Finding company research resources shouldn’t be difficult, so I’ve listed some of my favorite resources.
Free resources for finding target companies
LinkedIn (of course)
New York State’s Department of Labor Potential Employer search tool is here.
Potential Employer tool contains data provided by Infogroup which allows you to find companies by industry or occupation…in other words, enter the kind of job you are looking for, select the county and about 75 company names and basic company information will pop up. That doesn’t mean these companies have openings. It means that these companies might hire that occupation, or have had a history of hiring that occupation. It is easy to use!
Rochester’s Top 100. (And every city has the equivalent) Every year companies compete to win the honor of being on this list. They have to submit an application and provide data about their financial growth.
Hoover’s is another resource which shows you the company profile and top three competitors. Hoover’s also has free industry overviews. Hoover’s is a product of D&B. For a fee you could subscribe to get more info, however, you may be able to access it from your local library.
Start creating a list of companies you would like to research and perhaps work for so you can begin networking rather than chasing the job postings on job boards! Create a Marketing Plan to really get your job search moving.
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
