Occupational Research
It Pays Off! Employment experts estimate that applicants who research the industry and the employer increase their employability options as much as 25%! "Doing your homework", or in other words, occupational research, gives applicants a big competitive edge
- You'll have a solid knowledge of the employer's business and industry. Many don't bother with this step and thus are viewed as weak candidates. If you do it, you'll gain an edge.
- You'll make more informed career decisions about employers and will be able to better assess your interest in and qualification for specific jobs.
- You'll be able to discuss your fit for the company and specific job once you've thoroughly researched the company.
- You'll be more confident in the interview process.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:
Improve your knowledge in these areas:
• General Information about the Industry Fields or Clusters
Resources:
- The States' 16 Career Clusters - www.careerclusters.org/list16clusters.php
- Industry Information: Career OneStop - www.careeronestop.org/
- ONET Online - online.onetcenter.org/
- Career Guide to Industries - www.bls.gov/oco/cg/
• Information about Specific Jobs
Resources:
- Occupation Information: Career OneStop - www.careeronestop.org/
- Occupational Outlook Handbook - www.bls.gov/oco/
• Information about Prospective Employers
Resources:
EVALUATE THE INFORMATION
Researching these occupations will only be helpful if you do something with the information you obtain.
Decide if the industry/career/employer is viable for a viable option for you.
- What are the pros and cons?
- How well does this fit with my interests and abilities?
- Is the training or preparation something I am willing to do?
- Based on my findings, am I still interested?