What You'll Find:
Researching Companies & Careers Issue
Notes from the Editor
Feature Article: Step-by-Step Guide to Researching Companies
Special Feature: Research Companies and Careers through Job Shadowing
Q&A with a Career Expert Carla Barrett
Quintessential Site: Featured Career Web Site of this Issue
The Career Doctor: Answering Your Questions
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Tips to Guide Your Job Search
Notes from the Editor: About this Issue...
This issue address that often overlooked aspect of the job search, researching companies, and brings you our
step-by-step guide to researching companies, as well as an article on researching companies and careers through
job-shadowing, and a Q&A interview with some research tips.
We got an e-mail this week from a reader who is leaving us, and it gives me an opportunity to talk about our readership
and subscription base. QuintZine is one of the few newsletters where we consider ourselves a success if we lose readers. To give
you an idea what I mean, let me share this reader's e-mail:
"GREAT WEBSITE AND ARTICLES -- I am working again, many thanks
for your very helpful info -- I have told MANY people about your
Web site. I would now like to unsubscribe from the newsletter.
Many thanks, keep up the great work!" -- Karen MacBeath
As you can see, readers often leave us when they've found a job. We consider it a triumph when readers use QuintZine
and Quintessential Careers while job-hunting, succeed in finding a job, and no longer need us.
Our circulation operations are entirely a manual process, so we like it when readers follow the easy unsubscribe instructions
at the end of each QuintZine. And we have to admit that it
hurts our feelings a bit when a copy of QuintZine is bounced
back to us with a message along the lines of "Recipient is not accepting mail from this sender." Since the unsubscribe
process is so easy, there's no need to filter out QuintZine.
After each issue goes out, we get around 75 copies bounced back to us because folks have changed e-mail addresses. It's
nicer when readers tell us they're changing addresses or unsubscribe.
In any case, we're glad you're with us, but if you leave us, we hope it's because you found what you were looking for and
no longer need us. We'll be here if you need us again!
If you live in the Atlanta area, you can catch publisher Randall Hansen talking to high-school students about careers
on Monday, May 12 in Marietta and moderating a discussion on the value of the MBA degree at the AMA Atlanta forum
on Tuesday, May 13.
One of the most important skills a job-seeker can learn during a job-search is research skills. The quality of your
research skills may make or break your job search. So, make the commitment to improve your research skills. You'll find
that that research skills will not only help you in searching for a new job, but will come in handy in many other situations
in the future.
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. 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. This article will take you on a short journey through
the basic steps in conducting company research.
To maximize your job opportunities, you'll need to cover a lot of ground. One way to do that is to post your resume
on all the best job boards, large and small. It may take some time, but it's well worth the effort. If you want
to save 60 hours of research and data entry, consider using professional resume-posting service like
ResumeRabbit.com.
After filling in one simple online form, they'll instantly post your resume on up to 85 of the top career sites at once.
Within minutes you'll be seen on Monster, HotJobs, FlipDog, Dice, CareerBuilder and more, where 1.5 million employers
and recruiters search for candidates daily.
Research Companies and Careers Through Job Shadowing
by Katharine Hansen
The Internet has opened up whole new worlds of
information and is a fantastic resource for researching
companies and careers during a job search. But for all
its wealth of information, even the Internet can't beat
the experience of learning about a company or career by
experiencing it in person in the shadow of a working
professional.
That's the premise behind job-shadowing, an activity that
enables a person to spend some time observing a professional
on the job.
Job-shadowing is often touted as a career-exploration activity
for middle-school and high-school students to help them determine
a career path to follow. Shadowing also helps students see how
their textbook learning can be applied in the real world. But
there is absolutely no reason why college students and older
job-seekers cannot also participate in this invaluable practice.
Based on years of research, the Jackson Vocational Interest
Survey (JVIS) accurately measures your interests, showing how
they relate to the worlds of study and work, and mapping out
your route to an interesting career.
Carla Barrett is the owner of Career Designs, a career and job development firm based in Northern California.
Asked about the most effective methods for company research in our Q&A interview with her, Carla Barrett said: "The quickest
way to get started is by researching the company Web site. "Most large and many small companies now have their
own Web site with lots of information on what they do, how they got started, and what their goals are. You can find most companies
online by typing their name into a search engine. You can also use a Gateway site like
The Riley Guide.
This guide, put together by Margaret F. Dikel, is one of the best sites for doing research on companies. A section
called Targeting
and Researching Employers offers business directories, stock market information, and company reports. If you are not able to find a
Web site for a particular company, you can call them and request an information packet on their products and services," Barrett
advises.
Read more of Barrett's advice, including an effective offline
method for conducting company research, the three biggest
job-seeker mistakes, story-telling as a way of finding your
ideal career path, and how to stand out in a tough market, in our
Q&A with her.
While this site centers around a one-day job-shadowing event that ties in with Groundhog's Day, it is also
a rich resource on the concept of job-shadowing, in which students and others "shadow" workplace mentors as they go through a normal
day on the job. Job Shadowing is led by the National Job Shadow Coalition.
The site offers a free newsletter, a job-shadowing brochure, current news about job-shadowing, links to career tips
and resources through co-sponsor Monster.com, and a comprehensive downloadable guide for employers, students, parents, and educators
interested in organizing a job-shadow day.
