Occupational research

Once you understand your skills, interests, values, personal attributes, and other influencing factors, the next step in making an effective career choice is to gather quality information regarding occupations and the labour market. Begin by conducting thorough research using web and/or print resources. Once you have narrowed your options to a manageable number (i.e., a maximum of three) and are satisfied that you have gathered sufficient information to help with your decision, speak with people working in these occupations (i.e., information interviews). To deepen your understanding of the occupation, consider arranging a job shadowing experience. When you believe you have reached a tentative decision, the final step is to seek out paid or unpaid work as a final test of your suitability to the chosen occupation. This module will guide you through this process.

If you do not have ideas for potential occupations to research, try one or more of the following:

Completing the "Self assessment" module, which connects your self-assessment results to occupational areas
Using self-assessment tools that generate lists of occupations for you to consider (e.g., Strong Interest Inventory (SII), Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Career Cruising, Choices Planner, and TypeFocus)
Reviewing print (in Career Action) and web resources from the "Career-related Websites" link on the Career Services website. See, for example, those that relate various occupations to university or college majors (i.e., "What can I do with a major in ...?") or to personality traits (e.g., jobs for adventurous types). You might also read compilations of occupations listed alphabetically or by field (e.g., health, environment, etc.)
Brainstorming with supportive family members and friends: those who know you well can often provide you with insights and suggestions
Visualizing your dream job (i.e., visualize your ideal life, including your work environment, the number of people you would be interacting with, the nature of that interaction, the types of activities that you would be engaged in, etc. When you have a clear picture in mind, try to determine what field(s) of work might be represented by the characteristics you have imagined)

If you are still unable to identify prospective occupations to research, you may want to talk to a career professional. At the University of Waterloo, you may book an appointment online, through the Career Action website.

Conducting print and online occupational research

The world of work is very complex. There are now more than 13,000 occupations in Canada. New occupations are emerging while other occupations are declining. Finding helpful information on the occupations you are considering can be a daunting task if you don't know where to look or how to go about gathering such information.

Extensive research into the labour market and occupations will help you to evaluate whether or not a particular option may be an appropriate choice. Conducting research will give you a more accurate view of an occupation, dispelling stereotypes that might otherwise cause you either not to consider a rewarding occupation or to pursue an occupation based solely on a job title or the images portrayed through the media. Effective occupational research will also increase your network of contacts, help you to identify additional career options that you may not have considered, and prepare you for a job interview.

Information that will help you to understand occupations should include:

Nature of the work
Duties
Values satisfied
Interests satisfied
Personal attributes considered beneficial
Skills required
Education/knowledge/special requirements
Setting
Typical hours
Working conditions (e.g., physical demands of the job, physical environment, and level of stress)
Salary/benefits
Career path/opportunities for advancement
Employment outlook
Related occupations or specializations

Skills, values, interests, and personal attributes required or favoured by the occupation are of particular importance. Comparing this to what you have learned about yourself in the "Self assessment" module will be immensely helpful in determining the appropriateness of the occupation.

Use the "Occupational research chart" (Appendix A) to help you document your research.

Many websites that provide extensive information on occupations can be accessed through the Career Services website or by conducting an Internet search on a particular occupation. It is important to be critical: sites sponsored by governments, educational organizations, or professional associations are often more credible than personal websites. Information found in a number of sources is probably reliable.

A useful resource published by the Government of Canada is the National Occupational Classification (NOC), available in hard copy and online. The NOC is the definitive source for cataloguing Canadian occupations and lists over 30,000 occupational titles. Occupations are grouped in clusters and organized by a 4-digit numerical code. Many Canadian occupational information sources include this standardized 4-digit code for each occupation, helping to ensure that you are gathering information on the correct occupation.

There are associations related to almost every occupation. Association websites often include occupational information, and members may be able to put you in touch with people working in these occupations. An Internet search or a visit to Career Action will help you to locate the associations of interest.

Job banks and want ads published by newspapers can also give you an idea of the nature of jobs relating to various occupations and their entry requirements. The Career Action website has links to many such sites.

Computer-assisted career guidance systems (CACGS) are tools both for self assessment and for gathering occupational information, researching job markets, and learning about educational institutions. Several such tools may be accessed through the Career Services website.

