If you followed the exercises in the previous posts, you will have 1) identified the skills that you totally delight using, 2) the vocational personality trait combinations that 3) match your interests and traits to occupations that bring you the greatest satisfaction and achievement. Before we continue, I want to remind you that good career planning begins with your passion, interests, and skills. Do not use today’s post to identify potential or hot jobs and then try to squeeze yourself into them.
How to Navigate the Occupational Outlook Handbook
The Department of Labor publishes the Occupational Outlook Handbook to help you explore careers at www.BLS.gov/oco. You will find the category navigation on the left side of the screen easy to use. Your options include:
- Management
- Professional
- Service
- Sales
- Administrative
- Farming
- Construction
- Installation
- Production
- Transportation
- Armed Forces
- Special Features
Click on the option that interests you. Roll over the option that interests you to reveal the categories. Click on the categories to reveal the list of occupations related to that category.
Information in the Occupational Outlook Handbook
You will find the following information about each occupation listed in the handbook:
- Nature of the Work describes the responsibilities, and working condition typically associated with the occupation
- Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement defines how to qualify for this occupation
- Employment numbers how many people work in various sectors of the occupation
- Job Outlook tells you if the occupation grows “faster than the average”, “about as fast as average”, or “slower than the average.”
- Projections provides a table showing past, present, & future employment numbers
- Earnings describes salaries for the average and top & bottom 10%
- Wages links you to local current wage data
- Related Occupations describes similar occupations
- Sources of Additional Information links you to more information from trade and professional associations
The Occupational Outlook Handbook helps you explore vocational options. Use it to verify the occupation matches your skills, passions, and interests.
Join me Wednesday to discover how the O-Net can help you learn more about occupations
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