OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES

PATRIOTS TO PROFESSIONALS

Employer Research

Why research a company?
Employers perceive “researching the company” as a critical factor in the evaluation of an applicant because it reflects your interest and savvy. Company research helps you show initiative and enthusiasm and gives you confidence in answering questions during an interview.

The main goals in researching a company or organization are to:

• Gather information in order to make a more informed decision

• Let the company know of your genuine interest

• Discover whether the company is a good match for you

• Identify the needs of the company and market yourself appropriately

The type of information you gather should cover the industry, the employer, and the position in the particular organization.

For example, if you had an interview with Southside Bank, research not only the bank and what it does, but also the specific job opportunities. You would also want to learn more bout the banking field and what role Southside Bank plays in the marketplace.

How do I conduct employer research?
Approach your research in the same manner as you would a research paper or project. You will use a variety of sources such as books, magazines, periodicals, and newspaper articles, but many sources will also be found on the computer.

• the company’s website

• news reports

• industry sites

• books and databases

• the company's annual report,

• their mission or vision statements.

This informaiton will help you determine whether this is a company you want to work for, and it will also help you formulate the questions you would like to ask in an interview. 

Professional and trade organizations will also often have websites that can provide additional insight into the industry and the company - and may point you to other companies that are hiring!

Resources to Research Companies

To Register: Must use patriot.uttyler.edu email

To register:

current students: use patriots.uttyler.edu email address and group code: uttyler

alumni: use any email address and group code: uttyleralumni

• Business Week Online Company Research - Find information about hundreds of thousands of public and private companies, as well as industry specific information and news.
• Fast Company - search feature for information and articles about companies profiled in Fast Company Magazine.
• Guides to company information -  on the net to help the user research information on both public and private companies using just the Internet. 
• Hoovers Online - Provides industry information, as well as information on private, public, IPO, subsidiary and non-US companies.
• The Riley Guide - information about searching the Internet for career information; includes help for targeting employers. 
• NewsDirectory.com -  has an extensive list of links to newspapers and magazines.
• PR Newswire - Search by industry or by keyword from a database of company press releases for current corporate news.

• Texas - Major Cities Business Journals

  • Austin Business Journal
  • Dallas Business Journal
  • Houston Business Journal
  • San Antonio Business Journal

Career Advisors is available to assist you. To make an appointment, contact us at careersvc@uttyler.edu or at 903-565-5862.