Research Your Prospective Employer

Marcianne Kuethen

September 28, 2012

We’ve heard the story many times: A company posts an open position and ends up with hundreds of resumes to sort through, most of which aren’t a good fit for the position. One reason could be the applicants’ failure to research the company first to ensure a match.

As a job applicant, it’s in your best interest to research any company before you apply. The more you know, the better you can tailor your cover letter to show what a great solution you are for their needs. One great suggestion is to “find people who work for or know about the organization. This could be people you meet at a career fair, family members, neighbors, parents of friends, students who graduated ahead of you, and alumni contacts.”

Research tips published on career.vt.edu.