Researching employers
During the recruitment process, employers will be assessing your understanding of their business, it is important that you do the appropriate research.
Recruiters will be looking for candidates who have commercial awareness, that is an understanding of their company - its products or services, customer base and an awareness of business trends in the sector.
What is commercial awareness?
The careers adviser perspective
In this Sarah Allen, Senior Careers Adviser, gives her expert advice on how you can develop and demonstrate your commercial awareness when you have an interview coming up.
What are the company essentials I need to know?
You'll need to know the following.
- What are the company's key products and services?
- What is their mission statement and values?
- Where are they based? Do they operate in other countries?
- Who are their customers?
- Who are their competitors and how do they compare?
- How are they performing financially?
- What are their strengths and weaknesses?
- Have they been in the news recently? If so, why?
- What are the trends and developments in their sector?
- How are they responding to developments?
Sources of company and sector information
Start with the company's website and social channels (X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn) but ensure you have a broader and unbiased picture of the company and sector by using a variety of sources.
Latest news
For the latest news on companies or sectors, use the search facility to identify relevant articles from:
- National newspapers such as and
Sector specific information
You can also read specialist journals, magazines and professional bodies analyses. Go to our Career path pages for organisations that provide sector information. Some examples are:
Understanding of company recruitment processes
Graduates First's Employer Job Guides provide information about how over 120 organisation approach their recruitment processes and the kinds of assessments you may face. Use Graduates First free - . UoN alumni, email us for access details.
Interested in the sustainability and equality, diversity and inclusion values and policies?
- - compare companies and view leaderboards
Independent review sites
Additional detailed reports and financial information
- Search for additional information