Researching an employer can make the difference between a job application or interview that feels generic and repurposed, leaving you coming across as a prepared and informed candidate who knows why he or she wants to work in this role and with this employer.
One of our biggest recommendations when submitting applications and preparing for interviews is to research the employer so you can tailor your approach and take into account their key concerns, values and hiring criteria. But what can you do to research an employer?
Their web pages – a word of warning
Your first thought to finding information about an employer may be to go to their website and this is a great place to start!
They may have information about what they look for in their employees, how they prefer a resume structure, and about some of the projects they work on.
However, keep in mind that not only you and other potential employees view these web pages, but also potential customers or stakeholders.
This way, many employers will have a marketing front on their web pages that can limit the amount of information you find.
That’s why you want to broaden your search for information a bit. Here are some other ideas:
Get the most out of social media
Social media can be a great way to access information about an employer or industry or to learn about potential career opportunities.
Some job sectors have a strong presence on social media. Did you know that the publishing industry operates heavily via Twitter/X?
Literary agents often use Twitter to expand their networks and discover new talent, while publishers regularly share news, use the platform to advertise publications and share job openings, often via multiple accounts.
With changes to the Twitter/X platform, TikTok is a major new player in the world of publishing social media, but that’s a blog post for another time!Stay up to date on social media…
This is an example of an industry using social media for its daily operations, but social media can also be a great source of information for all industries.
Have you tried searching for Warwick alumni on LinkedIn to see what experience the people doing the jobs you’re interested in have? Have you looked at an employer’s Twitter/X account to see what news they are celebrating with their followers?
Often large companies have a whole team of people dedicated to managing their social media as it is a useful way to share updates about the company, so take advantage of that.
Another warning: these accounts are a form of marketing, so don’t do that just now read their social media – use this as a springboard to further develop your research.
Sector-specific news broadcasts
Different professional sectors will have blogs, e-newsletters, think tanks, social media news accounts and more formal journals and magazines as publications, so you can keep up to date with the key events affecting the sector.
As a careers advisor in higher education, I follow and subscribe to a range of newsletters, news media and blogs that keep me up to date with what’s happening at universities and employers across the UK and the world.
This allows me to stay on top of the ever-changing news cycle and know what might impact the way I approach my work.
By signing up for news channels when you enter a particular industry, you passively learn what could impact the work you would do in the position you are applying for.
It gives you a lot of up-to-date information that you can draw on in an application or job interview.
Make sure you get on top of this when you start your job search to make the research process a lot less time consuming!
While there will be industry-specific news and information that can be valuable in informing your job applications, knowing what’s going on in the world is a good tip for anyone applying for a job, as these are big events that can affect everyone, regardless their job or job. sector.
Try to keep an eye on the news to stay informed about your current affairs more generally.
Warwick Resources
As a Warwick student, you can access resources through the library that can provide a broad picture of a particular career sector or employer.
Here you will find a list of current company databases that can be accessed through the university library here.
These databases provide information on organizations’ turnover, number of employees, recent news and industry updates, as well as some SWOT analyzes for some employers.
If you are looking to apply for roles related to business you may find this level of detail particularly useful, but the wider sector news may be of interest to anyone applying for roles within an organization’s operations.
Career events Try to attend employer presentations, skills sessions and fairs…
Finally, take advantage of the employer and career events we have here on campus and online through the university.
There are a range of events, employer talks, panels and career fairs throughout the academic year, especially in the autumn and spring terms.
They provide a great opportunity to hear from employers you may be interested in, discover new employers and ask the questions you want to know.
