Competitors
This group can be the most fun! Level with them, and tell them exactly what you are doing. Ask the competitor how your potential employer is looked upon within the industry. Are they leaders, innovators, developers of new products? Or are they also-rans?
Does the competition hold them in high esteem? Or are they considered at the bottom of the heap? Are they considered ethical and above-board by the competition, or are they considered the cut-throats of the industry? Obviously, you must take into account that your source of information is the competition when evaluating which information is valid and which is "sour grapes."
Checking out your potential employer with the competition can also present additional dividends-more job offers! We all know of several instances where a candidate considering one company, while checking them out with a competitor, would engage in a conversation something like this-Competitor: "They are a fine company. I consider them the second best in our industry. But as long as you are considering our industry, why not consider us, too?" The competitor may proceed to ask you some background questions, and before you know it he will invite you in for an interview.
The mere fact that you are being considered for employment by a competitor makes you all the more valuable. This is especially true when you are considering going to work for the leader of an industry, and checking them out with lower-ranking competitors. If you are good enough to be considered by Number One then you must be pretty good.
In the retail business-restaurants, gas stations, or department stores, the runners-up of a particular group (and these are still major chains) will not even bother to conduct their own store location analysis and marketing research. They simply conclude that if the area is good enough for their industry leader there is no need for money to be spent in researching the area. Number One has already spent the money, and announced their findings by opening up a new store . This attitude explains why so many of them are still looking at the "backside" of the industry leader!
The fact that you are going to the trouble of checking-out your potential employer with the competition has to make a favorable impression on whichever competitor you talk to.
Incidentally, all your initial checking-out should be by telephone.
Various studies have found that people are more candid on the telephone than if they have to surimit their comment in writing. Also you can cover a lot more ground by telephone in a shorter period of time.
Customers
Call up the .customer-purchasing agents-or whoever else does the buying of your potential employer's products, and question them. Ask them about product reliability. How do they rate the quality? If you are finding it difficult to locate customers, then call the sales manager of the company you are checking-out and ask him to recommend a few.
Suppliers
Call up the sales manager or a salesman of a company supplying your prospective-employer company. Explain your interest, and say you would value any comments they might have. Ask them who else the prospective employer buys from. Are the size and frequency of the orders increasing? If not, why not? Do they pay their bills on time? How is employee turnover? Is it stable? You want to think twice before joining a company which is a revolving door for employees. Keep in mind though, when you are evaluating the information from suppliers, that their "bread is buttered" by the company you are checking out. Former suppliers might be an even better source.
If you arrive for the interview with all the additional knowledge you have gained by doing your own research-you have just got to make a favorable impression on the interviewer! There are not too many things you can do to impress an interviewer as much as modestly and respectfully demonstrating that you have done your homework on the company, and can intelligently discuss the company's business.
An employer may be considering a dozen candidates for a position. If you are the one to whom he does not have to keep repeating the same answers to the same routine questions-questions that should have been satisfied prior to the interview-then you have very favorably set yourself apart. You will be able to ask questions which could only be asked by one who was familiar with the company and their industry. Learn the nomenclature, and when appropriate use some of the "buzz words."
Every employer has to be pleased when he feels he is talking to a candidate who knows something about his business. There is nothing positive about saying, "I really do not know anything about your business," and then proceeding to prove it. Who needs to hire someone who is ignorant, when he can hire someone who at least took the time, and made the effort, to learn about the company and their business. Come prepared for the interview.
