I was recently offered a position as an Assistant Buyer at XYZ Company. I haven't heard much about the company's reputation in the industry, but I want to make sure that I'm making a good career move. How can I find out what other companies think about Buyers who have come from XYZ?

That is a good question and doing your homework before joining a company is always a good idea. Here are a few suggestions on research to do before making any career move:

1. Start at Wall-Street and pull up any recent analyst reports and get a feel for “the buzz” from the financial sector. If they are a public company, you can pick up a great deal of information from analysts on the particular company as well as the trends in the industry itself that may have a macro-affect on your decision. Annual reports are of course, good too. If the company is privately held, they may not have to provide the same information to the SEC and getting information can be tougher. I would go to Hoover's.com or Dun & Bradstreet where for a nominal fee, you can get detailed information.



2. Hopefully you have had a chance to interview with your peers and have a feel for how long they have been there, how they enjoy their work, etc….to get an overview of turnover. Some turnover is natural and shows people move on to bigger and better things—too much turnover can show negatively on the leadership group or a lack of direction.



3. Finding out what the competition thinks about people from a particular company requires a more sensitive approach. You could ask for informational interviews from other companies in the same industry but you may or may not get anything definitive from that approach. Looking for bios on leaders may give you a feel for where people come from, but my suggestion is not to worry too much about that as long as your future employer has a good reputation in the industry at large.



4. You can use the internet to Google and look for blogs and employee websites that may be talking about “XYZ Company” and similar businesses---but be cognizant that hearsay is just that: RUMORS. If you have any questions at the end of the day, it is best to address them directly with your future employer in a positive, but inquisitive fashion.

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