Competency #14 I Can Conduct Research on Different Occupations, Employers and Organizations

Most people possess the research skills to check out jobs, job openings, job information, and information about organizations.  However, you may be like many people who ask, “Do I want to? Do I need to? Will it be worth my time?”

The answer is a resounding YES. It has never been easier to conduct your own research in the comfort of your own home/library/or other Internet connected venues.  There are huge benefits, and some important pitfalls:

First, the benefits: There are many sites to investigate.  Chief among them are my favorites:

http://www.acinet.org

http://www.careeronestop.org

Both websites are part of the US Department of Labor’s huge database system. Virtually every piece of information you might need is contained on one or both of these sites.  In addition to specific occupational information (nature of the work, tools, education needed, tasks/skills necessary, salary and outlook information) did you know you can find employers in your locale, number of employees, contact information, state wage data, average annual openings, growing/declining occupations, and much more using these sites?

Whew!  You can easily get lost in the database(s).  Don’t spend too much time here, though!

The BEST source of information, once you’ve researched the above sites thoroughly, is to start conducting “field research”(or as it has also been called, informational interviews). They will generate realistic advice on your options and give you confidence to move forward.  Your three main goals should be: learn core information about the nature of the career field, develop key job hunting strategies for the field, and learn how best to sell your background.

Here are some sample open-ended questions that will lead to a healthy and productive discussion:

Nature of the Profession:

How did you choose this career field?

What skills and talents are required for success in this job and field?

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Nature of the Organization:

How would you describe your work environment?

Selling Your Background

Given my background, which position would I be best suited?

What would be the most appropriate way to pursue these positions?

Job Search Strategies

What kind of job-hunting strategies would you suggest?

What should I avoid doing?

Do you have any career advice?

I love http://www.glassdoor.com for up-to-date information on companies, salaries, and, best of all, employee feedback.  It can’t be beat.

The value of information must be underscored- You need to arm yourself with information in order to navigate the career/job search waters!

Now for the Pitfalls:

Beware of job boards (Indeed.com; Careerbuilder.com, etc.)  These are great tools for job searching, but the addiction to spend hours and hours and hours searching and applying actually yields very low results.  Better to use your time wisely and stick with an established network of contacts and then connect these people to current job information.