Employers don't have to hesitate when asked what they see as the number one problem with job candidates doing an employment job search: a complete lack of preparation. True, a good many people are well-prepared to speak about themselves and their accomplishments, but they should have some knowledge about the job, the organization, and the interviewer as well.
Unfortunately, gaining that knowledge requires research, which is hardly less important than the career job search itself, although many people resist doing it. As a result, many end up treating job information research as they did their high school term papers: They slap it together and hope for the best or avoid doing it completely. This lack of preparation often shows in the interview. This chapter takes the mystery out of research by pointing out where to turn, what to look for, and how to have fun doing it.
Find Good Information About the Industry
The industry information you gather will be invaluable to you at the latter
stages of the interview process when you are almost through with your job searching. Knowing that there are only 9,000 available
certified property managers and 250,000 real estate firms needing agents,
for example, allows you to present yourself as among the top 3 percent in
the field-an excellent bargaining chip during the interview and at the
salary negotiation table. (See chapter 8 for more on negotiating salary.)
Let's say that you have an interview tomorrow in a hospital. Even if you hope to work in a nonmedical area such as accounting, you will do better in the interview if you know something about the health care industry. The following two resources can help you find information about any industry in which you might be interested in working.
Career Guide to Industries
This book, published by the U.S. Department of Labor, is of particular
value to job seekers, browsing job search sites or conducting a real job search. It provides helpful descriptions for more than 40
major industries, which cover about 75 percent of all jobs. The Career
Guide to Industries is easy to read and provides information that can help
you present yourself well in an interview.
Each description includes an overview of the industry, types of jobs it offers, employment projections, earnings possible, training required, working conditions, advancement opportunities, industry trends, sources of additional information, and more. You can find the Career Guide to Industries in your local library or bookstore.
Hoover's Online
This site (www·hoovers·com) is the place to go online to find anything you
need to know about industries and employers. You can search for information
by company name, industry type, stock ticker, executives' names, and
more. Basic information is free. For different subscription levels, you can
get more details.
Other Sources of Industry Information
A good library has lots of information on industries, no matter whether you do an international job search or a local one. Industry trade magazines
such as Advertising Age, Automotive News, Hotel and Motel
Management, Modern Healthcare, and Supermarket News are full of articles
detailing trends and problems in their particular niches. Grab the last six
months' issues and settle down for some interesting reading.
While you have these publications in hand, photocopy and highlight facts that boost your position in that industry, and scribble in the margins some questions you'd like your prospective employer to answer. And always flip to the classifieds section-no use wasting a perfectly good chance to find a job lead!
Next, grab the library's current copy of the Encyclopedia of Associations to assist you in your job searches. Don't let its name intimidate you-it is a gold mine of associations listed by categories. Each entry gives the contact information, mission statement, newsletters, and conventions for that group. Pick the ones in your industry category that closely match your situation and give them a call or check out their Web sites. They will most likely send you copies of a recent newsletter or journal and provide other information.