Career Action, campus libraries, and local libraries offer a variety of print resources on specific careers, associations, careers to pursue with a certain major, and careers relating to particular interests or personal attributes.

Labour market information

When you make career decisions, it is important to remember that your choices must be in line with the realities of the employment market. Trends that affect the working world also affect a large percentage of new entrants to the workforce. It will be up to you to gain a basic understanding of these trends so that you can adjust your career preparation and take advantage of emerging possibilities.

Labour Market Information (LMI) is information about the workplace and trends. Labour market trends operate on a macro-scale and determine which employment fields will dominate. By analysing certain indicators (in sources such as specialized books, business journals, government reports, newspapers, and the Internet), you can detect patterns that suggest future employment prospects. Consider these indicators, for example:

Demographics: characteristics of the population (e.g., age, sex, and education) create demand for certain goods and services, and thus for certain types of workers
Technology: technology is a major force influencing the transfer of jobs from one sector to another and significantly impacting jobs indirectly related to technology (e.g., journalists who may work for online magazines)
Economic globalization: global competition and multinational corporations continue to influence our economy. Multilingual skills and an understanding of diverse cultural customs are essential to advancement and success in this international economy
Political/economic factors: policies (e.g., anti-pollution legislation) direct the flow of goods and services into the market while economic factors such as inflation affect hiring rates
Social trends: fads and shifts in social philosophies affect which industries are growing and which are declining (e.g., emphasis on healthier eating leads to increased consumption of some foods and decreased consumption of others)

A change in any of these indicators has the potential to create new career opportunities or to lead to the elimination of jobs. The impact of these trends is evident in the downsizing of the Canadian manufacturing sector, the diversification of the service sector, and the growth of small business. Today’s labour market has moved beyond the Information Age, and is now a reflection of a knowledge-based economy. In a rapidly changing world, it is crucial that you understand how trends affect the attainment of your career goals.

Online and print resources contain a wealth of useful information on national, regional, and local labour markets. Consult the Career Action website for links. Be critical of any resource you use: it should be up-to-date and reputable. If a source refers to "hot jobs," what does this mean? Is it increased employment opportunities or higher salaries? Similarly, what is meant by "growth"? Is it growth in employment (new jobs only) or in the actual number of job openings (new and replacement jobs)? The former is usually presented as a percentage and can be misleading (a 50% increase in a field with a small number of workers may translate into only a handful of jobs).

A short time ago, many of today’s jobs—such as webmaster, diversity manager, and digital librarian—did not exist. And today you have more options than in the past regarding how you perform your work within a field. For example, within "advertising," you can be a full-time or part-time employee of an advertising firm, you can be a freelancer or contractor, you can job-share, etc. Changing economic conditions (e.g., recessions) are major determinants of occupational trends. Technological advances are also significant. One change caused by the advent of high-tech tools has been the increased number of workers who telecommute (work from home).

Here are some questions you should answer during your labour market research:

Is the current situation representative of the future?
What are the current and projected sizes of the workforce in this field?
Does the availability of work in this industry/field vary across Canada?
How will this field be affected by

demographics?
technological advancements?
globalization and economic trends?
government policies?
social trends and consumer behaviour?

How valid and reliable are the sources of these predictions?
What other sources of information might help to confirm or disprove these predictions?

Current trends suggest that more opportunities will open up in the service sector and in technology-related fields and that an increasing number of workers will begin as temporary employees and will need to prove themselves in order to be offered longer-term positions. By matching your strengths and interests to labour market needs, you will be able to meet your career goals while filling a niche in that market.

You are making a major investment in your career; be sure that your skills will be marketable in the future by keeping up with changing trends.

Information interviews

Once you have completed online and/or print research and have narrowed your options to a manageable number (i.e., a maximum of three), it is important to verify what you have learned and to obtain more detailed information about a particular occupation you are seriously considering. One way to do so is to conduct an information interview with someone who holds that kind of position. Conduct three to five interviews with people in a variety of settings in order to gain a more accurate and comprehensive perspective on the occupation.

