Competitive intelligence and specialized search

Remember I wrote about these career websites ? Specialized career websites and search can help you understand the human resources strategy of companies and in effect (and indirectly), companies' strategies. For example, type of jobs being recruited for may help you identify new focus and direction of the company, and where the people are recruited may suggest the establishment and location of new office or production facility. More examples - when a few engineers are out looking for a new job, it may mean their current company may be moving away from a certain product development. Of course, it can always also mean bad company culture! :(

So you don't have to be looking for a job when searching career and job websites. You can be understanding your competitors, their employees, their operations, strategies and capabilities.