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Research
You may well be wondering, "Exactly what is research as it applies to the job hunt?" It turns out that college students have been trained to do research in their classes. However, seldom have you been told that the same "research principles" apply when you are trying to find out about a job or a company.
Special Points of Interest
Research the company.
Find out their products and services.
Understand what they are looking for in applications.
Use your resume and the interview to show them that you are what they are seeking. |
Just as you had to go to the library to find books about your college research topic, you have to go to the newspaper, the company office, the school placement office, libraries and the Internet to research your job and company.
The company office can give you sales brochures from the company which will help you to determine what their products are. You can use Internet search engines: www.yahoo.com & www.google.com are two good ones, to find out the same types of information and in great detail. Look at the companies web site and you will find out a lot about them.
Your school placement office usually should know something about the requirements of the specific job. Often the local newspaper will have articles on the companies history. All these sources give you background and history. This will help you.
What to do with the research?
Once you understand something about the company and the job requirements, you begin to build your resume. Never, never, never send the same resume out for two different positions. That is why you did the research in the first place.
As you write your resume then you try to find accomplishments or past work experiences that match the employers requirements. Emphasize all those things that you have done in class or on past jobs that show THIS employer that you can help meet their requirements.
Understand this! If you are shopping for a pick-up truck, it is unlikely that I could talk you into a station wagon. You know what you want. Well, so do they (the employers).
Do not, I repeat do not, try to sell them something other than what they are looking for.
Please email me with any questions you have: kpreiser@mscc.edu
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