Researching Employers
Research employing organizations and industries:
- To identify potential employing organizations / uncover job & internship opportunities not advertised by traditional methods.
- To assist in targeting your cover letter and resume.
- To help prepare for an interview.
What Information to Look For
To hunt for background information about a potential employer, first ascertain what kind of information you need. Then determine where to find that information. Take this research project one step at a time and allow yourself enough time to do a good job.
It's a mistake to assume you know enough about the organization without doing any research. For example, you may know that Ralston Purina makes pet food, but are you aware the company also makes cereal for humans, owns a major tuna fish company and owns and operates resorts and restaurants? You may be talking with a subsidiary of a much larger company and not realize it if you don't do your research.
Is it Really Necessary? Finding the right job is hard work and should be approached in such a manner as to stack the odds in your favor. There is keen competition and you're trying to market a product - yourself - successfully! Remember, you are trying to create a positive impression by appearing informed and goal-directed. One way to demonstrate your goals is to indicate during the interview what interested you in that specific organization and how your goals, qualifications, and personality fit that employer's opportunities. You only get one chance to leave the right impression, so take the time to do your homework and research the organization, and you will increase your chances of leaving a positive impression.
Facts to Know About the Organization
- Size of organization in industry
- Aggressiveness management
- Potential growth
- Annual sales growth, long term and short term
- Complete product line or services
- Potential new products or services
- Age of top management and their backgrounds
- Geographic locations
- Location of corporate headquarters
- Number of plants, stores, and outlets
- Organizational structure
- Type of training program
- Promotional path
- Recent developments reported in news stories
- Relocation policies
- Typical career path in your field
- Name and correct spelling of employer contact
- History of organization
- Funding (for non-profit organizations)
- Customers and/or clients
- Attitudes toward employees
- Competition
Resources for Researching Employers
Career Services Resources
Researching an organization can be done through a variety of sources including organizations' websites, annual reports, and written employment literature. While this information is prepared by the organization and includes predominantly positive information, it is a good starting place.
- CareerSearch - Found by logging in at the BullsEye, this resource is an extensive database that includes over one million companies along with contact names, addresses, phone numbers and organization background information. The database can be searched according to industry type, location, and keywords.
- H-1b Disclosure Info from the US Department of Labor allows you to search a database of employers who have petitioned for H-1b status within the last 3 years.
- CareerTV - features employer and career videos. Search series by company name, industry, or location and learn more about an employer of interest.
The Brent D. Arcangel Career Resource Library also has online and written resources such as business directories and newspapers. For instance, the following could be used for information about the company and its competition: Standard and Poor's Register, Hoover's Handbook of Private Companies, BusinessWeek, The National Job Bank, The Directory of Executive Recruiters, and finance and business sections of local newspapers. (All publicly held companies are required to report to their stockholders via annual reports).
Additional UB Resources
The Hidden Job Market - What is it? By JobStar Central 
Researching Companies Online, by Debbie Flanagan
How to Learn about a Specific Industry or Company
How to Read an Annual Report, by Jane Bryant Quinn
Tips for Reading an Annual Report, - by Jim Milner from the Annual Reports Library
National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture
Helium
- Submit articles, reviews, and opinion pieces through this free online writing forum.
Just Buffalo Literary Center
- Western New York literary events and organizations.
The Market List
- Online writers' resource.
Slipstream
- Literary submissions and contest opportunities.
Writer's Net
- Online directory of writers, agents, editors, reviewers.
Back to Additional Resources Online
Professional Associations are an excellent way to explore employing organizations and to network with professionals in your field. Associations are formed to advance knowledge and provide support for a particular occupation, industry, or field of study. They usually offer a variety of services such as newsletters, websites, job postings, and conferences. Many associations even have student chapters.
Weddles
- A comprehensive directory of professional associations by industry.
American Academy of Forensic Scientists
- Professional organization site offering annual membership, discussion forums, catalogues, and free access to national job postings.
Associations and Societies - A Useful List - by Nanyang Technological University
- Contains links to professional organizations from the USA and countries worldwide.
International Women's Media Foundation
National Association of Black Journalists
National Association of Hispanic Journalists
National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association
Yahoo - Professional Associations Search
Back to Additional Resources Online
Business and Industry Resources
Business Source Premier
- Indexes more than 4,100 journals, including 3,300 full-text titles, covering nearly all areas of business, management, economics, finance, accounting, and more. Also provides company profiles
Career Search
(use BullsEye login boxes at the top of the page)
Extensive database that includes over one million companies along with contact names, addresses, phone numbers and a variety of company background information.
Current Industrial Reports
- Monthly, quarterly, and annual measures of industrial activity helpful for market analysis, forecasting, and decision-making in the private sector.
Fortune
- information about the Fortune 500 and 100 companies.
CollegeGrad.com
- The "Top 500" list
Hoovers Online
- Comprehensive company, industry, and market intelligence. Database of 12 million companies, with in-depth coverage of 40,000 of the world's top business enterprises.
