Finding out more online

You finished the previous section considering some of the places where SMEs might advertise vacancies. One key thing to be aware of is that SMEs advertise vacancies when they need to, throughout the year, often recruiting just one new graduate at a time. This is a very different approach from the graduate recruitment programmes run by large companies who recruit annually to a specific and clearly advertised timetable.

This means that you need to identify where the businesses that interest you are likely to advertise vacancies and keep an eye on those resources to see what comes up. This will involve more in-depth research.

The company website

An obvious place to start your online research is with the company website. Have a browse through each section, but particularly useful targets for your research might include:

• ‘Who we are’ or ‘About us’ – these sections will often include information on the values of the company. Once you’ve done your reflective work on your own values, it will be easier to see if they align with those of the business. The values they have chosen might also give you an insight into the company culture. Are their values reflected in other areas of the website?
• Another section that might be useful is ‘News’, ‘Blog’, ‘Media’ or something similar. This should give you a flavour of what’s going on at the company, the things that they think are important to share, how in touch they are with latest developments and innovations etc. Their blog posts might also talk about vacancies. If they haven’t updated this section for some time – this could be a red flag, or it might be an opportunity for you to offer your services!
• A larger SME might have a more obvious ‘Careers with us’ or ‘Job vacancies’ section. If they do, look at the vacancies even if they don’t interest you – there might be some useful information about the company and the direction it’s moving in. If not, you might be able to gain this insight from another section. If it looks like they are expanding or exploring new directions, this could mean recruitment is imminent!

Of course, at the smaller end of the SME spectrum, microbusinesses might not have the resources to develop their own website. Instead they may use a business Facebook page or rely on other forms of social media to connect with the world.

Social media

Small businesses might use social media for recruitment in a range of ways, such as posting jobs and responding to potential applicants. It also presents the ideal opportunity for them to promote their brand, perhaps even encouraging current employees to share their experiences. This type of information can really enhance your research.

‘After going to lots of employer presentations while I was at uni, I decided that a big, corporate employer wasn’t for me. I wanted to live at home at first, to save money, so I started researching local businesses. Social media was an easy way to find out more about them and I soon got a feel for the companies that were growing. It was nice to read posts from current employees too. When one company advertised a job that sounded interesting I applied. I didn’t get it, but they really liked me and offered me a different role instead! I’ve been there for 6 months now and it’s great!’ Omar, BSc Accounting and Finance

Over to you

Which social media platforms do you use, and have you ever used any of them to research or connect with potential employers? If yes, which platforms, e.g. Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and did you find it a useful exercise? Share your answers in the comments below.

In the next section you’ll look at some relevant social media platforms in a little more detail.