Determining viable employment possibilities for yourself, therefore, means a substantial responsibility to thorough research.  You should consider available career options early in your academic career.  This means that research into employment possibilities should parallel research into potential majors.

     This is not to say that the choice of a major should hinge on a prospective job, but the obvious "What can I do with a degree in   "  question usually surfaces early in any academic exploration and should be addressed. 

     Therefore, by the time an individual is close to graduation, s/he should have already accumulated a significant storehouse of general career information through conversations with academic advisors, career counselors, and individuals at real-world work sites as well as through library and internet resources.

     The following paragraphs offer tips on securing information from a variety of sources for numerous segments of the job search.

     Use resources at your campus or community library to speed your information search.  Also check with campus career services to see what their library holdings include.  There are various books, periodicals, and newsletters being held by these services which can increase your understanding of the market as a whole, an industry's place in it, and a local organization or corporation's contributions to the big picture.

• JIST Works publications provide great overviews in books such as:
• America's 50 Fastest Growing Jobs
• America's Top 300 Jobs
• Career Guide to America's Top Industries: Business Forecasts for 350 Industries
• Encyclopedia of Associations gives addresses of professional associations to obtain career and membership information.

• Job Seeker's Guide to Private and Public Companies and The National Job Bank provide information regarding company standing and geographic or regional availability.

• Government Publications such as:
• Dictionary of Occupational Titles is a comprehensive classified list of job titles, duties, requirements.
• Occupational Outlook Handbook is the paper rendition of the online O'NET from the Bureau of Labor Statistics which gives employment for several hundred occupations while describing job duties, education and training needs, employment outlook, earnings, and working conditions.

• Richard Bolles' What Color is Your Parachute,  Mike Farr's The Very Quick Job Search, and Howard Figler's The Complete Job-Search Handbook are but a few of the informative books on the market for a complete job search overview.

These are just a few suggestions.  Plan on spending time in the library working with library personnel to make the most of your search. 

A good understanding of the following is absolutely necessary to begin a career and not just "take a job.":

• The companies that interest you [purpose, size, climate, location]
• The market you are entering [demographics, technology, economic globalization, domestic economic conditions, state of the environment]
• The occupational trends of the time [flex-time, part- or full-time, freelancer or contractor, telecommuting]
• The skills [academic knowledge, internship and work experience] you bring to the table 

Job Listings of the state employment services agencies provided by the U.S. Department of Labor and state employment services programs:

U.S. Gov't's official source of job and employment info--free:

Government, Federal and Post Office Career Center:

State and Local government: http://www.careersingovernment.com/

Partnership between U.S. Office of Personnel Management and Student Financial Assistance, U.S. Department of Education:

Local jobs in Ohio AND across the country via the Akron Beacon Journal:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics for nat'l information:

By the author of "What Color Is Your Parachute"

One of the best sites for general information:

Canadian and USA opportunities in Academia:

Do not fear nor dread "networking."  Individuals new to job search activities often shudder at the word and have yet to understand its importance in the overall search process. 

An individual should be searching for a position between the two extremes that hasn't yet been excessively advertised outside a company or that doesn't yet exist within the company!  The best way to secure this type of position is through the conversations held with members of your network.
 

Of course not each and every one of these individuals can hire you, but they can surely refer you to someone who can or who knows someone who can or they can provide you with a degree of information about a company or an industry that you didn't know before your conversation with them.
 

If a particular company with openings is mentioned, ask for contact names.  If your network source  knows someone for you to contact directly, ask for an introduction.  If the individual you have contacted doesn't have the answers you need, ask for two to three referrals from him/her.  You can see how quickly an initial list of ten contacts will grow. 

Don't Forget . . .
Networking is a sharing of information.  It is a means to an end--not the end.  It is a process of give and take.  You are ultimately responsible for obtaining the best return on your investment while providing all the aid you can to those seeking their own ROIs.

Networking building is something we do each and every day that we converse with family and friends, neighbors and co-workers, professors and business acquaintances.  It is a sharing process through which everyone benefits.   Get started now. 

     You are in control of an information interviewing session.  You are the one asking the questions to determine whether or not a particular job interests you.

     Information interviewing is considered by many to provide the greatest benefit for time investment of any of the job research methods.  You are, after all, talking in depth to someone directly involved in the career of your interest.  Someone who will, hopefully, be able to provide you with detailed information regarding position responsibilities, requirements, market growth, industry inroads, resume design, and perhaps even a little insight into the possibility of future employment with his/her company [although, you must remember that you are NOT asking for employment--only for information about a particular career!].
 
 

1. Assess yourself to determine which professions you wish to interview

2.  Research the careers/employers that interest you

3.  Contact the interviewee by letter or by phone
         - Introduce yourself
         - Mention name of referral if appropriate
         - State position you wish to research and why
         - Specify the amount of time necessary for interview [20-30 min.]
         - Determine if they prefer personal, phone, or email interview
         - If given a negative response, ask for referral
         - If given a positive response, verify date, time, location

4.  Develop a list of pertinent questions for both the job and the field such as:
         a.  What degree do you hold and what was your career path?
         b.  What special knowledge, skills, training, experience do you need?
         c.  How has job changed due to market, technology, competition?
         d.  What about surroundings, autonomy, corporate/industry climate?
         e.  How does your company differ from others in this area?
         f.  What do you like most and/or least about your job?
         g.  What are the ups/downs of field?
         h.  What comprises a typical week in this office?
         i.  What is the salary spread from entry-level to advanced placement?
         j.  How did you find this job and do you plan to stay in this field?
         k.  May I have a short tour of your work area?
         l.  Can you refer me to others in this field?
        m.  What can I do to prepare for the next interview?

5.  Dress for the on-site informational interviews as if dressing for an employment interview and carry crisp, clean copies of your resume if you would like interviewer to critique it or if s/he asks for a copy.

6.  Always remember to thank them for their time.  Ask for a business card.  Follow up within 48 hours with a written thank-you note, correctly addressed.

7.  Maintain periodic contact with these interviewees throughout the year by sending holiday cards and by keeping them informed of your personal progress.  Not only have they provided you with invaluable information, they have also become part of your vast employment network!
 

     You researched online and in the library, you interviewed for information with someone directly involved in the line of work that deeply interests you, and now you want an even closer last look at what this work entails.

     Follow the same steps you took in preparing for the Information Interviewing session.  However, you must clearly state that you wish to spend at least half, if not all, the day with the individual.

     Explain that this larger time frame will allow you to better observe the intricate duties of the job, to take note of the work environment, to weigh the pros and cons, and perhaps to have a short question and answer period at the end of the allotted time.

     As after the Information Interview session, you should follow up within 48 hours with a thank-you note, mentioning information you found helpful.