3: Barriers to Research and Reflection

The Researching a Purchase activity reveals some of the ways that we typically naturally seek out information to make informed purchase decisions.

So why don’t we always take the time to do our due diligence in researching and informing ourselves in the same way in our career decision-making? What gets in our way? How do we sometimes get in our own way? How might this apply to our clients?

Common Barriers

People may avoid career research or LMI use because of:

Information overload

“There’s too much out there and I don’t know where to start.”
A sense of overwhelm at the volume of available information and sources can be a barrier to beginning any meaningful research.

Information scarcity

“I need very specific information about a field but everything I find is too general.”
An absence of specific, targeted information can make it harder for people to see how the information relates to their particular needs and questions.

Uncertainty

“What’s the point of researching at all when everything is constantly changing?”
The unpredictably and uncertainty of a quickly changing labour market can give rise to a sense that research is futile.

Emotional barriers

“I’m not even qualified to understand this information.”
Anxiety, self-doubt, and fear of making the wrong choice can prevent people from engaging with LMI.

Cognitive shortcuts

“My best friend told me this would be a good direction for me so I’ll just take her advice.”
Relying on familiar advice rather than verified information is a common shortcut.

Effort expectations

“This kind of research would take forever, and I don’t have time for that – I just need a job!”

Researching a purchase feels easier, while researching career choices feel bigger, riskier, and more ambiguous.

Low LMI literacy

“What do you mean by LMI? Don’t I just decide what I want to focus on and start applying for those jobs?”
Clients often don’t know what LMI is, where to find it, or how to interpret it.
This is where we, as CDPs, can help our clients research information that targets a direct need. Specifically, we can help clients transform overwhelming information into something manageable, ask clearer and more purposeful questions, and focus on what is genuinely relevant to their goals. We support clients in interpreting labour market signals and data, understanding the trade-offs involved in different options, and building confidence in their ability to make informed decisions.

Principles for Researching Information

Just like with a purchase, the aim of using information in career decision-making is to help clients make considered decisions that lead to well-informed decisions.

When researching information about training programs, jobs, or career information for decision-making, there are a few key principles to consider:

Consult multiple sources

No single source – including employer websites, job boards, or even LMI dashboards – tells the full story.

Prepare your questions

LMI becomes meaningful only when it answers a real need. Questions help narrow focus and reduce overwhelm.

Balance logic and intuition

Gut feelings matter, but they should be balanced by information and evidence.

Follow your curiosity

Unexpected pathways often emerge when clients explore beyond the first page of search results.

Question the information

Who created it? When? For whom? What might be missing? These are essential LMI literacy skills.

Interpret patterns

Clients need support to see connections between multiple pieces of information, just as they would compare features when purchasing something.

Apply information to personal goals

Information is only useful when grounded in the client’s context, values, constraints, and needs.

Reflect on one principle you use most often in your personal decision-making. How can this strengthen your work with clients’ LMI inquiries? Are there other principles that you would add to this list?

Click the Mark Complete button to continue.

Previous Topic
Back to Module
Next Topic