Don't do too much research

Today I want to warn you about a potential harm to your job search: too much research.
To understand how something so important to your success can go wrong, you need to know the role research plays in job search.
Put simply, research is the key to decision making. Without adequate information, any decision can be tortuous.
Here's an example from everyday life. Your 15-year-old car is broken again?
Maybe you should just junk it. But wait -- what if the repair is only $100?
Better bring it to a mechanic and find out. Unless you're a mechanic yourself, the decision to keep an old car on the road is nearly impossible to make without the information someone in the business can provide.
Job search and career transition are similarly difficult processes to manage without information. What's the best career for someone with your experience? Is it worth the risk to start at a low salary? Would relocation be smart?
These are just a few of the difficult decisions job seekers and career changers wrestle with. The antidote, research, is powerful and effective.
But, as with any medicine, the side effects can be terrible.
Improper use
Used properly, research will provide information for you to evaluate. Then you will make a decision and move forward in your job search.
This is a good theory with one flaw: Some people don't act once they have gathered information. They may not even recognize that they have enough facts to make a decision. Instead, they continue to bring in new information. Soon the situation is twice as confusing, with no possible decision in sight. And still they keep researching.
Why does this happen? One obvious answer is fear. Another answer is comfort. A prolonged period of research can protect you from the potential disappointment of actually contacting employers.
Comfort is the opposite side of the same coin. Some people like to research.
The task of asking questions and finding answers is comforting, familiar and doable. It's something they can succeed at.
It may seem like the answer is to eliminate research from a job search process. But that would be like going on a diet by never eating. At first you will see progress, but eventually you will wish you had chosen a different solution.
That's because those difficult decisions will still be there. Without at least minimal research, you won't know the salary to negotiate, or the people to contact, or even addresses of employers in your field.
Middle ground
There is a middle ground. To reach it, start with a plan. What information do you need right now for the next step of your job search?
For example, if you don't know what kind of job to go for, you probably need to learn more about your own skills and interests, and then something about the types of work you are suited for. If you already know what you want to do and for which companies, you should start by learning about those firms and their hiring processes.
To conduct your research, use a combination of these methods:
*Broad research: Use the Internet and libraries to read generally about a field. Limit this to only a few hours, then choose a more narrow focus. Don't worry about choosing poorly. You can begin again if the area you've chosen isn't right for you.
*Focused research: If you have chosen an industry or company or profession to learn more about, spend a few hours reading specifically in that area. Start with a list of five to six questions and stop when you have the answers.
*Primary source research: Now you need to talk with people who know about your area of research. You can do this by making phone calls, talking to people at professional association meetings or by conducting e-mail interviews. This is where you should focus most of your research.
*Experiential research: If you're struggling with a vocational choice, you can learn a lot by trying the job. Volunteer in a similar position, or shadow someone else.
The only way to know for sure if a decision is right is hindsight.
XAmy Lindgren, the owner of a career-consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn., can be reached at alindgrenpioneerpress.com.