H-1b Disclosure Information, US Department of Labor
- View the H-1b Labor Certification Database.
Industry Home Pages
- Lists company web pages arranged by major industry.
Job Choices Online
- Job-search advice for new college grads.
Monster .com Company Blvd.
- Company profiles nationwide.
NewsVoyager
- Gateway to local newspapers nationwide.
Thomas Register Online Directory of American Manufacturers.
- Registration is currently FREE! Search by type of product/service, company name or brand name. Provides company address, phone, business description and link to company home page.
Value Line
- The Ratings & Reports section contains one-page reports on approximately 1,700 companies and more than 90 industries. Also includes stock market forecasts, and stock statistics for investors.
Vault.com
- Information on over 3,000 companies and 70 industries.
Wall Street Journal
- Browse the Who's Hiring Section.
Chambers of Commerce Online
- On-line database that makes it easy to find reliable businesses and services in greater new york and selected other states.
UB Arts and Sciences Library - Career Planning Resources
SuperPages
- Search US businesses in these online yellow pages.
NAICS / SIC Codes Lookup and Conversion Table
- The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is replacing the U.S. Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. Use this for the conversion.
Back to Additional Resources Online
Government
FedWorld
- Online locator service for a comprehensive inventory of information disseminated by the Federal Government.
FirstGov.gov - US Government's Official Web Portal
- Includes Index of Federal Government Departments and Agencies as well as State Government information.
Congressional Directory
- Identify elected leaders in Congress, the White House, and state legislatures.
Federal Government Information - from State Library of Ohio
- Gateway to statistics from more than 100 U.S. Federal agencies and other federal agency information including federal employment opportunities.
Criminal Justice Resources: Forensic Science
- Directory of national forensic science organizations, references, publications, resources, and more!
Back to Additional Resources Online
Human Services
Idealist.org
- Over 40,000 nonprofit and community organizations in 165 countries, which you can search or browse by name, location or mission.
Guidestar
- National Database of Nonprofit Organizations.
National Center for Charitable Statistics
- National repository of data on the nonprofit sector in the United States.
National Charities Report Index - from Better Business Bureau
Central Referral Service
- For WNY area counties.
Back to Additional Resources Online
Health Related
Biotechnology Information Directory
IseekHealth.com
- Health Web Directory.
HospitalLink.com
- Hospital Directory of over 6,000 hospitals.
Life Sciences World
- Includes a profile of each company entered in their database: complete postal address, enabling the corporation to be and an exhaustive description of the company's activities.
Medi Lexicon
- Hospital, Pharmaceutical Company, and Medical Association Searches.
Nursing Information - Univ. of California, San Francisco
- Includes a list of web resources for Nurses including directories, professional associations, journals and newsgroups.
Phamaceutical Industry Info
- Pharmaceutical Product Suppliers.
Back to Additional Resources Online
WNY School Districts (covering 8 counties)
Departments of Education Links - nationwide
Great Schools.net
- A nonprofit organization, GreatSchools.net provides information about public, private and charter schools in all 50 states and more.
National Center for Education Statistics
- Public School District Information.
No Child Left Behind
- Contains some information on schools nationwide including contact information.
International WWW School Registry
- Provides websites of schools nationally and internationally.
Professional Associations for Educators in Canada
Reciprocal Agreements with other states
NYS Education Department
National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification
Certification Information
NYS Education Department
Departments of Education Links - Nationwide
US Department of Education
- Offers education headlines.
American Association of Community Colleges
Community College Web - Searchable index to the web sites for 1254 community colleges in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere around the world.
Peterson's Guides
- Information on institutions and academic programs nationwide.
Back to Additional Resources Online
Employers Hiring Foreign Nationals
- From University of Pennsylvania
H-1b Disclosure Information from the US Department of Labor
- Employers who have previously petitioned for H-1b status for foreign nationals
World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara Directory
- Membership directory of the Buffalo Niagara World Trade Center
JobsAbroad.com
- Directory for employment opportunities around the world.
Learnwebskills.com
- International business resources.
Back to Additional Resources Online
Using People to Research Employers
Reach out to professionals to gain valuable information on an industry or organization.
Mentor Network Program, UB Career Services
UB Career Services has a Mentor Network Program with hundreds of alumni and friends of the University including faculty, staff, parents and employers who have volunteered to meet with UB students and graduates. Use this resource to research an industry or organization. These volunteers can also be a wonderful resource to learn more about what it is like to work in a particular career field or to start to make connections for the work world. To find a mentor, log in to the BullsEye on the right.
The UB Alumni Association
This association is an excellent resource to network with those in your career field who are also UB graduates. For students, they sponsor a networking event in New York City. For graduates, they have ways to connect with fellow alumni online and through regional associations. Also check out Alumni Associations in each of the UB Schools through your academic department.
