Once you understand your skills, interests, values, needs and the impact you wish to make, the next step in planning your career is to gather quality information regarding occupations and the labour market.
If you do not have ideas for potential occupations to research, try one or more of the following:
Book a career planning appointment with a career advisor to explore career paths that fit with your skills, interests, values and needs
Review print materials from the University of Waterloo Library or your local library, as well as online resources on the Centre for Career Development website. Some resources relate various occupations to university or college majors (e.g. "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 jobs, environment jobs, etc.)
Brainstorm occupational ideas with people you trust
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Confirm your findings |
Once you have narrowed your options, it is important to verify what you have learned so far and to obtain more detailed information about a particular occupation: is it really what you think it is?
Using Labour Market Info and industry newsletters for researching work
Labour Market Info (LMI) refers to information that gives you a stronger sense of the latest trends and news in your targeted industries. LMI lets you know the current trends of an industry and has the potential to give you great insight into a competitive job market.
Some of the things you can learn on a site dedicated to LMI include:
Overview of job postings, including when jobs are more frequently posted and geographic data of job postings
The types of jobs that are in demand now and which employers are posting these roles
Up-to-date technical skills and tools that are required or sought after by employers
Outside of LMI sites, you can perform further LMI research by staying up to date with industry newsletters or news sites. Newsletters and news sites can give you further information on the latest discussion topics and competencies in demand in the industry you are interested in. You can type into a search engine “X INDUSTRY NEWSLETTER” and see the results. When you come across an interesting site, you can sign up for a newsletter or updates.
You may also wish to consult employers’ rankings. CanadasTop does an annual ranking of employers based on certain criteria across Canada. Explore the criteria that speak to you.
Here are a few potential areas to explore:
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Informational interviews |
Informational interviews are a great way to confirm your research. Think of it as engaging people who can provide insight and in-depth information on careers or employers of interest.
Informational interviews can be beneficial because they allow you to:
Confirm print/web research
Access up-to-date career information
Ask questions to determine the fit for your skills, interests, values, needs and other personal attributes
Clarify your career goal
Become aware of the needs of employers and realities of employment (e.g., work environment)
Build confidence for future job interviews
Expand your professional network
Preparation
It is very important to prepare for an informational interview in advance. Knowing yourself well can make it easier to talk about your career goals and questions in a professional setting.
You may use the Information interview worksheet (.doc) below to help you prepare for and record the information you gather at an informational interview.
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View the Download the Information interview worksheet (.doc).
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How to set up an information interview
Review your occupational research to determine where people in your chosen occupation work.
Consult various sources to identify organizations of interest and obtain names and contact information for potential interviewees. Sources may include the alumni network on LinkedIn, professors, former employers, friends, family, others in your network, associations, people directories (such as www.411.ca ) and employer directories.
Send an email or message well before the date you are hoping the interview will take place. Contacting the person initially by email, a direct message on X, or a message on LinkedIn may help to set the stage for a follow-up phone or Skype/Teams call. In your initial message:
Introduce yourself and explain who you are (e.g., a student or a person thinking of changing occupations)
Mention how you found the person's name
State the type of work you are interested in researching, why it interests you, and the amount of time you would like to meet and converse (it is generally a good idea to request only 20-30 minutes)
If the contact expresses a willingness to connect, work together to arrange a date, time and location or platform (e.g. Zoom, Teams, etc.) for the meeting.
If the person cannot meet with you, express your regret and request a referral to someone who does similar work.
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NOTE: Ask for permission to indicate they were the source of the referral. If you do not receive a referral, ask for recommended publications or associations that interest you. State your appreciation for any time and assistance provided. |
Conducting the interview
Decide which areas you want to explore and prepare questions to obtain the necessary information. A key method to ensure that you gather relevant information is to ask questions based on your skills, interests, values, needs and the impact you wish to make. 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.
It will be most effective to identify your questions.
Here is a list of possible questions you can consider:
What do you do in a typical 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 knowledge, training, or education is required for this type of work?
