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Once you have a good understanding of your skills and interests, the next step is to research careers to find the ones that are best suited for you. You will need to know the trends in the labor market and how the occupations in the field are changing so you can prepare for the future.
JOB RESEARCH PAYS OFF!
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Employment experts estimate that applicants who research employers increase their
employability options as much as 25 percent! "Doing your homework," or in other words,
occupational research, gives applicants a big competitive edge.
Advantages include:
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Competitive Edge
Employers view candidates who don't have solid knowledge of the employer's
business and industry as weak choices. Many applicants don't bother to research
employers. If you do, you get the competitive edge.
-
Better Career Decisions
Having current knowledge of the employer, industry, and job target equip you to
make informed career decisions about employers and to assess your interest in,
and qualifications for, specific jobs.
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Improved Ability to Market Your Skills and Get Hired
Researching employers improves your ability to discuss specifically how your
qualifications match the employer's purpose, goals, and needs. Employers are
most willing to invest training time and money in applicants who demonstrate
initiative and commitment through their employer and industry knowledge.
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Compensating for Lack of Experience
Industry knowledge helps you compensate for lack of actual or extensive job experience.
-
Increased Confidence
Being well informed helps you communicate more clearly, feel more confident
and project greater competence.
(Source: Your Career: How to Make It Happen, 4th edition, Julie Griffin
Levitt, South-Western Educational Publishing, Cincinnati, OH, 2000, p.108.)
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Strengthen your employability by improving your knowledge in these areas:
General Information about Occupational Fields
Learn about the clusters or industry fields, including general trends, growth projections and more.
TOOLS AND RESOURCES
Career Clusters
A career cluster is a grouping of occupations and broad industries based on commonalities.
Learn more about the sixteen clusters and their associated pathways. Watch video
clips depicting the sixteen industry categories. Choose from thousands of
specific occupation videos to view. Read about the career pathways required to
work in the various fields and even view lists of specific competencies you will
need to be successful.
» Learn More
Industry Information: CareerOneStop
Site includes industry profiles, lists of fastest growing industries,
industries with largest employment and those with declining employment,
and highest paying industries.
» Learn More ONET Online
The ONET system serves as the nation's (US) primary source of occupational
Information, providing comprehensive information on key attributes and
characteristics of workers and occupations.
» Learn More Career Guide to Industries, 2006-2007
Ways to use the site: (1) To find out about a specific industry or topic, use the
SEARCH box that is on every page-enter your search term in the box, (2) To
find out about many industries, browse through listings using the Industries links
that are on the right side of the page, (3) For a listing of all industries in
alphabetical order, go to the A-Z Index and select a letter.
» Learn More
Information about Specific Jobs
Learn about the specific jobs within clusters or fields. Identify the required
education and experience and determine prevalent working conditions, salary and
fringe benefits. Obtain general descriptions of duties or tasks assigned.
Obtain a job description if possible.
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TOOLS AND RESOURCES
Vocational Biographies
Hundreds of career biographies are available through this online tool. Each
biography follows one person through their everyday workday. It mirrors the
real-life, school-to-work path of each subject, detailing each individual's career
success story from high school to present. These biographies bring career
information to life!
» Learn More Occupation Information: CareerOneStop
Site includes occupational profiles, top occupations by wages and trends,
comparisons of wages and trends and more.
» Learn More Occupational Outlook Handbook
The Handbook tells you the training and education needed for specific
occupations, earnings, expected job prospects, what workers do on the job,
and working conditions.
» Learn More
Information about Prospective Employers
Learn whether the company is public or private. Verify company names, addresses,
products and services. Learn about the organization's mission, vision, philosophy
and goals. Learn about the competitors.
TOOLS AND RESOURCES
Wetfeet
The WetFeet network provides information on companies, careers, and industries
that job seekers use throughout their careers to make smarter career decisions.
» Learn More Vault
Vault's Online Career Library of information on companies, industries and a
wide range of other career-related topics is provided free of charge by the Career
Center to BYU Hawaii students.
» Learn More Hoovers Online
Hoovers business information resources will help you gain a thorough
understanding of specific companies or entire industries.
» Learn More Rutgers University Libraries Business Research Guide » Learn More
TAKE ACTION.
Researching these occupations will only be helpful if you actually do something with the
information you obtain. As you read about the various occupations, write down what you
have learned to help you evaluate whether or not it is a viable option for you.
Questions to ask:
- What are the pros and cons about this occupation?
- How well does this occupation fit with my interests and skills?
- Is the training or preparation for this field something I am willing to do?
- Based on my findings, am I still interested in this occupation?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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