Do you know what job you’re applying for? (From Ealing Times)

Do you know what job you’re applying for?

9:16am Friday 27th March 2009

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When it comes to looking for a new job it’s essential that you know a little about the companies that you apply for. By understanding a company you will be able to know more about the kind of work they do, if it suits you, whether you’re the right person for the job, what qualities they’re looking for in job applicants and also how you should position yourself in your CV and cover letters.

Using relevant information during the application process will show potential employers that you have researched their company, understand them and are keen to work for them specifically.

COMPANY WEBSITES
Company websites are a great place for you to start your research – nearly every company now has a web page, which will include information about the organisation, what they offer as a business and its aims and ethos. This is the best place to start when building up your knowledge as it gives you an overall flavour of the company. Downloading company reports can offer a good insight into the direction the business is moving in; this will offer you strong background knowledge should you be offered an interview.

GET ONLINE
The internet is a great place for finding information on a company and their recent news and announcements. While the company website may offer some information on the company, looking for their presence online with relevant newswires and national and trade publications will provide a more comprehensive impression of what they’ve done in the past 12 months.

SOCIAL NETWORKING
This is not just a way of sharing photos and chatting with friends. A number of companies use social networking for business purposes. While some use the sites for a communal place for employees to chat and share information, there are a number of companies who have started to use these sites for recruitment purposes.

FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH
While external sources are all useful they don’t offer an inside perspective, only news that a company has released or been involved in. If you have a friend or an acquaintance who has either worked for or in some way been involved with a company, they can be valuable.

IF YOU DON'T ASK, YOU DON'T GET
If you are struggling to find out about the company don’t be afraid to call the main help desk and ask for company brochures or advice as to where you can find out more. HR may even be able to supply you with a more detailed job description.

COMPETITORS
It can be worthwhile researching the companies that compete in the same space as the organisation you are looking to work for. It will impress the employer if you can demonstrate knowledge of the key players and offer an opinion on the industry as a whole.

Obviously, companies always try to give the best impression of themselves through various formats, but by investigating a number of avenues you will be able to get a much clearer and rounded impression of the image and culture that each company is trying to promote and aspire to.

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