Step 1
First, find a job you could hypothetically apply for if you were graduating soon with the degree you currently hold. Do not apply to current campus or off-campus jobs. The intention is to simulate the job-seeking process that you’ll experience when you’re closer to graduation. You may apply for an internship if it is relevant to your field and if it’s competitive. Search for jobs by going directly to the employer’s website, or by using a website like oregonlive.comLinks to an external site. (if you’re in Oregon), or Indeed or Monster. Social media might also be an option, especially something like Linkedin if you have an account.
After you’ve found a job to apply for, save that link, because I’ll require you to paste it at the beginning of your document.
Step 2
Next, follow the directions below regarding the four types of resources you’re required to find and use in your job research.
One page of the organization’s own website:
“About” page, “Career” pages, human resources pages, and/or any pages directed to job applicants.
Three additional resources not authored or published by the organization you’re applying to:
One general job document or job-finding resource available through the OSU Career Development website. This could be a video, a worksheet, or a page that contains advice. This resource won’t be about the company, but it will likely offer general advice.
A workplace review site like glassdoor.com (if you find nothing here, you can substitute it with a “popular-serious” source, like those described in item 4, below).
Most likely a “popular-serious” source like The Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Forbes, etc. Look for recent news related to products, community outreach efforts, or the company’s overall financial health.
That’s a total of at least FOUR sources, though you could use more. For example, you might use multiple pages under the umbrella of the same website. What you’re searching for:
What it’s like to work there; info that would be relevant to your decision to apply in the first place
Recent news—positive or negative (involving the image and/or “health” of the company)
How the entity represents themselves—the image they’re attempting to convey
Anything that aids the job-seeker in understanding what the company desires from their employees so that you can cater your application letter to their stated needs
The Mergent database available through the OSU Library is a sort of one-stop-shop if you are interested in applying for jobs with a Fortune 500 company like Intel or Nike. (Note: like accessing anything through OSU Library, you must use you OSU login credentials).
If the organization you are applying to is not big enough to receive the kind of attention a larger corporation might, then your research strategies should adapt to use local resources, such as newspapers. You could also possibly generalize your research to the wider industry if you can’t find any direct information. Regardless of the type of job you apply to, find sources that originate from four different credible authors or publishers.
Step 3
Next, write four paragraphs that summarize the relevant information gathered from the four resources above. For example, one paragraph will contain all the information gathered from the company’s website(s); the next paragraph will summarize relevant information obtained from outside, “popular-serious” sources, etc. Total length should equal about 1-1.5 pages single-spaced.Step 1
First, find a job you could hypothetically apply for if you were graduating soon with the degree you currently hold. Do not apply to current campus or off-campus jobs. The intention is to simulate the job-seeking process that you’ll experience when you’re closer to graduation. You may apply for an internship if it is relevant to your field and if it’s competitive. Search for jobs by going directly to the employer’s website, or by using a website like oregonlive.comLinks to an external site. (if you’re in Oregon), or Indeed or Monster. Social media might also be an option, especially something like Linkedin if you have an account.
After you’ve found a job to apply for, save that link, because I’ll require you to paste it at the beginning of your document.
Step 2
Next, follow the directions below regarding the four types of resources you’re required to find and use in your job research.
One page of the organization’s own website:
“About” page, “Career” pages, human resources pages, and/or any pages directed to job applicants.
Three additional resources not authored or published by the organization you’re applying to:
One general job document or job-finding resource available through the OSU Career Development website. This could be a video, a worksheet, or a page that contains advice. This resource won’t be about the company, but it will likely offer general advice.
A workplace review site like glassdoor.com (if you find nothing here, you can substitute it with a “popular-serious” source, like those described in item 4, below).
Most likely a “popular-serious” source like The Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Forbes, etc. Look for recent news related to products, community outreach efforts, or the company’s overall financial health.
That’s a total of at least FOUR sources, though you could use more. For example, you might use multiple pages under the umbrella of the same website. What you’re searching for:
What it’s like to work there; info that would be relevant to your decision to apply in the first place
Recent news—positive or negative (involving the image and/or “health” of the company)
How the entity represents themselves—the image they’re attempting to convey
Anything that aids the job-seeker in understanding what the company desires from their employees so that you can cater your application letter to their stated needs
The Mergent database available through the OSU Library is a sort of one-stop-shop if you are interested in applying for jobs with a Fortune 500 company like Intel or Nike. (Note: like accessing anything through OSU Library, you must use you OSU login credentials).
If the organization you are applying to is not big enough to receive the kind of attention a larger corporation might, then your research strategies should adapt to use local resources, such as newspapers. You could also possibly generalize your research to the wider industry if you can’t find any direct information. Regardless of the type of job you apply to, find sources that originate from four different credible authors or publishers.
