When you’re looking for a job, it’s crucial that you “do your homework” and do some research on the coveted position, on the company and on the desired candidate profile. Doing this type of in-depth research makes it easier to show an employer that you are the right person for the job and helps to draw links between your skills and the requirements of the position. As an added bonus, you improve your knowledge of the sector and show that you are truly interested in the job.
Below are details about some websites that you may find helpful when researching a position that you’re interested to pursue.
EMPLOI-QUEBEC
First step to increase your knowledge about a particular industry, as well as a specific position, is to visit the Emploi-Québec website.
The site offers a wealth of industry-specific information that is usually up-to-date.
- Under the “Explore a trade or occupation” tab, you can find detailed descriptions of professions, employment perspectives, average salary information by region and other useful information.
- Under the “Find out about a sector of activity” tab, you can learn more about the different sectors of employment available in Québec and organizations associated with them. It may be possible to communicate with some of these organizations and to meet with people who work in the industry. The Emploi-Québec website also allows you to research the specific company that you want to work for.
- Under the “Find a business” tab, you can find out details about nearly all companies in Québec with five or more employees. The company information provided by Emploi-Québec includes their physical address, website, their main business activities and the number of people they employ.
COMITES SECTORIELS DE MAIN-D’OEUVRE (CSMO)
CSMOs can be excellent resources for gaining deeper insight into the industries that interest you. The role of these organizations is to “define the developmental needs of the workforce in a given industry, and support the development of skills to meet those needs”. They take action to support their sector of activity and publish various information related on jobs, statistics, etc.
The 29 CSMOs are:
- Aerospace
- Forest management
- Rubber
- Chemicals, petrochemicals, refining and gas
- Retail business
- Food Trade
- Graphic Communications
- Culture
- Social economy and community action
- Environment
- Industrial metal fabrication
- Ornamental horticulture-marketing and services
- Electrical and electronic industry
- Marine Industry
- Mining industry
- Textile industry
- Metallurgy
- Marine fisheries
- Plastics
- Doors and windows, furniture and kitchen cabinets
- Agricultural production
- Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology
- Automotive services
- Personal care
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Tourism
- Food Processing
- Wood processing
- Truck transport
ICRIQ
Depending on the industry, it may be helpful to visit the industrial information portal of the website of the Centre de Recherche Industrielle du Québec at www.icriq.com. The ICRIQ distributes information about companies to manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and other organizations. On the site you can find interesting information, including the types of products manufactured or distributed, the services offered, professional certifications, territories of operation, number of employees, annual revenues, the names of company’s directors and more.
THE COMPANY WEBSITE
If there’s only one website to visit to research the position you’re interested in, make it the company’s official website. It is imperative to consult and search thoroughly the website of the target company. You will find a lot of information relevant to your approach: mission, values, size, language used, team members and the latest company news.
It’s also helpful to do an online search for news articles about the company. Executive profiles, news reports and even press releases can provide additional insight into the inner workings of the company.
Consider asking people who already work for the company. Most people are more than happy to talk about their job.
In summary, reading and re-reading this information will equip you to approach the human resources department with confidence; you’ll also be able to use the same language, convene on topics of mutual interest and leverage your knowledge to improve your CV before having a face-to-face interview for a job. Ultimately, you will become a convincing – and convinced – candidate.
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