Researching companies is one of the most important things you can do before starting the job search. Keeping up to date with the industries or companies you’re interested in will help you prepare for when you begin applying to positions. In your research, you may also find companies that you didn’t know about before whose mission, location, values, or business model really excite you. By the time you reach the interview stage, your research will have given you a sense of what working at the company could be like and if it would be a good fit. From the employer’s side, they will see you coming into the interview as an informed, confident candidate. This preparation will make the process easier for both you and the employer plus allow you to ask specific questions, clarify any concerns, and demonstrate that you have the right skills for the job.


Here are some steps you can take to begin researching companies to find the right workplace for you!

1. Use Tools to Gain Insight into Companies and Industries. 

Browsing an official company website is always a good place to start, but as an Aggie you have access to a variety of resources to make researching companies even easier and more personalized to your needs.  Some helpful tools that can be found through the Career Center website include:

• Vault- Check out career guide books plus thousands of company and industry profiles and reviews! Click here to log in with your NetID, then scroll down to access Vault from the online resources landing page and create an account with your TAMU Gmail. 
• HireAggies- This portal not only gives you access to job postings and interviewing resources but also company profiles and industry searching tools. A quick search can give you insight into the company culture, who to reach out to, open positions, and if the company will be participating in future career fairs. Current students, click here to log in with your NetID to launch HireAggies. Former students, click here.

​2. Understand the Industry and Company

Say that you’ve found a job posting at a company that you’re interested in. Great! Some details to look for could include:

1. Products and Industry
   1. What industry is this company a part of? What is their product or service? Who are their target customers? Who are their main competitors? What is the financial standing of the company? What is the projected growth for that industry? 
2. The Company Itself
   1. Is it public or private? What is the size and structure of the company? Who are the founders/leaders and what is the company history? Have there been any recent mergers or acquisitions that may have impacted the structure?
3. Office or Branch Locations
   1. Do the locations match your lifestyle and priorities? Are there remote or international opportunities?

​​3. Use Your Network to Learn More

Networking is a fantastic way to get an understanding of a day in the life of an employee. Conversation topics when networking could be as simple as asking someone about their experience at the company or in the industry. How did they find this position, and have there been opportunities for growth? What is the company and office culture like? What do they like most or least about the company? What advice would they give someone looking to join the company or industry? Some platforms to help leverage your network could be:

1. LinkedIn- LinkedIn offers opportunities to connect with people you already know on a professional platform, show your experiences through your profile, find people with common interests and experiences, meet new connections, follow company profiles, and find industry news. When using LinkedIn, consider:

   1. Have you followed the company and checked out their profile and statistics? When looking at profiles of current employees, do specific skills or experiences keep popping up? 

   2. Do you have any 1st or 2nd connections at the company? Can you connect with a current employee in a similar role to what you’re applying to, or a position you’re interested in the future? 

   3. If you do have connections, don’t be afraid to reach out! Be sure to make it clear you’re looking to learn more about their experience with the company, not for them to set you up with a position. 

2. Find An Aggie- Through The Association of Former Students website you can access Find An Aggie, where you can search for Aggies by their specific degree/major, occupation, location, and more! Take advantage of the Aggie Network and don’t hesitate to use Find An Aggie to write a polite email to someone asking to learn more about their experiences and gain insight into their career path. Chances are they would be more than happy to chat with and give advice to a fellow Ag.

4. Investigate the Values, Purpose, and Mission

When researching a company to determine if they are a good fit, you should ask yourself if what is important to the company is also important to you! Some possible questions to reflect on:

1. Do the company’s mission and values align with your own goals, personal or professional? Does it match with what you want to do on a daily basis? How are these values reflected in the company culture or in their public presence, such as social media?

5. Be informed on current events

Once you land an interview, it is always good practice to run a quick news and social media search in the days or hours leading up to it. Some points to consider:

1. Has the company been in the news recently, and is the news positive, negative, or neutral? Is it an ongoing story to keep up with throughout the application/interview process?

2. Does the company have or use social media platforms? How often do they post, and what type of content or engagement do they have? Who is the primary audience of their social media? Does it make you feel more connected to the company, employees, and/or mission of the company?

3. Annual reports and press releases can also be great resources for you to get a sense of where the business is at or any recent changes that have occured

6. Putting it all together

Congratulations! You’ve used several different tools to research company profiles, leveraged your network to get an inside perspective on the company, and kept up with news and social media to better understand the company’s mission and values. The next step is to simply reflect on everything you’ve learned and see if there are still any knowledge gaps. Through this, you will be able to come up with some impactful questions for your interview. Don’t forget your career advisor is always here to help-- click here to make an advising appointment today!
 

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Written by Natalia Cervantes '21, Graduate Practicum Student at the Texas A&M Career Center