When two prospects of equal qualification vie for the same post, the one who has done more research claims a big advantage. Firstly, because it shows your keenness and attitude and employers love it, secondly, employers always want to hear what outsiders think about them and lastly if your research is good, you can turn the topic onto the company.

• A few ground rules: While researching a company, start with the company balance sheet (you can get it from your recruitment consultant or stock exchange records). Analyse the trends and cost/ revenue ratios. If you can benchmark it with the next competitors data your stock will go up.
• Secondly surf the net for broad industry trends. The size and growth pattern of a company will reflect a great deal about the opportunities for your advancement. Try answering questions like (a) Is the company in a healthy financial state? (b) What market share does it have? (c) What are the companys priorities and prospects? (d) What are its problems and what kind of competition does it face? (e) Are there any new products or projects in the pipeline? (f) Is the share price going up or down?

It may not always be easy to access information of this kind because they may not be in the company's annual report or its balance sheets. One can look for an analysts report on the particular firm or get the recruitment consultant to bring this information for you. Lastly, one can find current and headline - grabbing business news in magazines and periodicals.

• Hard facts aside, it is the 'soft information' which is sometimes hard to come by. Information like the kind of work ethos a firm has, whether aggressive or laid-back, informal or sophisticated, its hierarchical attitudes, whether rigid or flexible, all these details can make career adjustment an easy process.
• Ex-employees of the company can help one with information of this kind. If a person is able to get in touch with his predecessor to the job, he would not only get work-related information but also learn something about the boss he would be working with.
• Remember that all employers want to feel wanted and your research is a way of telling them that you are keen to work for them.

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