, Fortune, Backstage, and Fastcompany.com.
- Industry Lists : There are other organizations that maintain “top places to work” lists, rankings, and more. These include Glassdoor, National Council of Nonprofits, Crain’s New York Business, and Forbes.
Databases
For a deeper dive into an employer, the St. Olaf Library can give you access to databases and other information sources.
St. Olaf Library: Researching a Company
Additional databases: