Career Research

Why Do I Need to Research a Career?

Once you have analyzed your skills and interests and identified potential career fields, it is important to fully research these career options. Perhaps you are thinking about moving into the Marketing or Communication field but have not considered the different types of career paths that might be available in Market Research, Analysis, Public Relations, Marketing Strategy or Fundraising. Perhaps you cannot decide which career path you want to follow. The good news is that there are many ways to conduct career research prior to committing to a future career path. And if you begin a career path and find it is not exactly what you want; you will always have learned and developed some transferable skills and experience that will aid you in your new career.

What Do I Research?

As you commence your career research think about these questions.

• What is a growth area for this industry?
• What problems and issues will affect this industry in the future?
• What job titles are hard to fill within this industry?
• Is seniority or performance the most important qualifier for promotion in this industry?
• What are typical salaries and educational requirements in this industry?
• Are there options for employment in this industry in a wide variety of locations?

How Do I Conduct Career Research?

Talk to Someone

The most effective way to learn about your prospective career path is to talk to someone in the industry. Learn about their background, their experiences, and the things they like about their job or wish they had known prior to entering the field. Try and identify a Military Spouse who can give you insight into the advantages and challenges of balancing that career path with a military lifestyle. Ensure you are connecting with Military Spouses in your prospective career field by joining the applicable In Gear Career Community of Practice on this website. Ask your friends, family and colleagues for referrals to people in the industry. Call companies in your area and ask to speak with someone about their background in the industry.

Research Online

Weddles. This is an online resource which allows you to locate and visit the website for the National or State Professional Association in your career field.

O*NET OnLine. The O*NET database is the nation’s primary source of occupational information containing details on the skills, abilities, tasks, technology, work style, work values and employment trends on hundreds of different career paths. O*NET allows you to browse job titles by career field, future outlook or core skills.

Occupational Outlook Handbook. The Bureau of Labor Statics Occupational Outlook Handbook contains a wealth of information on different career fields including duties and work environment, how to enter the field, salary statistics and employment projections for the 2010–20 decade.

Job Shadow or Volunteer

Consider the insight into a career path you can gain from spending time working with people in that field. Contact companies and enquire about the opportunities for either job shadowing or volunteering to learn more about the field. This will also give you the opportunity to network and gain experience in your chosen industry-advantages which may assist you in procuring employment in the future.