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Researching Professional Fields
Importance
When the time comes to look for a job, your ability to find and land the type of position you want may depend
significantly on the quality and extent of research you have done well in advance. There are three key reasons:
- The degree to which you are in fact qualified for positions will likely be consistent with the degree to which you were aware of the expectations as you began a process of gaining credentials.
- Convincing decision-makers that you are a strong candidate will involve demonstrating familiarity with key issues and trends in the
field. It is wise to keep up on the field through ongoing research, and to do focused research
on an organization at the time of recruitment.
- Many jobs are never publicized. If you are intentional about it, the time you spend researching your chosen field will help enormously: you will have become familiar with times and methods of recruitment, made connections to networks of helpful colleagues, and identified the best sources of information in your field.
Methods and Resources
Start your research by exploring a general field that interests you, gradually narrowing your focus
as you learn about particular organizations and positions.
Here are some excellent methods and resources:
- Realize that we are available to help you with any step of this process.
- If it will help you commit to it, set aside a small block of time each
week to work on your research.
- Set a reasonable scope by focusing on a particular field and type of position you want to learn
about. If you do not do this, your research will seem unending. If you have
trouble defining your scope of interest, contact us for a consultation.
- Explore field research websites linked from our site, and from career offices at other schools related to the field. Also explore websites and materials of specific organizations, as well as independent articles about the organizations.
- Locate good sources of job announcements, and begin to read them regularly, even if you are not seeking a position. Take special note of qualifications required, including
"soft" and "hard" skills.
Also note variations, across organizations, for example.
- Do informational interviews and/or correspond otherwise with professionals in the field. This
can be an enormously fruitful method for finding out about the reality behind
the perceptions. It will also help you make valuable connections, as long as
you keep in touch over time. Be sure to learn some basic information about
the field prior to requesting an informational interview, as this will make
the interview most productive. You can use the Harvard Alumni Association's Crimson Compass to
locate alumni/ae advisors.
- Get connected with appropriate professional associations. Many of these
have special rates for students.
- Read professional journals regularly. To identify the best publications, consult professional associations, colleagues, or a reference librarian in a library related to the field.
- Attend conferences. Find out about these through the journals and professional associations.
- Subscribe to list-serves related to your field.
- Temp, intern, or volunteer. This will not only help you learn about a
field, but is also an excellent way to gain experience and make valuable
connections.
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