Have you ever wondered if you can figure out where someone works? There are a whole host of reasons you might want to do this, ranging from reconnecting with old acquaintances, conducting background research from an employment perspective, networking, or something else.
We are going to use this blog post to help you understand the options for figuring out where an individual works. There are lots of resources and techniques that will help you to do this.
You’ll soon know how to figure out who is connected to who professionally, which can enhance your professional interactions, putting you in a better position in terms of your career. If you’re trying to hire somebody, it can help you understand their work history and their current position. With that in mind, let’s get started!
The Value of Knowing Where Someone Works
There are lots of reasons for wanting to know where somebody works. One of the most obvious is that this is a great way to build professional relationships and get insider knowledge into companies.
For example, if somebody you knew in high school works for the company you’re applying for a job at, they may be prepared to give you information about what it’s like to work for the company.
They may also be able to pass on your resume, or even vouch for you if it’s a closer connection and they know you sufficiently well. However, you can’t use your network in this way unless you know where people work!
Networking is an invaluable part of getting work, so figuring out where those in your social circle are employed can be very valuable if you’re looking for a new job or considering a change in career trajectory.
It may also help you to build professional relationships in other ways. If you are looking at hiring somebody, exploring their employment history is a critical aspect of due diligence and will ensure that you have a good sense of what they have and haven’t done. Some of this will be obvious from their resume, but it’s always a good idea to confirm for yourself.
You might also be able to reconnect with people if you can figure out where they work. If you’ve lost touch with somebody but you do have a sense of their field and which companies they might be working at, this may give you an “in” that will let you reestablish contact.
It is very important to bear in mind that if you’re going to do this, you need to respect people’s privacy. Only look up employment information that you have a legitimate need to know, and don’t abuse the information that you find.
There are plenty of other reasons you might want to know where somebody works, so let’s start finding out more about how you can do this!
Utilizing Online Professional Networks
Online professional networks are probably the best place to start when you’re trying to figure out where someone works. LinkedIn is an invaluable resource.
All you need to do is enter the person’s name into the search box, and their profile should come up, provided they are on the platform. This will show you their current job, plus previous work history – giving you excellent insight into their career.
Of course, this only works if the person is active on LinkedIn and keeps their information up to date, but it can be an excellent starting point.
Social Media Investigation
Social media platforms beyond LinkedIn can also be very useful. A lot of people list their workplaces on Facebook, for example, and make it clear when they change jobs. You can get this sort of information very quickly just by visiting the individual’s profile and checking the “About” section.
People are often “friends” on Facebook with coworkers, which can help you to find connections between company employees in some cases.
Other social media platforms may also have information about where somebody works. Twitter can be another good place to check. Not everybody lists their work information on the platform, but some people do.
You may also be able to see who they are connected to via these platforms, which can offer further insight and clues into their places of employment. If somebody you know seems to have a lot of connections at a particular company, they may work there or may have worked there in the past.
Direct Communication and Networking
Of course, one of the most obvious ways to figure out where somebody works is to ask them upfront. Most people don’t consider this sensitive information, and they may even be glad to tell you where they work and what they do. It’s an excellent way to get accurate, up-to-date information.
You might also be able to ask mutual friends if this is preferable for some reason. If you’ve got shared contacts, there’s a high chance that they will know where your other friend works, so you can just check with them. Unless the person has changed jobs recently, this is very likely to give you an accurate answer.
Alternatively, if you know people at a company a friend is likely to work for, you could ask them if they have a coworker with your friend’s name. This is a less direct and more complicated route but can work in some instances. It’s especially effective if you know your friend is likely to work there, or has worked there in the past and might still be there.
Businesses may find it harder to use direct communication and networking in this way, but can still ask among current employees in case anybody has a history with the potential employee and can verify their current workplace.
Online Search Engines and Business Directories
You can also find out where people work by using search engines and business directories. Sometimes, just Googling an individual’s name will bring up their place of work because they will be in the company’s directories, or possibly on the website. Try searching for their name in quotation marks to maximize the relevancy of the results.
Sometimes, you’ll need to put in more search terms, like the individual’s location, field, or the job you think they might be doing. If they have a common name, doing this can help to narrow things down and make it easier to locate somebody.
Consider also searching for nicknames or maiden names, plus general terms related to their field, such as “banking” or “education.”
You can also check out business directories and see if the name you are looking for is listed here. Look for well-known ones to ensure you are getting accurate information. You will probably only get limited information from these, but it’s still worth referring to them.
Public Records and Company Directories
Public records won’t always give you information about where people work, but it’s well worth checking them nonetheless. Looking at business registrations may tell you who owns a business, and possibly the names of important employees there.
This won’t tell you about junior employees in most cases, but it can be a good option if you’re trying to verify who owns a company. Public records may be free, but in other cases, you may have to pay a fee or have a subscription in order to access them.
Many individuals won’t want to do this, but it can be a good option for businesses that are trying to find out more about the people they are considering hiring.
Professional Background Check Services
Professional background check services can be an option, although you will need to pay for these services. They usually draw on multiple sources to create a database of information about individuals, and they can often tell you a lot about a person’s workplace information and their employment history.
These checks are very important for businesses to undertake as a way of verifying resume information. You should always double-check that a potential employee is telling the truth about where they have worked by following up in this way.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are lots of ways you can find out where an individual works. The simplest way is to just ask them or others in your network, but if that’s not an option, there are still plenty of other techniques that you can try.
Online professional networks like LinkedIn are often the next port of call, and other social media can also help. Online search engines, business directories, public records databases, and professional background checks will all give you more information.
You can sometimes access a person’s entire work history using these methods. Of course, always be respectful of people’s privacy, and do not abuse the information that you find.
As long as you have legitimate reasons for researching an individual, you can glean valuable and interesting information that may help you in many different contexts. Whether you’re trying to reconnect with friends, looking to network for a new job, or researching a potential job candidate, you can learn a lot by utilizing the techniques in this blog post.