The Importance of Doing Research
My business partner and I started an HR recruiting business because we’d recognized a need in the New York market that nobody was filling. Our new firm was to be entirely unique, the first recruitment service which helped place temporary/contract professionals as well as permanent candidates. I’ve documented our success more substantially here, but know that our original idea didn’t arise overnight.
It took deliberate and expansive research to both find the market inefficiency our business would rectify, and also to develop and market a model which was flexible enough to meet the needs of our preferred clients. We specifically targeted what firms we wanted to work with, identifying them and their key decision makers through hours upon hours of research. The key to our success was a foundation of research.
Starting/building a business isn’t so dissimilar from starting a job search in that, in both cases, one must discover what is currently absent in the target market and then develop a strategy to fill that gap. The only way we might do such a thing is through self-education and increased understanding. Research is key.
Ideally, you’re researching your market prior to actually applying for any position. You should preliminarily become familiar with as much about the target industry as possible. Look into who the big players are in the market, and how smaller, boutique firms compete. How does a given locale affect the industry? And, most importantly, what do these companies seek in prospective employees, and what are they unable to find?
Not all of these questions can be answered by a Google search. Not all of them should! Though many people shy away from contact with a company’s current employees, this practice doesn’t have to be frightening. In fact, it behooves any applicant to use LinkedIn, company sites, or Facebook groups (not to mention other resources), to find experienced professionals in your industry and reach out to them seeking information. Introduce yourself and who you are. Ask about the industry itself. Ask their opinions about where the industry is at. Ask about what this person would want in a team member. Use their answers to gain expertise in your field before ever sending out an application.
Already, you’ve exceeded the average amount of “research” most applicants engage in. Already, you’ve grown your network. Already, you’ve expanded the specificity of your knowledge. Now it’s time to apply.
Tailor your resumè to mirror the traits you’ve learned are missing from the market. Compose a cover letter which speaks to these specific strengths. You are no longer marching in blindly to each application but utilizing pertinent information provided by industry professionals at relevant companies. That’s a huge difference.
However, not everyone has the confidence or professional knowhow to go about contacting industry professionals themselves. But that’s okay! An interview coach can walk you through the entirety of this process, help you craft outreach emails, advise you on what questions to ask and who to ask them to, and debrief with you afterwards. Helping to fine-tune your written materials is the final touch. Reach out to an interview coach today at www.idealinterviewco.com or by emailing me directly at nancy@idealinterviewco.com.