Researching your Career Path

You may have done a career assessment to help unpack the types of fields you’d like to explore, but there’s still more work ahead to develop a strong plan that will get you moving forward.

When considering or deciding to make a career change, it’s a good idea to do some research to see where these jobs are and what’s involved. This may seem like a daunting task, but there are a few ways to break this down so it may not feel as challenging:

• Talk to people: connect with people on LinkedIn or through other networks to ask them about their job. It can be scary to start these conversations, but people are surprisingly receptive to having quick conversations to share information. Spending a few minutes to come up with some questions can help you have a targeted 15-20-minute conversation and may give you some action items to research or reasons to follow up with the person again for another chat.
• Participate in career specific groups or spend some time reviewing the websites and profiles of people in those fields. Their recent professional development, or articles that they’ve posted may help shed some light on relevant areas for your decision making and professional growth.
• Job boards can be a good tool to help you see recent information on the types of skills or requirements needed by an employer. Depending on what’s listed you may need to retrain through programs like Second Career, or there may be short-term training links that we can help you connect to so you can meet their requirements.
• If you’ve previously attended a post-secondary institution, explore the Alumni services available within the school. This may be a hidden pocket of job opportunities and Program Advisors can recommend companies who have hired or done internships with them in the past.

No matter what stage you’re at in the transition of your career, we are here to provide tips and strategies to help you through. Our experienced staff can build on what you’ve already done, boost your confidence to connect with others and share resources that will get you closer to the positions you’re interested in.