25 Sources for Researching Jobs, Companies, Industries, and Markets

Many sources are available to people interested in identifying what companies operate in particular addressable markets or industries, and for gathering useful information and intelligence on them. While many are obvious, others may not be so, or may be employed in marginally effective or ineffective manners. The sources identified herein are useful for business planning, market analysis, evaluation of products or services, or support job search related efforts - among other uses. The numbers of sources are near infinite; I have listed and discuss those I have found to be of value to supplement those that may be found in the research section of public libraries:

1. Internet search

2. Securities and Exchange Commission 10-K and other filings

3. Yahoo finance (and similar tools) - data and message boards

4. Company websites

5. Company product or capability literature

6. Company newsletters

7. Business journals and newspapers

8. Industry and trade magazines, business and interest (or hobby) magazines and periodicals

9. Industry and trade blogs and forums

10. Trade shows and industry events

11. Business and professional networking sites

12. Manufacturer representatives

13. Recruiters

14. Customers of competitors or businesses of interest

15. Competitors

16. Job board advertisements

17. Employees

18. Business brokers

19. Social and Philanthropic organizations

20. Chamber of commerce, Phone books

21. Local, and other, government officials, regulatory agencies

22. Universities - professors, student theses, alumni associations

23. Cold calls

24. Thomas Register

25. Paid information sources

There are other sources, to be sure; those listed above are sources I have used with success in gathering intelligence to support creation of business plans I have written and market analyses coincident with such endeavors.

Discussion:

1. Internet search: Perhaps the most common, or soon to become so, method for gathering information. The key is to identify multiple search query statements or keyword strings - not just one. In many cases, an internet search will show how fragmented the internet really is; a single search query may result in a mixed bag of links, pointing to individuals, companies, events, etc., and articles - which may or may not be germane to one's interests. This is typically the result of one or more factors such as the tags in, activity levels of, or updates to, a given website, hence, the importance of multiple search and keyword combinations for any given query.

2. Securities and Exchange Commission filings: If the company is publicly traded, the site www.sec.gov can be invaluable. Filings are available in html or pdf formats, and contain a wealth of information not only on strategy and discussion of current business performance, but on board of director and executive changes, acquisitions, mergers, and closure/exit of business lines, litigation, financial trends, and often, useful market data that a competitor would otherwise have to pay for.

3. Yahoo (and other) finance boards: Not only does this site contain information on financial statements, corporate officers and board members, it contains a message board. A great deal of traffic is nonsense - e.g., someone promoting a stock market tool or website - leaving the balance a mix of investors, disaffected current and former employees, and company management responses to some of the postings. The opportunity here is not only to data mine the postings, but to contact the users and ask the questions you seek answers to.

4. Company websites: Websites are useful not only for data mining press releases, but also to identify key executives and other employees that can be searched for on the internet and in business and social networks. Often, once a name is identified for a key position, the person can be contacted by phone - switchboard or automated directory - or their email address can be discovered, leading to a point of contact.

5. Company Product and capability literature - this information will identify the addressable market space and capabilities of an organization, and at times will contain statements that indicate specific market approvals, such as "Euro III certified" or other market certifications.

6. Company newsletters: If you are in the area of the company of interest, stop in the lobby - newsletters may frequently be found on end tables. In addition, lobby areas usually contain plaques and awards - providing other research leads (customer names, certifications, etc., awards, milestones, notable events). In the event you are remote to the location of the business, many companies have email newsletters that can be signed up for, or "contact" locations on their websites that requests for information - such as the latest newsletter - can be submitted to. As these are typically administered by clerical and/or junior staff, the response rate is typically very high.

7. Business journals and newspapers: These sources will often contain articles on companies, with information ranging from things as innocuous as "people in the news" - who joined the company in a key position, who is retiring, who was promoted - to executive interviews, press releases, and newsworthy events of journalistic value to newspapers. Many have article search - to include archive search - capability. Advertisements can also be data-mined.

8. Industry and trade magazines, business and hobby (or interest) magazine and periodicals: These publications - print and electronic - often identify industry-, company-, and product-level changes, in addition to newsworthy industry events and insights to include interviews with key company and industry leaders. I have found these sources particularly useful for finding data and statistics. Advertisements can also be data-mined.

9. Industry blogs and forums: Blogging is a growing activity and a rich source of information and analysis by hosts/blog owners. The bloggers and forums are populated by thought leaders, knowledgeable people, and by contributors that comment on the blog topics. In addition, bloggers and contributors can be contacted to delve further into information, insight, and opinions relevant to your interests.

10. Trade shows and industry events: Show up at a trade show, and you will find everything from company representatives - to include executives in some cases - to competitors, and literature. Most importantly, these events can be very fruitful when it comes to identifying differentiation strategies, new product development, and capability plans. There are also many occasions in which dialogue will reveal elements of enterprise strategy.

11. Business and professional networking sites: ZoomInfo, etc., Spoke, and LinkedIn: These sites contain information on companies, and search queries on these sites can often identify people by title/function/location - for current and former employees. Many profiles contain personal or company email addresses, and some profile biographical and career summaries identify accomplishments and other information that provide significant insights - particularly when such sites are data mined over several or many names.

12. Manufacturer representatives: Manufacturer representatives promote and sell, on a commission basis, products. They are excellent sources of information on companies, to include company management, capabilities, activity, news, developments and competitor analysis. If a manufacturer's representative is found for one company in a market segment, one will typically find other companies in the same space using manufacturer representatives too.

