How to Use Qualitative Research to Enhance Professional Development
- 1). Take a survey of hiring professionals in your industry about the qualifications they look for in job applicants. Word questions in elaborate, in-depth sentences, as opposed to short questions that elicit a simple yes/no/maybe answer. For example, a person striving to get an entry level job as a copywriter in the advertising industry might probe respondents to select one of three answers, such as: a) an entry level copywriter must have a portfolio of published ads; b) it is not important that an entry level copywriter have a portfolio of published ads; or, c) an entry level copywriter has a better chance at being hired if she has a portfolio that includes published ads.
- 2). Conduct a poll to aid in choosing a career path, such as deciding between a career in front of the camera as a new anchor -- or working behind the scenes as a producer. Recruit professional peers, friends, and family members to see what others think. Frame the questions to elicit a qualitative response, such as -- "I think you have the personality to be a great news anchor," or "I think your decision-making skills are better suited behind the scenes as a producer."
- 3). Interview a variety of people who are currently in your industry, such as a human resources professional, or someone who currently has a position you aspire to get, or employment recruiters and college and university instructors. Develop a list of five or six questions that will only require 10-15 minutes for the interview subjects to answer so you have a better chance of getting them to comply with your interview request. Send them an email or written letter telling them about your professional development research project and ask for an appropriate time to interview them by telephone or in person. Inform them that you will use a small micro-recorder so you will have their interview on tape and be able to pay attention to their answers. Transcribe the interviews for verbatim comments to add to your qualitative research findings and note similarities and differences in answers in order to add to your knowledge base and guide your next steps.
- 4). Search the Internet for job descriptions for the type of occupation you are pursuing. Copy and paste the qualifications section onto a document on your computer to perform a qualitative analysis of job qualifications. Set up a word processing document or an Excel spreadsheet to list your discoveries. Look for similarities in company-describe requirements to use as a guide to find out which qualifications you meet -- and what you need to acquire so that you can increase your chances of obtaining the job you are after.
- 5). Review your findings from your research. Write a summary of overall responses, opinions, and verbatim comments in order to structure the next steps of your professional development plan.
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