Acorn Systems: “The student should know as much as possible about the company. They should have visited and studied every page on the company's web site. Interviewers are impressed when students go above and beyond in researching a company, such as conducting independent research on their customer base or market segment or even just being able to discuss the business the company is in.”

AMD: “What should they already know? -- Students should know what my company does, the products we make, etc... NOT ask "what does your company do"? They should be aware of any major "press releases" we have made within the last couple of weeks. Know where we are located. Research -- Research the website. Bonus points if they know what our plans may be for the future (can be found on the website), the most recent "major discover/finding/etc"... Students can use Alums to learn about the companies... (use the Aggie network). There are Aggies in all the Fortune 500 companies, and then some. Students should know, that it is NOT what they know, but WHO KNOWS THEM... and remembers them in a positive context.”

Applied Materials: “As we are not a company that sells directly to the general public, we can tell who has gone to our web site by whether or not they even know what we do. Those who do not put themselves at a severe disadvantage if they try to fake it. It is better to admit that you don't know.”

Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc.: “Most recruiters understand that there can be 100+ employers at a career fair. We do not expect students to know the complete profile on each company in attendance. We do expect them to know, in general, what the company does and if they would actually be interested in working there. I would strongly suggest to students that they have an idea of which companies that might be interested in before the career fair. In relation to those particular companies, do some research. Who are they, where are they, where might they use you, etc. Find out if there is a website and navigate through it. Approaching the Recruiter with knowledge on the company will make a good first impression. If you only get to spend two minutes with a Recruiter, how do you want to spend that time? Hearing two minutes of company background or two minutes for the Recruiter to find out about you?”

Dallas Semiconductor/Maxim: “I expect students that are in the Engineering programs to at least know what we do as a company. Learn more about the company and the positions. Don’t just say you want a job, and you will do and learn anything.”

Enterprise Rent-a-Car: “Students should review company websites and information in the Career Services libraries to have a basic idea of the company culture and values.”

GE: “Nothing gets the attention of a recruiter more than a prepared potential recruit. Her resume will go on top of the pile automatically.”

GulfQuest: “We are more interested in candidates which possess a general
understanding of the industry they may be embarking upon. Not all companies are publicly traded or have a history greater than 2-3 years (GulfQuest), therefore information via internet/websites may not be readily accessible. Candidates should look at the industry as a whole and take the opportunity to understand how the organization fits as a piece of a larger puzzle. This is assuming the candidates have reviewed all available information such as Organizational Overviews, Web Sites, Etc.”

Halliburton: “It is always nice when the student has done some research, perhaps reviewing our company website or checking with career services to try to gain an understanding of the business. The more a student knows about the company or the industry, the better impression the representatives have of that initial contact.”

JCPenney Company: “I expect basic research. What does our company sell? What kind of annual sales? How long have we been in business? Where is our corporate headquarters?”

Lyondell-Citgo: “I don't care about company research as much as industry research. A general knowledge of refining (in my case) is nice. The student should know something about what the company manufactures: do they make clothes or gasoline? Where are they geographically?”

Novellus Systems, Inc.: “Graduating seniors should know as much as possible about the company. I know that may not be realistic, but a little research can go a long way. Utilize the company website to find out, at a very minimum, what the company does, what their products are, and where they are located. The most impressive candidates thoroughly research the companies they are most interested in working for. If you don't know, don't try to bluff; be upfront about your lack of knowledge and ask questions.

Those not graduating in the immediate future are not expected to know what the seniors should know. Career fairs should be an opportunity to gain knowledge about the companies. Identify yourself as a freshman, sophomore, or junior and ask us to tell you a little about our company; we will be happy to oblige.”

Smith & Associates: “Know basic business, some history of the company, major players. Very impressive to an interviewer/recruiter when someone is prepared and took the time to look at my company. I don't want someone who is willing to work ANYWHERE. I want someone who is somewhat familiar with my company and wants to work for ME!”

Teague Nall and Perkins, Inc.: “We don't have a checkbox for "Researched us" or "Did not research us", however, it does give an impression that the student is interested and attentive when they know something about us going in. The best way to find out about Teague Nall and Perkins is by going to our website, but again, we don't make that an interview question like several of the larger firms do. We also have an information binder at the career center library that gives more company profile and cultural information than our website does.”

TIC – The Industrial Company: “You need to know what line of business the company is in at the very least. I can't stand it when dozens of people come up to the booth and say ‘so what do you guys do’. That is an immediate turn off for me.”