The importance of company research

Today we have a guest post from Gradcracker – a UK careers website for STEM students! Keep reading to learn about researching the companies you are interested in working for and why this is so important…

When searching for a work placement or graduate role, you need to know who you’re applying to, as well as what job you’re applying for. By creating a shortlist of companies prior to your job search, you are already one step closer to your ideal role. It is important to broaden your horizons by being more flexible about location and realise that smaller employers (SMEs) may pay less than large multi-nationals but may also offer other benefits, such as quicker progression to senior level.

It is then vital that you research them inside and out, to ensure they are the right fit for you and in preparation for any possible interview questions. On Gradcracker, each company has their own Employer Hub full of information. A company profile, videos, blogs and employee case studies can all help you decide which employer you want to work for.

You can search through our full list of A-Z employers here: https://www.gradcracker.com/directory

Examples of what to research:

  • In which industry sector do they operate?
  • What is their principal activity?
  • Where are they located?
  • How many people do they employ?
  • Are they expanding?
  • What are their key current projects?

Some of these answers can be found in the Facts section of a Company Hub, whereas others are found by reading employee profiles or job descriptions. Finding out which industry sectors an employer operates in can be easily seen when using our Sector Search: https://www.gradcracker.com/directory/sectors

Once you’ve decided on your shortlist of employers, you can Follow them on Gradcracker. This means that you’ll receive email alerts (or push notifications, if you download our free App: https://www.gradcracker.com/app) about any new opportunities – AS SOON AS THEY GO LIVE.

You can also save specific jobs to your Job Diary; ensuring that, even when an opportunity closes, you still have access to the full job description and can track your applications progress.