Understanding what Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes and North American Industry Classification Codes (NAICS) are and how they work is very useful for company searches. This guide will show you how to look up codes for different industries and how to use those codes to find companies that may be potential employers.
Many business directories have a look-up feature or cheat sheet that lets you find a code that will represent the type of business you're looking for. Here are some other places to search by key words to find an appropriate code:
In this Guide, you will be using business directories. These directories use a system of number codes, in systems called SIC and NAICS, to arrange businesses by type, so the user can find, for example, all the manufacturers of communications equipment.
These numbers are explained in this short video:
You can test what you've learned with this very short quiz: Test yourself.
The kind of company may be a factor in whether you find it in a given directory.
If you do not find a large company in a directory, it may be private; many directories include only public companies. Another possibility is that the company you are looking for is a subsidiary, or smaller branch, of a larger company.
