Tips for Researching Companies During a Job Search
Researching companies is an essential part of the job search process. It allows you to learn more about the company's leadership, culture, and values, as well as its financial health. This information can help you determine if a company is a good fit for you and your career goals.
Traditional advice encourages job seekers to visit the company’s website and talk with current employees to learn about the employer. While both tactics can yield some important information, both have their drawbacks. With a company’s website, you are reading what the company wants you to believe about its leadership, culture, values, mission etc., whether the information is true or not. When speaking with current employees, you are facing a situation in which people may be less inclined to offer their honest opinion due to fear of reprisal should any perceived negative viewpoints make their way back to their employer.
There are better ways of gathering essential information about employers. Here are three tips for researching companies during a job search:
Talking With Former Employees
One of the best ways to learn about a company is to talk to former employees. They can give you insights into the company culture, the work environment, and their career experiences.
To find former employees to talk to, you can use LinkedIn, ask your network, or search online for company reviews. Once you have found a few former employees to contact, send them a brief message introducing yourself and asking if they would be willing to chat about their experiences at the company.
During your conversation, be sure to ask about the criteria important to you, such as:
The company culture: What is the work environment like? What are the company's values?
The work-life balance: How many hours do employees typically work? Is there a lot of overtime?
The opportunities for growth and development: Does the company offer training and development programs? Are there opportunities for advancement?
The leadership style: What is the leadership style like? Are leaders supportive and helpful?
Overall satisfaction: Would you recommend the company to others?
When speaking with former employees, it’s important to not let one viewpoint affect your decision. Your goal should be to speak with a number of former employees and look for common views or themes in the feedback you receive.
Observing Employees During an Interview or Tour
Take the opportunity to observe the employees when you visit for an interview, and especially if the company offers a tour. Pay attention to how employees interact with each other and with customers. This can give you a good sense of the company culture.
Here are some things to look for:
Are employees friendly and welcoming to each other and to customers?
Do employees seem engaged in their work?
Is there a sense of collaboration and teamwork?
Is the work environment clean and organized?
Speaking With Your Network
Talk to your friends, family, former colleagues, professional contacts, and independent recruiters to find out what they know about the company. This is a great way to get information and insight from people you trust, and people who may have inside information.
Employers have a reputation when it comes to their leadership style, culture, employee relations, work environment, pay practices, opportunities for learning and development etc. Tap into your network to learn more about the criteria important to you.
🗝 By researching companies carefully, you can increase your chances of finding a job - and employment relationship - that is a good fit for you and your career goals. The viewpoints and feedback of former employees and of people in your network, and your observations when visiting the company for an interview or tour, will provide information and insight you can use to make an effective decision about whether you want to enter a relationship with a particular employer.
[This article was originally published on LinkedIn on 9/24/23: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tips-researching-companies-during-job-search-bill-leonard-mhrm%3FtrackingId=UYIb%252FOqLRb61KGZ02gNj4w%253D%253D/?trackingId=UYIb%2FOqLRb61KGZ02gNj4w%3D%3D]