Business Careers

From SubjectGuides

Just starting your job search? Already have an interview scheduled? The Auburn University Libraries have resources to help you research potential careers and employers in order to prepare for job interviews. Here are some recommended sources to start your research:

[edit] Researching Careers

Occupational Outlook Handbook

This U.S. government guide provides information on hundreds of careers, including the training and education needed; earnings; expected job prospects; what workers do on the job; and working conditions.

AUBIECat Library Catalog (More info)

Search the Library Catalog to find books in the library on careers and job hunting. Try searches for "vocational guidance" or "occupations". You can also browse some of our career books on the 3rd floor of the library in the HF 5381 - 5386 call number ranges.

[edit] Creating a List of Potential Employers

These sources may help you identify companies in a particular industry or geographic location:

Hoover's Online(AU Libraries Database)-

Provides detailed information on more than 50,000 of the largest or fastest growing public and private U.S. companies. Includes company address, number of employees, key people, history, financial data, news items and selected links to company web sites, SEC filings, and current stock prices.

ReferenceUSA(AU Libraries Database)

Search for businesses and get brief company information. Includes more small, private companies than Hoover's Online. (More info)

Birmingham Book of Lists

Reference Book. 2nd Floor Call number HF 5001 .B57 Suppl. 2009

Provides lists of the top companies in different industries in that city.

Atlanta Book of Lists

Reference Book. 2nd Floor Call number HF 5068 .A8 B665 2009

Provides lists of the top companies in different industries in that city.

www.fortune.com – Look under the rankings tab for these lists and others

-100 Best Companies to Work For

-America's 20 Most Admired Companies

-20 Greatest Companies for New Grads

Almanac of American Employers- (book)

Call Number: HF 5382.75 .U6 A45 2007

Reference Shelves, 2nd Floor Library

[edit] Basic Company Information

Keep in mind that the company type may determine how much information you will be able to find. Public companies, like Wal-Mart, Ford and Coca-Cola, are those that sell stock to investors, so they typically have the most information available to researchers. Private companies, which do not sell stock to investors, are not required to provide information about their companies. As a result, they can be more difficult to research. The Hoover's Online or Reference USA databases should indicate whether a company is public or private.

Hoover's Online(AU Libraries Database)-

Provides detailed information on more than 50,000 of the largest or fastest growing public and private U.S. companies. Includes company address, number of employees, key people, history, financial data, news items and selected links to company web sites, SEC filings, and current stock prices.

ReferenceUSA(AU Libraries Database)

Search for businesses and get brief company information. Includes more small, private companies than Hoover's Online. (More info)

LexisNexis Academic (Business Search)

Use the Business link at the top of the page to search for company profiles. It searches a lot of different sources at one time and pulls them all together on a “Snapshot” page.

[edit] Company Websites

You'll want to take a look at the company's website. This is the company's main communication tool with the world. Here, you'll find out about the company's products or services and what the company wants it's customers and investors to know about it. However, keep in mind that the website may not tell the entire story about what's going on with a company. You'll also want to look for news, articles and reports available in the AU Library business databases to verify what you find on a website.

[edit] Annual Report

For a public company, look for an Annual Report. Produced by the company each year for their stockholders, the annual report will describe the company’s operations, financial situation, and future plans. Try these sites to locate a copy of the annual report:

Company website- recent years are usually under links called Investor Relations, About Us, etc.

Annual Report Gallery- www.annualreports.com

[edit] Search Business Articles and News

Look for articles that discuss the company’s history, operations, trends, etc. Try including some of those terms as keywords in your searches. Also, if you know the name of the top executives, try a search with their names to see if they've given interviews. If you can't find articles about your company, look for articles about the industry in which they operate.

Business Source Premier (AU Libraries Database)-

Includes business magazines, journals and trade publications. Also has Company Profile reports from Datamonitor that give detailed information about a company.

www.BizJournals.com

Great source to find articles on private companies or for local information on public companies.

[edit] Industry Reports

An industry report is a great way to find out what's important to a company in a particular industry. What are the forces that are impacting that industry? What opportunities or challenges does the company face in that industry? Finding out what's going on in the industry provides you with "talking points" during an interview. How would your skills help the employer in that industry?

IBISWorld Industry Reports

Provides access to market research reports on over 700 U.S. industries. The reports cover key industry statistics, market segmentation, current industry conditions and future outlook. We also have access to the China industry reports.

[edit] Other Possible Sources:

[edit] I. History of the Organization

Business & Company Resource Center (AU Libraries Database)-

Includes in-depth company histories from the International Directory of Company Histories.

[edit] II. For Non-Profit Organizations

GuideStar

Provides access to IRS Form 990, which most non-profits must file. This form has info on revenue, expenses, salaries of directors and top employees.

[edit] III. Job Opportunities

Auburn University Career Development Services

[edit] IV. Contact Amia

If you have any questions about researching a company or using any of the resources, please contact Amia. We have other library resources that might be able to answer your questions.

Amia Baker

Business Librarian

Auburn Libraries, 2nd Floor

alb0004 at auburn.edu

844-8268