Eighty
percent of available jobs are never advertised, and over half of all employees
get their jobs through networking, according to BH Careers International.
Therefore, the people you know are some of the most effective resources for
your job search. The network of people that you know and the people that they
know can lead to information about specific job openings that are not publicly
posted. You must carry out an active, as opposed to a passive, job search. It
is not enough to respond to leads from want ads or employment agencies.
Carrying out an active search allows you to control the job search process and
opens up many more job opportunities. You will be much better armed for success
if you start your search with comprehensive company research.
Find out as much
as you can about each of your target companies. The information you will need
includes answers to the following:
What are the
company's products or services?
What is the
company's status in the industry? Is the company large or small, growing or
downsizing?
Who are the
company’s competitors?
What can you
learn about the job you want (the job duties, salary, benefits, work
environment)?
What is the
public image of the firm and what type of person "fits in?"
What are some of
the firm's current problems?
Which people have
the power to hire you?
What is the
company culture?
Where do I fit
in; what departments can best use my skills, knowledge and expertise?
There are a
number of ways that you can obtain answers to these questions:
Directories
and publications. Some examples are:
The
Career Guide - Dun's Employment Opportunities Directory
The
Vault Reports - provides information about
companies and what their employees think of these companies
GlassDoor – provides information on companies and employee insights
CareerSearch – resource available through RIT Job Zone, provides
comprehensive company information by industry and geographic location
Hoovers – in-depth company information, including financials
Newspapers,
business periodicals, trade and professional journals.
LinkedIn. LinkedIn has a wealth of information to help you
research companies. Use the Company tab
to get direct information on a company.
Use the industry directory to browse companies by industry (http://www.linkedin.com/companyDir?industries=). Do an Advanced People search to find RIT alumni in
your targeted companies; connect with them and conduct informational
interviews.
The
companies themselves. Call the human resources or
public relations department of the firm. Get brochures, an annual report,
descriptions of relevant jobs and anything else that describes the company.
Informational
interview. Meet with someone from the firm
to get more detailed information about the company itself and possibly a job
lead.
Professional
and trade associations. Most
industries have their own trade associations. These associations may hold
regular meetings and publish periodicals, both of which are good sources of
inside information about member companies.
Armed
with this knowledge, you’re now ready to take the next step in your job search
journey; reaching out to the contacts who can help you connect with the hiring
managers in your targeted departments!
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