4. The company

Whenever you apply for a job find out as much as possible about the company.

The best resource is – of course – the internet

Things you should know before applying

“Firm” is the exact name of the company and usually includes the legal form.
“Legal form” is different in different countries, but normally there are three groups:
- Sole proprietorship is a company with one owner – most of the small companies are one-man/woman businesses
- Private partnerships are companies with more than one owner,but all partners have got the same rights, the same responsibility and the same liability for debts
- Corporations / limited corporations are companies with more than one owner, but the main duty of the owners is raising and providing capital (money).
Address . You should know the address of the company, but it can be helpful to know, where they have branches, if they are working international, if there is a special headquarter.

You should inform youself about some other questions, too!

What products are sold?
Have a look to the online-shop, the list of services, the assortment. Try to find out the origin of the goods, especially when they trade mainly local and regional products.
Who are the responsible persons?
It could be an advantage if you know the name of the owner / owners, the name of the personal manager who is in charge for application etc.
What’s about the social responsibility?
Companies are proud of their social attitude, this includes donation to social institutions but also sponsoring of sports clubs.

Exercise ¡

Find a company in your hometown. Do an internet research and answer all the questions above