How to Find Potential Employers

For job searchers everywhere.

Especially in challenging economic times, don't limit your job search to household name organizations. Excellent opportunities for professional growth and development exist at small and local businesses and non-profits. Library and Career Services resources can be used to build lists of potential employers. For comprehensive results, try multiple databases!

How to Find SIC & NAICS Codes

Knowing the codes associated with your industry will improve your search results in Reference USA, Lexis-Nexis and other business directories. SIC and NAICS codes are classifications schemes devised to gather statistics on economic activity. SIC is an abbreviation for Standard Industrial Classification and NAICS is short for North American Industrial Classification System. The following sites offer keyword searches.

NAICS Search

SIC Search

ReferenceUSA

A portal for three directories of over 14 million U.S. public and private businesses, non-profits and government agencies. Available to currently enrolled Villanova students on and off campus. Alumni with courtesy borrower cards may access from on campus.

Results

Line of business
Contact information (including web links)
Location (with photos)
Number or employees, Sales
Years in operation, Credit standing

Search Steps

Link to Employers USA
Switch to Custom Search (orange link next to default search button)
Create Search
Select all relevant career fields. Career fields search is a merged indext to SIC code, NAICS code and yellow page headings. Remember to look for synonyms and related terms.
Select all target geographic locations. Adding more then one location (or career) searches both simultaneously.
Limit results by business size (sales or employees) or by Fortune 1000 status.

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Lexis-Nexis Academic

A subscription database with business, news and legal information. The Company Dossier aggregates directory information on U.S. and foreign public and private businesses from such well know providers as Hoover's, Dun & Bradstreet, ICC and Standard & Poor's. Currently enrolled students can access Lexis-Nexis from on or off campus. Alumni with a courtesy borrower card may access if from the library

Results

Company profiles include a business description
Contact information (often including web sites)
Estimated Revenue, some financials
Estimated number of employees
More news and reported legal proceedings than ReferenceUSA

Search Steps

Select the business tab
Select Dossier Create Company List
Search by SIC or NAICS code. See How to Find SIC & NAICS Codes.
Alternative to code search is business description keyword search
Limit to geographic area
Search by number of employees, revenue or company type
To search for multiple attributes seperate code chosice with commas

Vault Online Career Library

A subscription database best known for it's career guides and guides to top employers by industry with excellent orientation to the biggest firms and their culture. Currently enrolled Villanova students may access on or off campus. Alumni access arranged by career counselors.

Results

Great succinct descriptions of corporate culture and hiring processes not easily found elsewhere

Search Steps

Download Guides tab to find top employers by industry cluster
Companies Tab search by company name only to learn about firm culture and profile
Given turbulent economic climate, profiles should be updated by searching for trade and business news about target company
Location and size searches unavailable

Last Modified: Thursday, August 4th, 2011