13. Recruiters: Company relationships with recruiters usually include detailed candidate skill set requirements and the reason for the hiring need. Recruiters are interested in viable candidates - with or without an opening for your specialty - and they will usually talk with you and share information. If you are not a viable candidate, an excellent strategy is to ask for a point of contact within the company of interest; a name or names are usually offered. Recruiters also tend to specialize either in a particular profession and/or industry, and many have a background in the profession or industry they focus on and support as recruiters. In that regard, they are valuable information sources in and of themselves.

14. Customers of competitors or businesses of interest: There are a variety of ways to find customers; one is limited only by ingenuity in that regard. Sources such as "Angie's List" and the Better Business Bureau can be used to review recommendations and complaints. In larger companies, staff in supply chain or purchasing can be located by asking for the employee that is in charge of or responsible for buying "commodity X".

15. Competitors: A call to the sales staff, visiting a booth at a trade show, or "contact us" email, is an effective method for gathering information and intelligence. A question about product or company focus will often result in prompt identification of differentiators, and many times will provide information available through alternative channels relative to other companies that compete with the competitor on topics such as performance, products, or services. This is an excellent method to gather information from divergent perspective.

16. Job board advertisements: What company is hiring, and what type of people are they hiring? What are the skill sets and experience desired? How many people do they need? Where are the openings - at what locations of a company? What is the reason for the need? A great number of job postings provide this information; at times, in a single posting, and on other occasions, a number of postings must be reviewed to gain insight into activity and why it is occurring.

17. Employees: Most people want to help. If you express an interest - for example - in getting a job with a company, whether it be to the receptionist, HR manager, or Director of Operations, this innate quality of human nature often provides insights on how a company is doing, whether the company is hiring or not, and key events. From a competitive intelligence standpoint, this source is a little more checkered, but at times may provide insight on contract awards, etc., staffing plans, and other useful information.

18. Business brokers: This applies more to privately held companies of smaller size. Most all business broker websites allow searches by business type; some support local metropolitan area search scope, others, national. This is a little more indirect of a method, but at times can be a source of competitive intelligence. A broker website inquiry can often put one in contact with a principal, through which one may be able to obtain historical financial statements, pro forma statements, and other information such as photographs which may provide powerful insight into the state of the competitor's business, business model, and future plans - at no cost. This source typically requires execution of a non-disclosure agreement.

19. Social and philanthropic organizations: Rotary, Lions, etc., organizations, clubs, and associations: These organizations have many civic and industry leaders, business owners, and executives as members - in addition to employees in different functions and career levels. Members of these organizations are connected in common cause with others they may otherwise never have occasion to interact with, and may provide referrals and names of use relative to industry and company contacts. The power of this source is to network with members of such organizations.

20. Chamber of commerce, phone books: Very basic. Attend a mixer at a chamber of commerce, and even if the company is not a member, someone there has probably worked for them, or done business with them, or has a friend or family member at the company. Phone books provide the main number of a business, and once called, request can be made to speak with the "head of engineering" or the "general manager", etc.

21. Local government officials, regulatory agencies: Most every city has an economic development director or some variant of the position, in addition to council members engaged in some form of commerce. Local - and for larger companies, state and even federal government - officials have contact with the leadership level of companies, and in larger cities or counties, will have adjunct, quasi-governmental agencies with a charter to promote and grow economic activity within their geographical area of responsibility. Regulatory agencies often provide information under the freedom of information act regarding filings, violations, etc., which may provide insight into technological, quality, manufacturing, design, process, or other issues resident within a company.

22. Universities: Professors often consult for companies, or have conducted significant research on a given industry. Students may, in completing assignments, calculate the cost of capital for a company in a finance course, analyze an industry in a marketing class, or analyze a company's competitive strategy in a capstone strategy class. There are often provocative insights and interesting data contained therein, and many times, students, in completing such projects and assignments, are able to communicate with company leadership and discuss topics that otherwise would not be available to a non-academic party. Many Doctoral and Master's theses and a good number of undergraduate papers are available through university libraries and university systems within a State. Alumni associations can also be key sources of information to researchers, as a common experience is the lead-in from which inquiry may be based.

23. Cold calls: If you are a calling a competing company, you must decide how to conduct the call. I have found through personal experience that forthright communication about who you are and what you are looking to do will typically provide more information than an attempt to be coy or cunning. I make a habit of researching many of the sources identified in the preceding paragraphs first, and have found doing so before a cold call useful in facilitating a collaborative exchange of information; after all, your competitor is interested in what you are doing too, and your thoughts on the industry, etc., and on customers. If your purpose is to find a job, you will find people are generally willing to assist. The key is to identify your interests and intent at the outset of the call.

24. Thomas Register (and similar sources): The Thomas Register is primarily a tool for sourcing suppliers; it can be searched to identify company size in revenue and number of employees, and used to identify locations and products. The primary determinant is how any given company uses Thomas Register as a tool.

25. Paid information sources: These range from industry associations and councils - typically non-profit - to businesses that perform analyses and create market studies - and sell them on a fixed-price basis to customers interested in industries and technologies typically characterized by large addressable markets. I have found industry associations and councils to provide more useful information, and at far more reasonable prices. Dun and Bradstreet falls into this category, as do others such as Hoovers, however, these sources rely on maintenance from companies and other sources to maintain accuracy of information. I have found the data to be very accurate in some cases, and very inaccurate in others.

The sources and methods for gathering information listed above are by no means comprehensive or all-inclusive; they represent those I have used in and throughout my career to gather information. I have used these sources primarily to write business plans, however, they are also relevant to job search, market analysis, and other endeavors.