Career Chat: Company Research
by the Career Services Department at Laurus College
“Career Chat” brings you the latest topics from the Career Chat forum in Purple Briefcase, the exciting new Job Search Portal provided to all Laurus College students and alumni.
Have you checked your Purple Score lately?
What Do Companies Look for in an Applicant?
While all employers are looking for people who can communicate effectively and work as part of a team, it’s important to research the skills and qualities that companies in your specific industry are looking for. Here are some ideas to help get you started:
1. Inside the Purple Briefcase Portal, you have a tool called “My Jobs“. Set up and save several searches for job opportunities within your career field (i.e. Animation, Medical Billing, etc.). Open up each of the position descriptions, then copy and paste into a word document. Try to get ten position descriptions loaded in one document, then review for common themes and requirements. You can also paste the descriptions in a Word Cloud generator like wordclouds.com and look for the big, technical words.
2. Build Relationships with people in the industry. Start by using LinkedIn.
Here are some great videos on LinkedIn, available through the Purple Briefcase portal:
LinkedIn Profile Checklist
Branding Yourself on LinkedIn
LinkedIn Job Search App
In addition, make it a point to Attend Conferences and Conventions relating to your industry.
If you’re in a career field where professional portfolios are the standard (i.e. Animation, Web Design), reach out to your industry connections to get some honest feedback on your work.
3. Set up Informational Interviews with people who are already working in the industry. Ask them about the companies they have worked for, and find out what those organizations look for in their employees.
Purple Briefcase is a new career readiness platform that helps Laurus College students and grads stay up to date with the latest career search tools, tips, and technology. Click Here to Get Started!