Hopefully, you have been able to use Job-Hunt’s extensive database of potential employers to identify companies that interest you. Now that you know where you might want to work, tapping into the power of LinkedIn can be a great strategy for researching companies from the inside out.

More on Company Research: Company Research Home The 20 Minute Company Research Guide Research Like a Stakeholder Learning From Industry Observers Understanding the Financial Reports 5 Landmines to Avoid When Interviewing at Competitors Collecting Company Intelligence Think "Research" to Boost Networking Using Social Media for Company Research: Using Facebook for Company Research Using LinkedIn for More than Networking Company Research Using LinkedIn Company Pages Advanced LinkedIn Strategies for Company Research Tapping into LinkedIn's Data Other Online Sources for Company Research: Exploring the Company Website Researching Lists of "Top" Jobs, Companies, Cities Using Yelp for Company Research Off-Line Sources of Company Research: Researching Employers at Industry Expos Researching Potential Employers at Trade Shows Researching Small Businesses Finding Specific Information: Finding the Hiring Manager Identifying Hiring Manager Contact Information Finding Unadvertised Jobs Researching for Internal Job Opportunities Researching Early-Stage Start-Ups Researching Employer Diversity Researching Possible Company Lawsuits Company Research Experts: Debra Wheatman, Company Research Expert Parmelee Eastman, Company Research Contributor Additional Resources: Directory of Employers by State Directory of FORTUNE 500 Employers by State Directory of FORTUNE 500 Employers by Sales Rank

Here are a few suggestions for using LinkedIn to gather information about the companies you are interested in working for:

1. Go to the Advanced People Search tab, and put the name of the company in the Company block. Note that you can research all people who have ever worked at the firm ("current or past"), only those who work there now ("current") or only those people who no longer work there ("past not current") by choosing the appropriate option from the drop-down menu.
   
   
2. If you want to narrow the results, choose your zip code, and set the mileage accordingly.
   
   
3. To search only for people who have the term "recruiter" in their profile, you can put the word "recruiter" in the Keywords section. Alternately, you can try the keyword phrase "human resources."
   
   
4. Maybe you prefer to look directly for hiring managers. In this case, you can use the Title section. Try the search first with the term "VP" and then try the term "Vice President." You can also enter the term "Director," "CFO," etc. This is not an exact science though so be sure to do numerous searches using various keywords and titles as necessary to uncover the maximum number of prospective employers.
   
   
5. Once you have identified some people at the firm, spend time looking at their profiles. Notice from which firms they originally came. Determine what areas you have in common with them. Take a critical look at your background and see if there is a good match.
   
   
6. Investigate the LinkedIn Groups they belong to. If there are groups you can join, do so.
   
   
7. Reach out via Inmail to network with anyone you feel might be able to provide you with information about the company. You can state that you are doing some research because you are interested in exploring opportunities and ask for suggestions or recommendations.
   
   
8. Don’t forget: You can also run a search for peers. See if you can identify someone at the company with similar skills to your own by searching on appropriate skills in the Keywords section.  You can also search on the job title you are targeting at the company by typing it into the Title block. Tell them you wanted to learn more about the firm, and ask if they wouldn’t mind communicating with you directly.
   
   
9. If you establish a good rapport with someone at the corporation, it is possible they would be willing to present your résumé to HR or to a hiring manager. Most large employers offer their staff a bonus for providing leads to qualified employees.
   
   
10. Another way to find out about recent hires and current employees at a given company is to click on the link to their Company page within LinkedIn. You may find people you are connected to (first, second, or third degree) who work at the company currently or in the past, and you may also find people who attended a school you attended who work at the company. Not all firms have these and they are not always complete, but they can provide very good intel and networking leads.
    

Repeat this process with all of the companies you wish to pursue to gather information about each firm.

Bottom Line

By leveraging connections on LinkedIn, you can learn a lot about a company and get important information regarding any potential opportunities. Before you do this, make sure that your own LinkedIn profile is complete and well written. It should have a good photo of you and include your contact information at the bottom. In addition, it is important to get at least a few recommendations as this will add to your credibility.

© Copyright 2011 Debra Wheatman.  All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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Debra Wheatman is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC). She is globally recognized as an expert in advanced career search techniques with more than 18 years' corporate human resource experience. Debra has been featured on Fox Business News, WNYW with Brian Lehrer, and quoted in leading publications, including Forbes.com, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. Debra may be reached at debra@careersdonewrite.com or you may visit her website at CareersDoneWrite.com.

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