Differentiate yourself from most other job hunters by researching potential employers. "(For more ways to differentiate yourself from the other job seekers, read Job-Hunt's Standing Out from the Crowd article.)

Dropping a few industry facts or product names will show that you have made the effort to learn about the organization and its marketplace, demonstrating your initiative, skill, and intelligence. Few competing applicants will have invested the time and energy. So, YOU will stand out!

Before you send a resume or respond to a job posting, gather some basic information about the organization:

• What does it do? What industry is it in?
• What are the major products and/or services?
  
• What other organizations are "major players" in the industry?
  
• With whom does the organization compete most directly or most often?
  
• Were new products and/or services recently introduced? Old ones recently retired?
  
• What is recent financial performance?
  
• Any layoffs, class action law suit settlements, or product recalls announced?

• Screen out organizations that don't appear to be successful or industries you don't like.
  
  You won't waste your time pursuing a job in a company that may lay you off 9 months after they hire you. And, you won't waste energy applying for a job in an industry you don't respect (a job in a Web casino development company if you don't approve of gambling, for example).
  
  
• Drop product/service names in cover letters, resumes, and interviews.
  
  If you've worked with the company's (or a competitor's) products or services, mention that. Interviewing at Microsoft? Include your expertise with Microsoft Office in your cover letter and resume. (Be careful about describing problems with those products/services, but be honest if asked. Feel free to be critical about the competition; just be sure that you are correct.)
  
  
• Include relevant experience in your resume.
  
  For example, include your high school job at McDonald's when applying for a job in a food service or retail business even if you normally don't mention it.
  
  
• Avoid foot-in-mouth disease during the interview process.
  
  Don't gush about how much you love NBC's Today show when you are interviewing with CBS or ABC (unless they ask you specifically about the Today show or about competing programs that you enjoy - but be careful about "gushing" in that case).

For a step-by-step tutorial in finding the information, check out Deb Flanagan's excellent Researching Companies Online Tutorial.

This article originally appeared in the July 11, 2002, issue of the Online Job Search Guide, Job-Hunt's free twice-a-month e-mailed newsletter.

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