When you’re customising your CV in reply to an advert or getting ready for an interview you need to make sure that you are well informed about the company and its industry.

You will need to find out such things as

• what exactly does the company do? make? sell? trade in? what services does it provide? and how will the job you want contribute?
• who and where are its customers?
• how long has the company been in business?
• how many employees does it have?
• what type of jobs do the employees do?
• how well is the company doing?
• what are its latest projects and plans?
• who are its competitors?
• what issues and developments are affecting and shaping the industry or sectors in which the company operates?
• who are directors and senior managers? [so that you can then go on to search for press coverage of their activities]
• what are its policies on career development, training and promotion, etc?
• is the company part of a larger organisation?

There are a number of resources you can use to answer such questions:

• Directories and databases at Leeds Central Library

There are directories, databases, market research reports, journals and press cutting services which you can use in the Business and Research Library to find information on companies and the industries in which they are involved. 

Spend some time looking at any financial information that is available.  The turnover and profit figures, and the number of employees, for example, may give you an idea of how well the company has been doing over the past few years. Are these figures increasing or decreasing?

You can also look for details of directors and for details of other companies and competitors in its sector.

Find out if the company you are interested in is part of a larger organisation. You can then search for information on this larger company to find out how yours fits into its overall activities.

You should look for any press coverage on the company to get the latest news about it and to track what has been happening to it over a period of time.  This can be done at the Business and Research Library by searching online databases.

• Directories and databases on the internet

Leeds Library and Information Service have also developed the Leeds Business Indexes. This can be used on the internet at and may help you track down some of the information held by the Library on a company.

You can also look for news items on UK companies and business sectors at UKBusiness Park. Please use the link on the right.

Companies House Register  - Check the for basic information on Limited  companies: registered office address, date of incorporation [i.e. how long has the company been in business], nature of business, any previous names, date when last accounts filed, etc. However, financial details and details of directors do have to be paid for using this resource.

hemscott.com is also useful. [Registration is required to access some of the information].

CAROL [Company Annual Reports Online] - A Public Limited Company's Annual Report and Accounts can usually be consulted on the company's own website or by using a website called CAROL. Access is free, but you do need to register.

These detail the past year's financial results and business high points, and plans and predictions for the future. There may also be information on each section, division, or subsidiary in the company, describing the services or the products that the different parts of the business offer.

WebLinks - Links to useful sources of information on the Internet are included under 'Business and Industry Information' in WebLinks: Leeds Library and Information Service's virtual reference library. Use the link on the right or go to www.leeds.gov.uk/weblinks

• Brands and inventions

Looking at a company's trade marks and patents, if any have been registered, can be a most effective means of finding out what the company is, or is planning to be, involved in.  For advice on how to do this please consult the document on the right – ‘Finding information on a company’.

• Research the industry in which the company operates

You also need to be clued up about the particular industry or industries in which the company you are applying to or have an interview with is involved.

In addition to the company and industry news that can be found in the press, information may also be found in the wide range of market research reports which can be consulted at the Business and Research Library. These provide a detailed overview of the market for a particular product or service.

• Research the local economy

The annual Leeds Economy Handbook includes information and statistics on the different sectors of the Leeds economy.

The bi-monthly Leeds Economy Bulletin contains the most recent information available on developments in the Leeds economy, including news about company expansions and relocations.

These can be consulted in the Business and Research library or by using the links on the right.

Booklets on the job markets in various industries can be downloaded from the nextstep West Yorkshire website using the link on the right.

Links to further  sources of information on the Leeds and Yorkshire economy are included under 'Business and Industry Information' in WebLinks.  Please use the link on the right or go to www.leeds.gov.uk/weblinks

• Search the web

It is well worth using a search engine to find information on a company even if you know their website address - you might find other official and unofficial information about the company on other websites which might just give you the edge over other candidates at an interview.

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