Step 3
Next, write four paragraphs that summarize the relevant information gathered from the four resources above. For example, one paragraph will contain all the information gathered from the company’s website(s); the next paragraph will summarize relevant information obtained from outside, “popular-serious” sources, etc. Total length should equal about 1-1.5 pages single-spaced.Step 1
First, find a job you could hypothetically apply for if you were graduating soon with the degree you currently hold. Do not apply to current campus or off-campus jobs. The intention is to simulate the job-seeking process that you’ll experience when you’re closer to graduation. You may apply for an internship if it is relevant to your field and if it’s competitive. Search for jobs by going directly to the employer’s website, or by using a website like oregonlive.comLinks to an external site. (if you’re in Oregon), or Indeed or Monster. Social media might also be an option, especially something like Linkedin if you have an account.
After you’ve found a job to apply for, save that link, because I’ll require you to paste it at the beginning of your document.
Step 2
Next, follow the directions below regarding the four types of resources you’re required to find and use in your job research.
One page of the organization’s own website:
“About” page, “Career” pages, human resources pages, and/or any pages directed to job applicants.
Three additional resources not authored or published by the organization you’re applying to:
One general job document or job-finding resource available through the OSU Career Development website. This could be a video, a worksheet, or a page that contains advice. This resource won’t be about the company, but it will likely offer general advice.
A workplace review site like glassdoor.com (if you find nothing here, you can substitute it with a “popular-serious” source, like those described in item 4, below).
Most likely a “popular-serious” source like The Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Forbes, etc. Look for recent news related to products, community outreach efforts, or the company’s overall financial health.
That’s a total of at least FOUR sources, though you could use more. For example, you might use multiple pages under the umbrella of the same website. What you’re searching for:
What it’s like to work there; info that would be relevant to your decision to apply in the first place
Recent news—positive or negative (involving the image and/or “health” of the company)
How the entity represents themselves—the image they’re attempting to convey
Anything that aids the job-seeker in understanding what the company desires from their employees so that you can cater your application letter to their stated needs
The Mergent database available through the OSU Library is a sort of one-stop-shop if you are interested in applying for jobs with a Fortune 500 company like Intel or Nike. (Note: like accessing anything through OSU Library, you must use you OSU login credentials).
If the organization you are applying to is not big enough to receive the kind of attention a larger corporation might, then your research strategies should adapt to use local resources, such as newspapers. You could also possibly generalize your research to the wider industry if you can’t find any direct information. Regardless of the type of job you apply to, find sources that originate from four different credible authors or publishers.
Step 3
Next, write four paragraphs that summarize the relevant information gathered from the four resources above. For example, one paragraph will contain all the information gathered from the company’s website(s); the next paragraph will summarize relevant information obtained from outside, “popular-serious” sources, etc. Total length should equal about 1-1.5 pages single-spaced.Step 1
First, find a job you could hypothetically apply for if you were graduating soon with the degree you currently hold. Do not apply to current campus or off-campus jobs. The intention is to simulate the job-seeking process that you’ll experience when you’re closer to graduation. You may apply for an internship if it is relevant to your field and if it’s competitive. Search for jobs by going directly to the employer’s website, or by using a website like oregonlive.comLinks to an external site. (if you’re in Oregon), or Indeed or Monster. Social media might also be an option, especially something like Linkedin if you have an account.
After you’ve found a job to apply for, save that link, because I’ll require you to paste it at the beginning of your document.
Step 2
Next, follow the directions below regarding the four types of resources you’re required to find and use in your job research.
One page of the organization’s own website:
“About” page, “Career” pages, human resources pages, and/or any pages directed to job applicants.
Three additional resources not authored or published by the organization you’re applying to:
One general job document or job-finding resource available through the OSU Career Development website. This could be a video, a worksheet, or a page that contains advice. This resource won’t be about the company, but it will likely offer general advice.
A workplace review site like glassdoor.com (if you find nothing here, you can substitute it with a “popular-serious” source, like those described in item 4, below).
Most likely a “popular-serious” source like The Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Forbes, etc. Look for recent news related to products, community outreach efforts, or the company’s overall financial health.
That’s a total of at least FOUR sources, though you could use more. For example, you might use multiple pages under the umbrella of the same website. What you’re searching for:
What it’s like to work there; info that would be relevant to your decision to apply in the first place
Recent news—positive or negative (involving the image and/or “health” of the company)
How the entity represents themselves—the image they’re attempting to convey
Anything that aids the job-seeker in understanding what the company desires from their employees so that you can cater your application letter to their stated needs
The Mergent database available through the OSU Library is a sort of one-stop-shop if you are interested in applying for jobs with a Fortune 500 company like Intel or Nike. (Note: like accessing anything through OSU Library, you must use you OSU login credentials).
If the organization you are applying to is not big enough to receive the kind of attention a larger corporation might, then your research strategies should adapt to use local resources, such as newspapers. You could also possibly generalize your research to the wider industry if you can’t find any direct information. Regardless of the type of job you apply to, find sources that originate from four different credible authors or publishers.
Step 3
Next, write four paragraphs that summarize the relevant information gathered from the four resources above. For example, one paragraph will contain all the information gathered from the company’s website(s); the next paragraph will summarize relevant information obtained from outside, “popular-serious” sources, etc. Total length should equal about 1-1.5 pages single-spaced.