What types of training do companies typically offer people entering this field?
Are there expectations that you will become involved in other activities outside of the workday (e.g., community involvement, volunteer work)?
What opportunities for advancement are there in this field?
What are the salary ranges for entry-level and advanced positions in the field?
What is the outlook for this occupation, in your opinion?
How do you see jobs in this field changing in the future?
Has the work changed recently due to technology, the marketplace, competition, etc.?
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?
Are you aware of opportunities for volunteering or internships, so I can gain further insight into this occupation?
Are there any opportunities to job shadow?
Who else do you suggest I speak to who might be a valuable source of information?
Could I have permission to share that you referred me?
Remember, this is a formal meeting, so it can be helpful to:
Research the occupation and company before the information interview to understand what the interviewee is discussing, avoid asking questions you can easily find online, and focus the conversation on topics you’d like more information about.
Be on time and dress appropriately for that industry e.g. wear safety shoes if needed
Bring a résumé and prepare a self-introduction
Take note of how much time the interviewee has scheduled for the meeting and think about how many questions might fit in that amount of time
Allow the person an opportunity to provide additional information
Make notes during and after your meeting
Use this as an opportunity to learn about an occupation of interest, not to ask about employment opportunities (unless that is something you’ve communicated your interest in ahead of time)
If you have not already seen the work area, ask for a short tour (if time allows)
This is a networking opportunity; if you have knowledge, ideas or referrals that could help them with a problem they alluded to in the meeting, share them!
Request to connect on LinkedIn
Send a thank-you email or letter promptly (within 1-2 days of the meeting). Include points about what you found helpful. It is always important to let your contact know what you learned from the experience and that the time they spent with you was beneficial
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Job shadowing |
After you have completed your occupational research and information interviews for an occupation, job shadowing could provide 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.
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When job shadowing, ask questions similar to those in the information interview. |
By the end of your job shadow experience, you will likely have a greater understanding of the job components, the work environment and your likes and dislikes related to this occupation. If the job fit is not as good as you had hoped, ask your contact to recommend other organizations or types of work for you to consider.
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Within one or two days of your visit, send a thank-you email or letter. |
If you set up more than one job shadowing experience, consider investigating different work cultures and environments to understand your preference.
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Gaining experience |
Getting hands-on experience is one of the best ways to determine whether the nature of the work you are considering fits with your skills, interests, values, needs and desired impact.
Benefits of hands-on experience:
Establishing a positive track record and gaining referrals for future jobs
Building a network related to your chosen field
Assessing your work-related strengths and weaknesses
Demonstrating your initiative and skills
Work-integrated Learning
Work-integrated learning (WIL), such as co-op, internships, the EDGE program, practicums, applied research, and course-integrated WIL, is a way to get experience that integrates your academic studies within a workplace setting. Depending on the type of WIL, opportunities may be paid or unpaid, full-time or part-time, and of different durations. It can be a great way to develop your skills and understand what different types of work are like.
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For more information on the options available in your program, you can talk to an academic advisor or career advisor. |
Work-study programs (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 and contact the hiring manager if the information is unclear. Work-study positions enable applying your knowledge in different settings and provide work-related skills.
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For further information on work-study at the University of Waterloo, contact the Student Awards office. |
Summer, casual, contract or regular employment
Through experimentation, you will learn what you like and don’t like, what you’re good at and areas for development. 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 WaterlooWorks.
Volunteering
Volunteering allows you to investigate options and gain unpaid work experience in various work settings and fields. If volunteering might fit your needs and goals, think about what you would like to give to the community and what you would like to get in return. To locate volunteer opportunities, check out the volunteering section on the Centre for Career Development home page. The CCD runs the Volunteer Fair every fall and winter semester. If you are in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, the Volunteer Action Centre is also a helpful source of volunteer opportunities. Many cities have similar centres you may wish to investigate.
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NOTE: Consider undertaking a special project as a course assignment. Many organizations cannot research particular topics because of a lack of time or funding. |