In four or five sentences, explain why you should research a potential employer before actively seeking employment.

When you have a clear idea of who you want to work for, it's a serious advantage. You take time to learn about your potential employer, what their operations are, the firm culture, etc. By doing this, you also make sure that the employer meets your personal requirements, matching what you're willing to do.

One thing to know is, do they pay their employees or contractors or do they have a bad reputation for paying late or not paying.

Another thing is what are the ethics of the company ie how is its' record on such things as the environment and relations with, say First Nations in the mining industry.

Is it a small company or large and what are the chances of getting promotions?

How is the actual work, is it challenging and interesting?