Today’s job seeker must take a more proactive approach and identify jobs before they go on the market. Conducting research provides you with the foundation you need for a successful job search.

It is important to identify fifty potential employers who employ individuals who have your experience and skills. These are also employers you have identified as your preferred companies.

To help you conduct this research you can use the following resources.

• Search Google to identify national employers that may employ people to work in your region. Often sales, presales, account management, and telecommuting roles are available in specific territories.
• Check Job-Hunt’s Employer Directory for links to the recruiting pages of thousands of employers by state.
• Look for companies that are of interest to you in top company lists. Each year magazines like Fortune, US News, Business Week, and others publish articles ranking corporations in various industries.
• Visit websites like ZoomInfo, Business Insider and Glassdoor to find out more about company size, leadership, and corporate culture.

Once you have identified some viable employers, visit their website.

• Read up on what they do: review the About Us page, check the products and services, locations and contacts.
• Read the press and media which often will announce special projects, mergers, acquisitions, promotions and contracts. It is important to see what others are saying about your targets, which is normally not on their website.
• Subscribe to the trade publications read by professionals in your industry.