Career Research Beyond Google
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
What will we cover today?
Part One: Why?
 The reality of today’s market
 Published versus hidden job market
 Why is career research critical to your job search
Part Two: How?
 Identify companies and competitors in your industry
 Basic use of the library services @ McMaster
 Identify key business / career resources
 Practice!
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
The Job Search Process
CAREER
EXPLORATION
& SELF-ASSESSMENT
IDENTIFY
Immediate or
Long Term Goals
SEARCH
for opportunities
APPLY
to available or
potential jobs
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Reality of Today’s Job Market
Published Job Market
15%
85%
•Newspapers
•Internet
•Agencies
Hidden Job Market
•Family
•Friends
•Professors
•Former Employers
•Word of Mouth/Referral
Source: 2003 McMaster Alumni Survey
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Why is Career Research important?
 Career Exploration: connect with others of similar
backgrounds and interests
 Access the hidden job market: more opportunity and less
competition than the published market
 Identify potential companies; typical entry positions; market
demand and salaries
 Preparation: define the ideal candidate and plan further skill
development and experiences; training and education
required
 Company and industry preparation: the prepared interview
candidate increases the odds of winning the interview
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Library e-Resources
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McMaster subscribes to hundreds of licensed databases
Annually spend $3M on e-Resources
Access – currently registered students, staff and faculty
Use your MAC ID to access the library resources in the
library or off-campus
 To register for your MAC ID, go to MUGSI
https://mugsi.mcmaster.ca
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Web site @ Innis Library
 Your starting point for all business information and eResources:
 http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
 Not sure which databases to try first?
 Top Business Databases at McMaster
http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis/topbusiness.htm
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Access through Innis Library Web Site
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Finding Company Information
Company Directories:
 Comprehensive list of companies by industry
 Limit your results by geographic area
 Key company information:
 location, contact information, number of
employees, sales, year established, names of
key executives
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Canadian Company Directories
 Canadian Business Database
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One of the most comprehensive lists of Canadian
companies, public and private
 Search by name, geography, SIC code and more!
 2008 Canadian Key Business Directory
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Includes largest companies in Canada
 Search by name or SIC code
 Scott’s Manufacturing Directories
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Covers manufacturing companies in Canada
 Search by name or NAICS code
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Specialized Company Information:
Print Sources
 Check out these print resources for company info:
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Career Directory - Identifies Canada’s 1,000 best employers for recent
college and university graduates
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Canada’s Top 100 Employers - Profiles Canadian employers with the
most innovative workplaces & progressive HR policies
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Blue Book of Canadian Business - Major company profiles and
executive bios
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International Directory of Company Histories - Profiles hundreds of
significant companies from around the world. Entries include information
on company history, organization, philosophy and resources for further
reading.
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Exercise 1: Canada’s Top 100 Employers
1. Go to Innis Library home page
http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
2. Do an ‘Anywhere’ search in the Library Catalogue for the book:
Canada’s Top 100 Employers
3. Click ‘Link to online resource’ – look at the website
4. Look at the print copy
Questions:
 How are the web site and book different?
 Was there any information that you found in one that you could not find
in the other?
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Industry Associations
 Great place to find career info
 Best source: Associations Canada
 Online database with details on over 19,000 Canadian
organizations and international groups
 Includes industry, commercial, registered charities, special
interest and non-profit groups
 Innis library has the print edition for in library use only
 Location: INNIS Reference HS 17 .A88 2008
 Online version available (need to login with Mac ID)
 http://tinyurl.com/282k88 (link to catalogue record)
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
News, Company, and Industry Sources
Factiva
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Access to current issues of the Globe & Mail and other newspapers from
around the world
Up-to-date industry/company information
Lexis Nexis
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Contains news, legal, and business modules
Includes Hoover’s company profiles
Business Source Complete
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Full-text business database (11,000+ sources)
Includes international industry reports and company SWOT analyses
Canadian Business Database
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Excellent resource for finding company information
Searchable by SIC Code
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
More News, Company, and Industry Sources…
Mergent Online
 Business & financial information for publicly traded companies
worldwide
 Industry reports covering U.S. & Canada
Standard & Poor’s Industry Surveys
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Industry reports covering over 50 industries in the United States
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In print, available at Innis Library only (Reference HG 4961.S73)
FP.infomart.ca
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Canadian source for company and industry
 Mainly publicly traded companies
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
And yet more News, Company, and Industry
Sources…
Business Monitor Online
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Provides country risk, industry and competitive intelligence.
