R&D for your career

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In an age of ‘information overload’ on the world wide web many job seekers seem to be poorly prepared for interview questions and unaware of the useful information that can help them to find the right job. I am constantly reminding my clients to source information on the industry and organisation they are targeting in their job search BEFORE making ANY application. I wonder why the job seeker does not value doing research to prepare for a job application?

What is research?

In regard to career management I see research to be derived from the literal translation of ‘to go about seeking’ from the French word ‘recherche’1. Think of research as an opportunity to find out new information that can help you create informed career choices.

Best practice in career management involves staying in touch with the current trends for your role, organisation and industry, whether you are job searching or not. Research is basically gathering information on your chosen industry and sector. It can help you stay up to date with current issues and be better informed when making business or job selection decisions. Some jobs even involve regular research – Investment Banking, Management Consultancy and Market Research, for example. You can save time by setting up regular information sources so that the information can come to you by using RSS feeds, online newspaper or newsletter subscriptions.

I also see networking as a crucial part of research. Information and advice from someone who has been in your role or organisation in the past can often give you great insights on what to expect when you are in the new job.

Why spend the time doing research?

Here are some issues to consider why spending some time on focused research can help your career prospects in today’s job market in Australia.

Fast and dirty communication methods

In the age of twitter and text messages, we are creating a new form of the English language. Unfortunately this shorthand and quick form of communication does not need considered thought and reflection. When you are job searching and assessing job advertisements and writing cover letters, resumes and essential criteria, you need to make a clear argument that you are the right person for the role. This task requires a high standard of reading, listening and writing skills that we are not necessarily using in our day-to-day interactions.

There is a wealth of tips and advice available on the recruitment sites (and the Action Focus website too!) Research these tips and become familiar with the techniques of writing good job applications. Also be careful of rushing an application. Read it thoroughly as the quality of your writing skills is being judged through the application process. How credible is your CV if you list ‘excellent attention to detail’ and there are spelling mistakes in the document and you are ill informed about the organisation at the interview?

Where are the jobs?

The pace of change on the web is phenomenal. How do you keep up with these new sites? In the past seek.com may have had the monopoly on job advertisements in Australia. Now there are specialist job sites and recruiters, professional bodies and organisations advertise vacancies on their websites. Simplyhired.com.au or indeed.com.au can you help stay on top of all the advertised jobs. These new search engines review all the advertised positions for a given location (state, region or even postcode).

Easily available information

One of the disadvantages of this readily available information on the web from one or two sources (eg Google and Wikipedia) is that it is too easy to find information! How do you know this information is reliable? Do you rely on one source and give up if the answer to your question is not readily available form this source? Do you simply repeat this information as true rather than writing it in your own words? Being lazy on research can result in you losing your ability to write. Don’t forget that this ‘cut and paste’ exercise can easily be spotted by the reader. The important message here is to check the reliability of your information source, look at more than one source and make sure that any view or opinion you express is in your own style of writing.

Secondly, use several sources of information. Did you know that most of the management consultancies publish their industry reports for free on their websites and that the Victorian State Library gives free access to their information databases to residents? Action Focus website also has a list of useful resources to help to find information about industries and organisations.

What would I get out of doing this research?

1. Understand the current industry trends and challenges that the organisation faces – turnover, risks, skills shortages, salary trends
2. Find more job opportunities beyond advertised jobs on one or two websites
3. Face reality of your chosen job options and become aware of the demand and supply of your talents
4. Make the right choice for the new role. Do you fit the culture? What are the likely opportunities for career progression? Am I being sold into a job that no one else will do?
5. Understand the key challenges facing the organisation and how likely they are to survive these challenges. Help you to decide if you are motivated to take up these

Asking the right questions

Think about the following questions when gathering information as often time is wasted by not having a clear focus on your research goals.

• Why does the industry/organisation exist?
• What are the key challenges facing this industry/organisation?
• What are the current skills shortages in the industry/organisation?
• Where are the jobs based?
• What are the typical recruitment methods used in the industry/organisation?
• What are the values and culture of the industry/organisation?
• Who are the preferred employers?
• What is the market rate for my salary?

To be on top of your profession and ensure that you are in the right organisation during this rapidly changing world we live in I urge you to value spending some time gathering information before starting any sort of job search. Value the time spent on gathering information as an investment in your career. Research can help you expand your career options and ensure that you are on top of the right opportunities as well as give you insights to the key challenges the organisation and you will be facing in the near future. It is not just a tool for a job search. It is a lifelong career management necessity.

Notes

1. Oxford Dictionary

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