What's Out There?
This is a question that you should keep asking yourself throughout your lifetime. What's out there that I might be interested in? What's happening that might have an impact on my current work? Where are the new opportunities for a person with my expertise?
Even if you are just beginning to learn how to research career fields, you probably know something about the possibilities that exist out there in the "real world." You may even be familiar with the specifics of a field or two. But what about all the other possibilities in the world of work? What about those jobs or fields you've never heard of, or you can only vaguely imagine? How do you go about getting more information about them? You do something you're probably very good at by now: you research!
No matter how busy you are with your current activities, arrange to spend some time reading about careers and people in different professions. This is an investment of time that will pay for itself many times over. You will:
- learn about what people find interesting and rewarding in their chosen work.
- learn about the problems and issues that concern them.
- acquaint yourself with their vocabularies and styles of expression.
- begin to identify aspects of professions that you like or dislike.
Once you have identified the type(s) of work and field(s) or industry/industries on which you would like to focus, you will be ready to begin a more targeted approach to gathering the information you will need in order to indentify and contact potential employers.
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How to Think About Information and Research
Information can come from a variety of sources in many formats. It can be:
print-based:
books
trade and professional journals
annual reports
prospectuses or marketing materials
newspapers
other periodical publications |
electronic:
web-based
CD-ROM
videotape
news broadcasts |
experiential:
summer jobs
internships
coursework
cocurricular activities
travel
career fairs & panels
employer information sessions |
networking activities:
conversations & correspondence with career counselors
family
friends
alumni
faculty
tutors
coaches
mentors
visiting fellows
guest lecturers
professional association events, etc. |
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Types of information
Career information can be divided into three categories:
Reflective. This stimulates you to think about:
- who you are
- what is important to you
- how much risk you are willing to take
- your strengths
- your weaknesses
- your likes
- your dislikes
- your hopes
- your fears.
This information is all around you and can take any form: print, electronic, experiential, etc.
Descriptive. These materials describe a career field, industry, or a particular employer. The types of information one would typically find include:
- the nature of the work
- required education & skills
- compensation
- potential for advancement
- the work environment
- organizational culture, etc.
These could be books, newspaper or magazine articles, organizational web sites, etc.People-oriented. These resources are the ones that tell you who's out there doing whatever it is you might want to do. Directories or electronic databases of employers or organizations or, in some cases, newspaper or magazine articles serve this purpose.
Data-oriented. These are the facts and figures resources. They provide information on:
- key people within an organization
- areas of specialization
- research focus
- financials
- client lists
- locations of branches
- product information
- automation systems
- trends in the field
- compensation packages
- comparative cost of living, etc.
This is the kind of information you will need in order to target certain employers and as you go through the employment process. It will also serve you well as you pursue networking activities by making you an active participant in a dialogue, as opposed to a passive recipient of information.
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Where Do I Begin?
Gather career information as you would information about any other topic or issue that interests you: be an active listener, a critical observer, a voracious reader, a web surfer with a purpose, an engaged data hound. Your goal is to become as informed as you can about both yourself and "what's out there." Just about any resource or contact may be able to provide another piece of the career or employment picture puzzle.
There is no "right" way or time to go about the discovery process, but you may find it helpful to start by focusing on the "reflective" or "descriptive" types of information early in your college career. If you can figure out what's important to you, then all you have to do is find where or how that intersects with what's out there.
It may take you some time to find all of the "you" parts of the puzzle, because as you learn more about the "out there" parts, you will think of more questions to ask yourself. Don't let this keep you from wading (or diving!) into the descriptive information. Read about careers on the web; browse through general career guides; read the trade and professional journals. Talk to people.
Once you identify some fields that seem to be of interest, do some more in-depth research by utilizing "identifying" and "data-oriented" resources. The additional information will help you to decide whether you wish to seriously explore career options in a particular field, organizational culture, or geographic location.
Keep in mind that your preferences, needs, and skills will change over time. So, too, will the employment landscape and career universe. This means that you will regularly find yourself exploring new options and testing new possibilities. The research skills and habits that you develop now will serve you throughout your professional life. They will also become as natural to you as thinking and breathing.
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Research Tips
- Get organized.
Career research does not happen in one sitting. It is a process that continues over time. You are likely to begin with a particular set of topics to explore, but find, as you go along, that some are no longer top priorities or that you have discovered other possibilities. If you keep a journal or notebook detailing sources you have consulted and thoughts or ideas you have had, you will not have to worry about forgetting to follow up on a lead you stumbled upon just before you left the library (or as you were walking down the street). You will also be able to pick up where you left off the next time you sit down to work, rather than inadvertently duplicating your research efforts. Perhaps most importantly of all, you will remember to follow up on leads generated by your networking contacts and to keep in regular contact with them as you continue your career exploration and/or development.
- Keep an open mind.
If you come across a piece of unexpected information, incorporate it into your research. Many fulfilling careers are the result of a combination of focused research, thoughtful self-assessment, and serendipity.
- Stay connected.
Although you will need to devote a certain amount of time to the solitary perusal of print and on-line resources, don't become a recluse. Test the information you are gathering in the real world. Ask the people in your network for feedback on what you have learned, how you might best apply that knowledge, and what other issues you should be researching as you explore career fields or prepare yourself as a serious candidate for a specific job.
- Relax and reflect.
Whether you are just beginning to explore possible career options or are intensely preparing for an interview, you need to be able to make sense of what you have learned. Your objective is not to memorize data so that you can recite it by rote, but rather to prepare yourself for a future dialogue, whether internal (What is it about this field that excites me?) or external (So, Wonderful Candidate, given what you know about us as an organization, in what ways do you see yourself contributing to our success?).
- Have fun!!!
There is a world of options out there. Not all of them will be right for you, but by listening to your inner voice, doing your homework, and being persistent, you will find the ones that are right for you. Your reward will be a career path or series of careers that will sustain you both personally and professionally throughout your life.
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