Cooperative Education Program How to Research an Employer

WHY RESEARCH

Researching an organization is an important factor in an employer's evaluation of an applicant -- it positively displays your interest and enthusiasm. Your research of an organization is a valuable way of showing, in an interview, that you understand the purpose of the interview. It also establishes a common foundation of knowledge from which questions can be asked and to which information can be added.

HOW TO RESEARCH

For each organization, try to locate the following information:

• Services and/or products
• Competitors
• Age and growth pattern
• Media articles and reputation
• Divisions, subsidiaries, location and size
• Number of employees
• Sales, assets and earnings
• New products or projects
• Number of locations
• Foreign operations and products

LEARN ABOUT THE JOB

ANNUAL REPORTS

• Balance Sheet. The difference between current assets and current liabilities is net working capital. Dividing the long-term liabilities by stock holders' equity will give you the debt-to-equity ratio.
• Certified public accountant report. Watch for the phrase "subject to ...", this could mean the accountant is not happy about that area. Footnotes which may contain insightful information should always be read.
• Are earnings down? determine if they are and why from the report.
• Are earnings up? determine why -- it may be just a fluke.
• Read the organizations letter to the stockholders. This will tell you how the company fared; use of words like "Except for..." and "Despite the ..." could indicate problems.
• Check the stockholders' equity and the long term debt of the organization.
• Check the income statement for consistency of net sales.
• Net earnings per share -- check the footnotes.

OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Get information from the local community by visiting the public library, chamber of commerce, government offices; contact business and trade associations, local newspapers, etc.

Visit the organization and request information. Talk to key employees in person or by phone and get to know them. If the opportunity presents itself, a small portion of your conversations can be about nonbusiness matters.

Ask acquaintances in the industry for information. If you haven't tapped into the network of your field of interest, start working on it now.

Check with professors who are involved in that organization's area of interest.

Ask the organization's neighbors, customers and competitors for information. Be cautious about this; but if you are able to talk to someone who has the time, you can learn much while also expanding your network contacts.

Call the organization and request materials they can collect for you to pick up before your interview or items that you can review.

All people you visit and/or talk with are potentially network contacts. Impress them; ask advice on how to find employment, and keep in touch with them.