Getting Started

Background Research: Be Prepared!

• Background Research...
• Researching Potential Employers - Steps One to Four
• Researching Potential Employers - Steps Five to Eight
• Researching Potential Employers - Steps Nine and Ten

Background Research...

Too often job seekers think ‘background research’ means doing some internet surfing the night before an interview, but there is much more to it than that. Doing your homework is an essential part of effective job seeking.

Information gathering

Background research is about gathering the latest facts and figures related to your future career. Equipping yourself with this valuable information will improve your application and interview performance and enable you to make better career choices. Areas to research include:

• Recent history and likely direction of relevant industry/sectors
• Major players in the industry and how they compare
• Graduate recruitment details of potential employers (such as, how many graduates do they take on, how do they recruit, etc.)
• High-demand or growth areas in the graduate job market
• Leaders in the field and people you could contact for advice and mentoring
• Industry or professional events and conferences
• Career path options

Up-to-date knowledge about your industry and profession is empowering: you will network better, work better and know what opportunities are out there and which ones to seize. If you do your homework, you will have an edge in the competitive job market.

Sources

Part of the research process is finding the right information resources. Below are some commonly used sources:

• www.graduatecareers.com.au
• www.gradsonline.com.au
• University careers service
• Internet jobs sites and search engines
• Newspapers (many have pages devoted to specific industries/sectors on particular days of the week)
• Reputable journals/magazines in your industry or profession
• University departments, faculties & alumni office
• Professional associations and industry bodies
• Your personal network

Keep it up

Undertaking regular research is also important in maintaining your employability once you have launched your career. By making research a habit you will ensure you are always aware of:

• Changes in your industry and work prospects
• Your employer’s position in the marketplace
• Current events and issues relevant to both your employer and industry
• Future training and skills requirements
• Emerging opportunities

This article is taken from the 2008 edition of Graduate Careers Australia's employer directory Graduate Opportunities .

© 2008 Graduate Careers Australia