FAITS (Faulkner Advisory for IT Studies)
 Provides hundreds of industry reports and company profiles related to
information technology worldwide.
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Exercise 2: Use Factiva and Lexis Nexis to find Company
Information
Factiva: Select the Companies /
Markets tab
1. Select Company (can also search
by Stock symbol or RIC code)
2. Enter the name of a company
(e.g. Google) and hit search
3. Select the company in the results
list to read detailed info about the
company, such as stock price
activity, company contacts,
competitors, and recent news
Lexis Nexis:
1. On the main search screen, click
Business in the toolbar
2. On the Company Profiles search
screen, go to the Enter Search
Terms box and type: SIC (2082!)
and Canada
3. In the Sources menu, select
International Company Reports
4. Hit Search.
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Exercise 3: Locate an Industry Report and a
company SWOT analysis
To connect to Business Source Complete, on the library home page, type BSC in the
Databases search box and hit Go. Then click on the title to connect to the database
Task 1: Find an Industry Report for an industry you are interested in
1. Under Browse section on right, click Industry Profiles
2. Next to Browse for: enter the name of an industry (e.g. oil)
3. Select the By Title, Subject & Description radio button
4. Click on Browse button
Task 2: Find a SWOT analysis for a company you are interested in
1. Under Browse section on right, click SWOT Analyses
2. Next to Browse for: enter the name of a company (e.g. Halliburton)
3. Select the By Title, Subject & Description radio button
4. Click on Browse button
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Career Information – Where to begin
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Center for Business Career Development (DSB 112)
Career Cruising - http://careers.mcmaster.ca
Access to information on occupations, career pathways and valuable
resources. Includes CareerLINKS – online mentorship database
Career Matters (Independent Learning Centre TVO) http://www.ilc.org/cfmx/CM/
Job Futures (Services Canada) - http://jobfutures.ca/en/home.shtml
Occupational Outlook Handbook (US Dept. of Labor) http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm
The Riley Guide - http://www.rileyguide.com/
Employment opportunities and job resources
Subject Guide for Business Employment (UBC)
http://toby.library.ubc.ca/subjects/subjpage2.cfm?id=419
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Salary Information
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Salary.com http://www.salary.com/home/layoutscripts/homl_display.asp
salary profiles, breaks down by industry, position and level; searchable by
metropolitan city (US)
Payscale.com - http://payscale.com/mypayscale.aspx
create customized profiles (International)
Salary Calculator http://www.homefair.com/Find_A_Place/Calculators/SalaryCalc/index.a
sp
Compare cost of living in US cities
Monster Salary Wizard - http://salary.monster.ca/
Search by job, province or metropolitan area (Canadian)
Labour Market Information – Wages & Salaries
http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca/ (Canadian)
Associations
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Avoid the “Google” Trap
 Google (and other search engines) only provide access to
FREE information
 Use McMaster’s databases (Factiva, Mergent Online) to
access value added content
 Off-campus access supported
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Stay current…and succeed
Stay current
 Read key publications in your field
 Read current business papers including Globe &Mail and
the National Post (Financial Post)
 Check Innis Library website for new books, new products and new
trials
Start from Innis Library Web Site:
http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
 Subscribe to Library news via RSS feed:
http://library.mcmaster.ca/php/blog.php?id=94&display=full
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Need Help with Your Career Research?
Innis Library (KTH-108)

Research Help Desk ext. 23318 or email innisref@mcmaster.ca
During the summer, assistance available: Monday to Friday 10am-12pm
2pm-4pm or by appointment
Centre for Career Business Development (DSB 112)
 Your first contact for career-related advice
 Get help with your resume, cover letter
 Practice, practice, practice
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis
Questions?
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Innis Library – McMaster University – http://library.mcmaster.ca/innis