frequently asked questions about

Q  "Finding employers"
I will be a college senior in the fall. I read your book and I loved it! Never too soon to start planning right? Anyway, now that I won't be sending resumes out, how do I go about finding a list of companies in my area (NY/NJ area) that have departments that I would like to work in? Those huge employment boards on the web don't do much good and since I'm not that familiar with names of companies, I have no idea where to look. Is there a source which can give me this bit of info?

A  Glad you loved the book. You can find the companies you're looking for at the library. Ask the reference librarian to help you track down information about local companies. That's what reference librarians do: help you find what you're looking for. And while you're at it, thank him or her for me -- on general principle. No one thanks them enough.

Once you identify the companies, start searching the major business publications to learn more about them and the industries they're in. This is where you'll start identifying opportunities (and names of key managers). The Motley Fool is a great place to dig up useful info on lots of companies. Check the Fool's Investment Ideas feature to research industries and look up the 10K reports of the companies you're most interested in -- use the SEC's EDGAR data base.

Learn to use the library effectively. You'll find stuff (and expert help) there that you can't access on the Web.

Good for you for starting your search as early as possible!

Best,
Nick The Headhunter