Instantly email your resume to 1000s of recruiters,
headhunters, and direct hiring companies! With the most
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net, you can rest assured you have taken the steps
necessary to jump start your search. We are so sure
you will be happy that we guarantee our service!
FindYourSpot.com --
a great site for those job-seekers considering relocating. By taking a multiple question
quiz on your preference to a variety of subjects (such as cost of living, entertainment and culture, crime
rates, etc.), you get a collection of cities and towns that match your interests. Free to job-seekers.
SEEK.com.au -- a great site for job-seekers searching for jobs
in Australia -- with more than 35,000 job postings. Job-seekers can search job listings
(by occupation, industry, work type, location, keyword) as well as post your resume and register for a email job alert.
Also includes a strong collection of career resources and employer profiles. Free to job-seekers.
Western New York Jobs -- for job-seekers looking for employment in the
Buffalo and Rochester areas of upstate New York. Job-seekers can search for jobs (by job category and keywords)
as well as post your resume. Also includes an email job alert and company profiles of featured employers.
Free to job-seekers.
WillTrainJobs.com -- where job-seekers will find job listings
from employers that provide detailed training and specialization programs for new hires. Many job
and internship postings require little or no experience. Job-seekers can browse or
search postings (by job category, state, and keywords). Free to job-seekers.
Find even more career and job site additions to Quintessential Careers by visiting our
Latest Additions section.
Ad: The Last Job Search Guide You'll Ever Need
College students and new grads should check out this e-book,
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How to Find -- and Get -- The Job or Internship of Your Dreams!
The book contains must-read contributions from 149 of North America's top employment experts
and is available risk-free for 90 days.
Judith writes: "I don't know what I am doing wrong. I have been able to get a few job interviews, but I never get beyond
the first interview. One of the interviewers told me that I did not seem interested in the company -- that I didn't know anything
about the company . . . but how am I supposed to? Please help me. I haven't worked in almost a year."
Josie writes: "I am writing because I don't know where I am going wrong. I recently graduated with a B.S. in biology
and had hopes to do something related in either the animal field or environmental field of biology. It seems no matter what search
engine I use, there is never anything listed even under 'job categories' that is closely related to what I want to do. What
am I doing wrong? Where do I go to look for something in my field or are there just no jobs posted?"
Rachel writes: "I am 15 and in the 10th grade. Since I only have two more years left to really do my career planning
and college planning, I was wondering if you could help me. I would really love to become a magazine editor, and I'm just not
sure where to start. For instance, what I should major in?"
Anonymous writes: "After being laid off for a little over three months, I accepted the first job offer I received. It was
a decent offer, but throughout the interview process I was not comfortable with the people, place, or the job. However, due
to personal circumstances (financial), I accepted the offer. After a week, I quit. Now I am not sure what I should do. Certainly
I will not use this company as a reference, but I'm questioning if I am in the right industry and where to go from here. Can you offer
me any insights?"
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Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
In a recent study by CareerBuilder.com of 290 hiring managers
across the U.S., 71 percent preferred a resume customized for the
open position.
Jobs may be opening up in the federal sector before long. More than a third of federal employees say they are
thinking about leaving their jobs as the Bush administration considers allowing private industry to bid for more government
work, according to a recent survey, as reported by Jonathan D. Salant of the Associated Press. While most federal workers like
their jobs and say pay and benefits are OK, 35 percent of respondents said they might leave anyway.
Researching companies is especially important in the post-Enron/WorldCom era and at a time of frequent
bankruptcies and downsizings. CareerBuilder.com suggests conducting research that addresses these questions before
you make your next job leap:
How old is the company? How long has it been in business?
Is it a historically profitable business? Does the firm take in revenue or is it financed with venture capital funds while
trying to make the "next big thing?"
Is the accounting department stable?
Do employees enjoy their work experience?
Does the company serve more than one industry?
Are the company's customers diverse and numerous, or does the bulk of the company's revenue come from one client?
If your school, organization, business or other
entity has a Web site, we welcome you to link to Quintessential Careers.
If you already have a link from your site, we want you to know we
appreciate it. If you don't have a link to us, please
send a request to your site's Webmaster to establish a
link to Quintessential Careers. Thanks so much!
For more details (including sample HTML copy), see our
Link to Us page.
QuintZine: Topics in Upcoming Issues
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming
issues of QuintZine:
* The interview as sales call
* Getting the raise you deserve
* 10 things I wish I'd known before starting my first job
* Letters of recommendation
* 10 job-search reality checks
* Is job flexibility right for you?
* First days on the job: Strategies to get ahead
* Dealing with a bad boss
* Making your case for telecommuting
* Don't wait by the phone: Following up on all job leads
* Dining etiquette
* The relationship between personality and career choice
* What employers are really looking for
* New series: 10 mistakes to avoid in: resumes, cover letters, interviews, salary
negotiation, career change, networking, job-search
* Quintessential Career Profiles of YOU, our readers
* Q&As with well-known career experts
* Book reviews
. . . and much, much more!
Quintessential Careers also offers writing services
for those who have been asked to give a speech and
need assistance in researching and writing their
remarks.
Need a speaker for your career-oriented conference or
event at your college or organization? The Quintessential
Careers Speakers Bureau can help! Our quintessential experts
can provide presentations/workshops on a variety of
career-related topics.
