When mapping out your career, at any stage, the road you plan is often very linear and that path is clear. However in reality, your path is not as clear or as linear as you anticipate. Opportunities can be found that never existed before. For instance, 15 years ago, the idea of a person with the job title “Product Evangelist” was unheard of, but now you can find people with that title at most tech companies

Whether it be a new type of role based on technology advancements, or a role that previously lacked visibility, if you are exploring opportunities, it is best to not leave a stone unturned. However, how do you find such opportunities?

Here are a few places to get started:

1. LinkedIn –

   1. People searches – Look for people with backgrounds similar to you, and see where they are now. What industries, what companies, what titles? What was their path to their current position?

   2. Company searches – Look at companies you are interested in, but also at their vendors and clients. Then see who they also sell to or buy from. This will expose you to the entire value chain of an industry you’re interested in, rather than just a higher-profile portion of it.

   3. Keep your profile up to date –Recruiters search for people on LinkedIn, and might have the posting that is ideal for you.
       

2. Job Postings – Look at postings for people with your background and education. Do so with an open mind (do not filter out location, industry, company or salary). This is your chance to see what the market is really offering. Have you left a stone unturned, it will not feel like it if you’ve truly done these searches well! Indeed, Glassdoor, RelishMBA and LinkedIn are great places to start

3. Conferences – While conferences can be expensive to attend, there is so much to be gained from keynotes, sessions, and networking events. By attending, you can open networking and research opportunities that most others overlook.

4. Articles and Publications – Let others do your research. Find out about the trends, the players and the future by keeping abreast with the news and articles.
    

   1. Start an Initial Search: When conducting your initial search to bluesky what industries might be of interest to you, there is almost an overwhelming number of resources to consider:

      • Search for Coursera industry-focused courses that might appeal to you

      • Industry Associations are a great way to start understanding various career industries

      • In Yahoo Finance, you can look at Industries and the Industry Index to start learning about various industries. Once within a specific industry, look at news, top performers, industry calendar, industry statistics or look to other related industries listed.

        • Here’s an example: Aerospace/Defense industry

      • Crunchbase lists companies it tracks within industries. This is a great way to see VC funding trends in certain industries and can highlight interesting industries for you to look into further.

      • Morningstar offers Company Dossier Reports

      • Utilize Linkedin.com/edu if offered by your school - read Finding Direction in LinkedIn Profiles

      • Leverage your university’s Career Center (or Alumni access for the career center, if you’ve graduated)
         

   2. Conduct an In-depth Search: Learn even more detail about specific industries using these resources below:

      • Bloomberg, Thompson-Reuters

      • Bureau of Labor & Statistics

      • Fuld & Company: an excellent source of information on a wide range of industries.

      • Gartner Magic quadrant or Forrester wave or other analyst research sites: these offer research on companies in various industries

      • Advisory Board: offers more detail on healthcare industries

Once you find out more about previously unknown jobs, be sure to go back to your ProValues profile to confirm it is a fit for your career values and minimum job requirements.

Happy hunting!