You may be concerned that individuals will not be receptive to meeting with you. Don't be! Most people are willing to provide information about their work to interested individuals; they may also be flattered that you singled them out as a reliable source of information.

Information interviews are beneficial because they allow you to:

Confirm print/web research
Access the most up-to-date career information
Ask questions to determine the fit for your skills, interests, values, and personal attributes
Clarify your career goal
Become aware of the needs of employers and realities of employment (e.g., work environment)
Build confidence for your job interviews
Expand your professional network

Preparation

It is very important to prepare for an information interview well in advance. Completing the "Self assessment" module is an excellent first step. The better you know yourself, the more professional you will be in the information interview and the more likely you will be to pursue a career that is both enjoyable and rewarding.

You may choose to use the "Information interview worksheet" (Appendix B) to record the information you gather from this learning process.

How to set up an information interview

1. Review your occupational research to determine where people in your chosen occupation work.

2. Consult a variety of sources to identify organizations, obtain names and contact information for potential interviewees. Sources may include professors, former employers, friends, family, others in your network, association and employer directories, and the yellow pages.

3. Telephone the person you wish to interview well before the date you are hoping the interview will take place. Introduce yourself and explain who you are (e.g., a student, a person thinking of changing occupations). Mention how you found the person's name. Contacting the person initially by letter or email may help to set the stage for a follow-up phone call.

4. State the type of work you are interested in researching, why it interests you, and the amount of time it would take to conduct the interview (usually thirty minutes).

5. Thank the person for speaking with you and confirm the date, time, and location of the interview.

6. If the person is unable to meet with you, express your regret and ask for a referral to someone who does similar work. Be sure to ask your contacts for permission to indicate that they were the source of the referral. If you do not receive a referral, ask for recommended publications or associations that would be of interest. State your appreciation for any time and assistance provided.

Conducting the interview

Decide which areas you would like to explore, and then prepare questions to obtain the information you need. A key way to ensure that you are getting relevant information is to ask questions based on your skills, interests, values, and personal attributes. This will help to ensure that you are not forcing yourself to fit into a job, but that the job and environment are the right fit for you.

You will want to come up with your own questions for an information interview, but you can also consider these:

What do you do in a typical day?
What do you like most/least about your job?
What gets you motivated to come to work every day?
What is your level of freedom to solve problems and take action on the job?
What types of decisions are made that affect your job? Do you have any influence over these?
What personal qualities or abilities are important to being successful in this job?
What skills and experience are required for this job?
What values and personal needs influenced your decision to work in this field?
What knowledge, training, or education is required for this type of work?
What types of training do companies typically offer persons entering this field?
What entry-level jobs allow employees to learn as much as possible?
Are there expectations that you will become involved in other activities outside of the work day (e.g., community involvement, volunteer work)?
How did you find your job?
Is there a career path in your field?
What are the salary ranges for entry-level and advanced positions in the field?
How does your work contribute to the organization’s overall goals or mission?
What is the demand for people in this occupation?
What opportunities for advancement are there in this field?
How do you see jobs in this field changing in the future?
Has the work changed recently due to technology, the marketplace, competition, etc.?
From your perspective, what are the problems you see working in this field, now and in the future?
Which professional associations, journals, and organizations would help me learn more about this field?
Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give someone entering this field?
What else do you think I should know about this type of work?
With the information you have about my education, skills, and experience, what other fields or jobs would you suggest I research before I make a decision?
Can you refer me to other persons in the field? When I call them, may I use your name?

Remember, this is a business meeting so act accordingly:

1. Research the occupation and company before the information interview so you have an understanding of what the interviewee is discussing.

2. Be on time and dress appropriately (i.e., as if for a job interview).

3. Be ready to provide information about yourself: bring a résumé and prepare a self introduction. You may be asked about your career interests and goals during the information interview.

4. Be concise.

5. Allow the person an opportunity to provide additional information.

6. Record your contacts and make notes during and after your meeting.

7. Use the information interview as an opportunity to learn more about an occupation of interest, not to ask for a job or to set up an employment interview.

If you have not already seen the work area, ask for a tour (if time allows).

8. Send a thank-you letter or email promptly (within 1-2 days of the interview). Include points about what you found helpful. Whether you have decided to work in the field or not, it is always important that your contact knows that you learned from the experience and that the time spent was beneficial.

