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Home > Students
> Find a Job / Internship
> Employer Research
To interview, you need to know as much as possible
about the employer. Effective research is an excellent way to stand
out from among other candidates. The work you put into your research
and interview preparation reflects your level of interest and commitment
to the position, and interviewers know this.
Here is some advice from JHU Professor
Leslie Kendrick:
When I ask students if they’ve researched
a company in preparation for an interview, or before writing a
cover letter, the answer I get is, “Yes, I looked at their
web site.” The next question I ask is, “What do you
think the typical student would do to prepare for an interview?”
“Look at the company’s web site,” is the reply.
Then, my follow up question is, “How do you expect to differentiate
yourself if your preparation is comparable to that of every other
applicant?” Read more: Effectively
Researching Companies and Using Findings To Impress Employers
(pdf)
There is abolutely no substitute: employer research is critical
to interviewing. Here are some ways to get started.
- Become very familiar with the employer's website. Not doing
so is a common but grave mistake. The interviewer will quickly
discover if you know the basics or not.
- If the employer is participating in on-campus recruiting, attend
their information session if they hold one. Employers expect interviewees
to exhibit an understanding of the material covered.
- Visit the employer's table if they attend a career fair at
Johns Hopkins. Career fairs are both an opportunity for the employer
to get to know you and for them to share information about the
organization.
- Learn what the position requires in detail. This allows you
to relate your experiences to the position requirements and to
show why you are perfect for the job. The first step is to take
a close look at the job or internship description.
- Read any recent news items and on-going trends related to the
employer or the employer's industry. Use Career Beam, Vault, industry journals and local business journals to learn more.
- Use inCircle and LinkedIn.com to contact
JHU alumni who work at the organization. Alumni can tell you more
about the organization and the position for which you are applying.
Online alumni profiles are also available in the Hopkins Career Profiles.
- Make use of the Hopkins library's business
research resources.
- Explore Hopkins Career Profiles to get an overview of the industry as well as links to industry specific resources.
- Check out the Riley
Guide for more tips on employer research.
This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but to get you started.
If you have questions, schedule an appointment with a Career Center
counselor.
Other Resources
College Board Majors and Careers Central
Occupational
Outlook Handbook —Employment projections and career information
O*NET - occupations related to specific areas of knowledge
Vault- Review and download detailed guides on a variety of industries. Login through J-Connect.
Hopkins Career Profiles
Spotlight on Careers by the Liberal Arts Career Network
(Off-campus Password in J-Connect)
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