Market Research

A MAHER Associates Process...  By following this M.A.P., you will find the "journey" to your destination, successful career transition, to be smooth sailing.  Trust "a local pilot", in this case the Careerpilot, to assist you through challenging waters.

Two of the three keys of effective career transition are the basis of this "chart".
1)  Plan and act "outside of the box" created by traditional thinking.  Clearly, personal growth requires change... Your choice!
2) Always have a next contact to make... always!

One of the most important skills a job-seeker can learn during a job-search is research skills. The quality of your research skills will dramatically impact both short term job search and longer range career continuity.

Information is a critical commodity in job-hunting; the more you know and the easier it is for you to find information, the better your chances of success. So, make the commitment to improve your research skills. In fact, hold yourself accountable to research time each and every week, especially during active career transition. Employers value job-seekers who know key information about the company because that knowledge demonstrates your interest and enthusiasm for the company and for the job.

WHEN to Do Research…
If attaining and maintaining career continuity is your realistic goal, you’ll find four specific times during which researched information will be important to you…

First and foremost should be your commitment to knowing your marketplace for the rest of your career. This implies setting aside a reasonable amount of time on an on-going basis, whether you’re employed or not. Often research leads to "spot media opportunities" that may lead you to your next right work.

Second, and perhaps most common, is when you are just starting a specific job-search and looking to identify industry or professional trends that are attractive to you -AND- key companies in your profession or industry, or even in a specific geographic location. I have always found this single factor to be the most under-utilized way to prepare for an effective job search.

The third possibility is when you are applying to a specific employer; it’s always best to relate yourself to the company and tailor your cover letter and resume to each employer.

The fourth -- and when most job-seekers finally do some research -- is when you have been invited to a job interview; you’ll want to showcase your knowledge of the company and your interviewer.

The sooner you get started, the better off you’ll be. 

WHAT to Research…
If beginning an active career transition is your goal, even if you are merely in the decision-making stage, you’ll find three specific times when researched information will be important to you…

LEVEL ONE Research

LEVEL ONE research is simply looking to identify industrial or financial trends that are attractive to you and beginning to list your target organizations within those trends.  You'll want to access the most current information available.  Turning to my search engine of choice, GOOGLE, you could enter "market research" + keyword(s) (keywords that identify a specific industry), for example...

"market research" + healthcare  

One of the many search results was http://www.sbcn.nc.gov/resources/marketresearch.aspx ... check it out!

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LEVEL TWO Research

LEVEL TWO research is digging a bit deeper into a company whose situation attracts you.  So as NOT to be sucked into the black hole called Internet research, let's reconsider your offer criteria and how it comes into play, here.  In the offer criteria model, you are usually seeking two sets of information.

The first set of information deals with general company information. The types of information you might gather here include: products and services, history and corporate culture, organizational mission and goals, key financial statistics, organizational structure (divisions, subsidiaries, etc.), and locations. Of course, you may also research the industry, key competitors, and countries where any specific, targeted, companies have offices.

The second set of information deals with personal and employment issues, and includes such things as career paths and advancement opportunities, benefits, diversity initiatives, and other human resources functions.

Remember, both objective (factual) and subjective (word-of-mouth, opinions) information can be of value. The following "OFFER CRITERIA MATRIX" will help you keep this all straight…

WHAT is important to you in your next work=	Location	Industry	Size of organization	Business Climate	Management Philosophy	Stability
Researchable FACTS	X	X	X
Subjective information				??	??	??

You can analyze as many columns of information as is important to your definition of next right work. The Matrix will serve you well in pointing out WHAT (X) to research, as well as questions that you need to be asking while networking (??) around a targeted opportunity.  ...And when completely "filled in" can put the objectivity back in to the emotional process of accepting your next position, or taking the next step.

LEVEL THREE Research

LEVEL THREE research may be the most challenging, but carries the biggest payoff... it's about getting to know your interviewer prior to the interview, another reason to network around each of your most desired opportunities.  Many Company Executives and other professionals have web-based BIO's that are available online and through research databases... and you can always do a concerted GOOGLE search.  The more you appear knowledgeable of circumstances and people, the more confident and marketable you will appear.

Remember, the sooner you get started, the better off you’ll be.

Bob Maher, CMF... The Careerpilot

Bob created his online presence, www.careerpilot.com, in 1994. He has over thirty years of successful experience in Corporate Recruitment, performance management and Career Management Services. He is an entrepreneur and innovator in the use of information technology in the recruitment and employment process. On the Founder's Council of the Association of Career Professionals - International and quite active in their Professional Development, Technology and Chapter Growth initiatives--a frequent speaker at industry conferences and seminars. Awarded the Association's prestigious "LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD" in 2006. A Career Management FELLOW, as certified by the Institute for Career Certification-International, the only independent and international certifying body for career professionals.