Learn to use your contacts:develop the art of netwoking

E.g. you have a person's name as a contact for you to begin your information gathering.

• A contact is any person in your personal or business life who can be of assistance to you in finding out or obtaining your next job.
• A referral is any person to whom you are referred by an original contact and comes about therefore, by introduction.

Be resourceful when trying to find people who would be useful contacts:

• Try family and friends.
• Ask lecturers, tutors and career advisers.
• Contact university alumni (universities usually have a person who keeps in touch with graduates and may know what type of work they are doing).
• Some professional bodies have regional representatives who take responsibility for liaising with potential applicants.

Results - Your research could produce any of the following :

• Contacts that lead to employment.
• A decision that this is not the right type of work for you.
• The realisation that an associated career is more appropriate for you.
• The realisation that you may be more likely to earn a living by working freelance or being self-employed.