Monday, March 24, 2008

Company Research by Possibilities - Toronto's Online Employment Resource Centre

Unlike researching labour market information -- which shows more general data, such as economic factors -- company research allows for a more specific outlook. Research the company you're interested in to:
  • Obtain product knowledge
  • Launch a new business looking for suppliers, customers or competition
  • Prepare for your first interview and know what questions to ask
  • Prepare more extensively for a second interview

Jumping Off Points
The Internet is your first step to find out about products and services. Keep abreast by reading the daily business section to keep up-to-date on news and trends in many industries. Doing an Internet search is a good way to find news about a particular industry.

Industry Canada, the federal government’s main business site, provides statistics, industry news, processing information, financing and funding options. It can provide a big picture of business operations in Canada, including sector and trade announcements and tax information.

Also check out FRASERS.com, a database of industrial suppliers and manufacturers. As well, look at Sedar, which provides documents such as earnings statements for publicly traded Canadian companies, and the Canadian Trade Index, a voluntary listing of manufacturers by trade specialty.

Another idea is to see if the industry you are interested in has a sector council. If so, this is where you’ll find the latest research, training and main employers in your industry. There are more than 30 sector councils covering everything from seafood to steel. You’ll find out about the challenges facing the industry as well as who the key players are. The councils' websites also contain links to upcoming conferences, periodicals and training opportunities.

You should also use your local Employment Resource Centre or the Toronto Reference Library to find company directories.

While there, look for The Toronto Board of Trade publications, as they are updated on a regular basis and contain information about Toronto-based companies. One directory put out by the board is Contact Toronto 2007/08: An Annual Who's Who of Top Employers, Executives and Decision Makers in the Toronto Region.

Don't overlook Scott’s Directories, which are available in print, CD and online. Scott's in-depth contact information database captures business data from the largest multinationals to small businesses.

You might also come up with some ideas from trade periodicals that you can sometimes find through regulatory or professional associations.

Impressing Employers
Got the job interview? Want to make a good impression? Our interview toolkit is a good pre-interview read and includes useful downloads as well as tips on researching prospective employers. You should aim to go into interviews with an understanding of the following:

  • The opportunities that might exist for you in this company
  • The company's financial profile
  • Major players in the sector and direct competitors
  • The company's corporate structure, products and subsidiaries

Finding this information ahead of time allows you to generate questions to ask at the end of the job interview and to demonstrate your knowledge about and your interest in the organization.

Starting a Business
If you want to start your own business and aren't independently wealthy, you are going to need investors. Investing is a big risk and people need to feel confident that your product, service or idea has been well thought out. Being well-researched in your field is crucial to producing a solid business plan and getting financial backing. Here are a few leads to get you started.

  • Visit Enterprise Toronto for self-help business advice.
  • Find a copy of the Toronto Business Directory, just one of the resources available at Enterprise Toronto centres. This directory has over 85,000 company names and contacts.
  • Check out the competition and make a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) a fundamental part of your marketing plan.

Go to our entrepreneurial toolkit for more information and research tips.


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Here are a few quotes of inspiration and some food for thought about work and life ... CARPE DIEM (seize the day)

"Networking is more than meeting the right people. It's about connecting with their purpose and helping them achieve their goals. It's about connectin them with their success."

  • Craig Elias: Canada's Mr. Networking
  • "So you ask “what can I do to build confidence in myself”? Start by discovering who you are (your Personal Brand), which will allow you to understand what you need to do in order to gain this confidence you seek. Once discovered, it is all about repetition, through telling yourself that you are unique and “you have nothing to lose.” Saying this will help you be more outgoing, which translates into confidence."

  • Dan Schawbel
  • "Our subconscious minds have no sense of humor, play no jokes and cannot tell the difference between reality and an imagined thought or image. What we continually think about eventually will manifest in our lives. Unfortunately most of us are completely unaware of this fact and we do not monitor our thoughts with the care needed so that we can create in our lives the results we say we want. Since the great majority of people do not feel worthy and deserving of abundant good fortune, radiant good health and total success in all areas of their lives that overriding thought pattern controls the results people get. The first order of business of anyone who wants to enjoy success in all areas of his or her life is to take charge of the internal dialogue they have and only think, say and behave in manner consistent with the results they truly desire. - Sidney Madwed

    "You cannot escape the results of your thoughts. Whatever your present environment may be, you will fall, remain or rise with your thoughts, your vision, your ideal. You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration." - James Lane Allen

    "In football you always get judged on your last game. Whoever you are, or how amazing you are, it's the last game that everyone has seen." - Thierry Henry

    "80% of the stuff you get you are never going to need again. 20% you do need, and you need to prioritize its importance."

  • Julie Mahan
  • "It takes half your life before you discover life is a do-it-yourself project." - Napoleon Hill

    "The only thing that doesn't change is change itself." - Heraclitus (You can't step into the same river twice, the old Greek said, because the water keeps moving. - If you're clinging to your old reliable tools, you're not just standing still, you're actually moving backwards from the point of view of those who are moving on with the river of technological change.)

    "The secret of man's success resides in his insight into the moods of people, and his tact in dealing with them." - J. G. Holland

    "To put distance between you and your competition, you must become more VALUABLE... not just more PRODUCTIVE."

  • E. R. Haas
  • "When one door closes another door opens; but we do often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us." - Alexander Graham Bell

    "Successful people are not necessary smarter than anyone else, they are simply more effective."

  • Ross Mackay
  • "You'll never achieve real success unless you like what you're doing."

  • Dale Carnegie