Published Sources
Interviewing & Job Shadowing
Additional Suggestions

Published Sources
Published sources of job information are a good way of finding a lot of quality information quickly. These sources can include job descriptions based on research performed by government employment offices. Examples of these are the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) and the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) by the US Department of Labor. Canadians will probably want to consult these US sources in addition to the Government of Canada's National Occupational Classification or NOC.

The books listed as "suggested readings" under each of your top three Job Groups in your JVIS Extended Report are also useful resources. The online JVIS Extended Report presents these titles and links them directly to amazon.com, for your convenience. You can also find many of these books in a bookstore or library.

Of course, published information doesn't only refer to books. This information may also be found on the World Wide Web or in other electronic formats. You can conduct your own searches on the Internet for career-related information. We have also provided you with an extensive list of Career Exploration Web Links that you may find helpful. As well, the JVIS Extended Report lists numerous career activities for each of your top three Job Groups. Many of these have related web links.

Published sources may also be found as brochures published by industry or professional associations, education and training program information, and so on. Your JVIS Extended Report provides a list of professional and trade organizations for each of your top three Job Groups. You may want to contact these organizations for more information.

You may find further published information at local public libraries, career and guidance counseling offices, and bookstores.

Interviewing & Job Shadowing
Job analysts are professional job-information seekers. Interviewing is one of the most popular methods they use to obtain job information. The OOH and DOT are based on job analyses, so be sure to make use of these resources. You may also want to conduct your own interviews to get the information you need. We have prepared a guide for conducting your own Job Information Interview. During an information interview you may look into the possibility of observing your interviewee at work for a period of time (e.g., a day). This is called "job shadowing." By job shadowing you can see first hand how the work first done and as well as the work environment. For example, someone interested in police work may arrange for a "ride along" with on-duty police officers.

Be sure not to interfere with the people who are working. A story from an introductory textbook in industrial psychology highlights the importance of this point. One job analyst actually got between the police and the suspects they were chasing allowing the suspects to escape! Luckily, they were later tracked down and caught. If you are able to job shadow, be sure not to get in the way.

Interviewing and Job Shadowing are useful tools. Make sure to verify the information you get with other sources (e.g., published, other job experts). You should also note that they consume much time and effort - both your time and others'. Therefore, you will want to reserve these tools for a short-list of possible career options — the ones that are most appealing or for which information is most difficult to find.

Martin interviews several people in search of career information.

Additional Suggestions

• Attend educational or job fairs.
  
• Talk to a guidance or career counselor.
  
• See if your school or College has a career resource center and use it. Graduates may be allowed to use these resources, too.
  
• Look into community programs and government agencies.
  
• Volunteer in a field that interests you so that you can obtain a better idea of related careers and what the work is like.
  
• Explore your career options by gaining experience in your areas of interest. Hobbies, clubs, part-time jobs, and volunteer work can all help you learn more.
  
• Explore the World Wide Web. Check this site as we link additional Career Exploration Web Links.
  
• Meet with students taking programs you'd like to learn more about.
  
• Speak with academic advisors for educational programs you're considering.
  
• Attend lectures or meet with professors in several areas of interest to learn more about certain fields of study.