Career Success Guide

Interviewing - Research the Employer

RESEARCH THE EMPLOYER

Why research an employer? • You’re able to determine if you really want to work for the employer. • You can better tailor your cover letter, resume, and your interview answers to meet the needs of the employer. • When it is your turn to ask questions, you can ask questions that are pertinent and show that you are prepared and knowledgeable about the organization. • Company websites and social media pages can be good research tools. What should you know about employers? Before the interview you should know the basics. • Organization’s mission, vision, and values • Organization’s history • Organization’s size

In addition to the basics you may want to know the following:

• Expectations of the position • Quality of the training program • Career paths offered • Opportunities for promotion • Employer core values • Market share/competitors • Recent changes within organization

• Financial status of employer - present and trend over the years Ask questions during the interview about any of the information you couldn’t find in your research or are still unclear about. Generally, salary and benefit packages are not discussed until the employer brings them up or a job offer is made. However, researching this beforehand gives you an opportunity to determine salary ranges and compare other employer packages for similar positions. Contact Career Services for a copy of the latest salary information or visit our website. For links to salary information, visit buzzfile.com/edu and other employer research sites.

• Principal sites of the employer • Products, services, and markets

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