Job shadowing

After you have completed your occupational research and information interviews for an occupation, job shadowing will give you a close-up view of the occupation.

To locate someone to job shadow, use the same strategy you used in arranging the information interview but ask for a half- or full-day commitment. When you are job shadowing, ask questions similar to those in the information interview. The bonus is spending time with your contact to observe what the individual does at work. You might even find an opportunity to offer your assistance.

By the end of your job shadow experience, you should have good notes about the components of the job, the work environment, interactions with other people, and your likes and dislikes. If the fit is not as good as you had hoped, ask your contact to recommend other organizations or types of work for you to consider.

Within one or two days of your visit, send a thank-you letter or email.

If you set up more than one job shadowing experience, consider investigating different work cultures and environments to get a sense of what you would prefer.

Gaining experience

Getting hands-on experience is the best way to determine if the nature of the work is a fit with your skills, interests, values, and personal attributes.

The following work-experience opportunities offer several benefits besides job experience:

Establishing a positive track record and getting referrals for future jobs through the network that you build
Assessing your work-related strengths and weaknesses
Demonstrating your initiative and skills

Co-operative education

The goal of co-operative education is to provide you with the opportunity to gain experience through paid employment that complements your academic program. Alternating work and study terms takes longer than the traditional method of study with a summer break. Co-op positions are full time, usually lasting four months. The advantage for you is in having a formal structure through which you can try out different jobs to see what you like and are good at. With regular performance evaluations by your supervisors, you can acquire an employer’s perspective on how well you measure up to other people working in similar roles. By taking positions with increasing levels of responsibility, you will develop your skills and build a solid résumé.

Internships

An internship gives you an opportunity to have a structured experience combining work and learning in a field you are considering for your career. The work may be paid or unpaid. It can be part time during an academic term, a full-time block during the weeks between terms, or full time for an academic term or longer. In some cases, a professor from your faculty will oversee the work in conjunction with your employer so that appropriate academic credit can be given. If the internship will not result in academic credit, the experience will still be valuable in that it will permit you to explore career possibilities and develop marketable skills.

To locate internship opportunities, look through information and directories in Career Services and check out "Career-related Websites" on the Career Services home page. Plan to attend the Volunteer and Internship Fair organized by Career Services in the fall and winter terms.

Another option is to create your own internship. Begin by determining what type of work would build on your academic knowledge and interests, and then contact organizations offering such work. Just as in the regular work search process, by networking and establishing relationships, you will learn how you may be of value to an organization, enabling you to propose a mutually beneficial relationship. After you have sourced a potential internship opportunity, check with faculty members or advisors to see whether you may be able to get credit for the experience.

Work-study programs

An academic environment may offer government-funded positions. These positions allow you to work up to 10 hours a week over the school term and help finance your education. Carefully read the work-study notices. If the information is vague, obtain more details from the person hiring for the position. Work-study can be a good way to apply your knowledge in different settings. In addition to helping you clarify your career goals, work-study provides you with work-related skills. For further information on work-study at the University of Waterloo, contact the Student Awards office.

Summer, casual, contract, or regular employment

Working in different kinds of settings will allow you to experience and observe many aspects of employment. Through experimentation, you will come to know what you like and don’t like, what you’re good at, and in what areas you need to develop expertise. These paid work experiences are especially helpful if you are in an academic program that is not specifically designed to prepare you for a particular profession. These experiences can provide you with the added benefit of gaining work-related skills that your future employers will be seeking. University of Waterloo students can access job opportunities through the Career Action website.

Volunteering

Volunteering allows you to investigate options and gain work experience in a variety of work settings and fields. You need to answer two questions: what would you like to give to the community, and what would you like to get in return? To locate volunteer opportunities, look through the files and directories in Career Services and check out "Career-related Websites" on the Career Action home page. Plan to attend the Volunteer and Internship Fair organized by Career Action in the fall and winter terms.

Consider undertaking a special project as a course assignment. Many organizations are unable to research particular topics because of a lack of time or funding. Therefore, you would be adding value while expanding your knowledge of the workplace by linking an academic exercise to a real-world application.

Appendix A