UI 100 - First Year Seminar - McAllister, Charles

The United States Department of Labor operates or sponsors a number of valuable websites related to career information.

Image credit: Seal of the United States Department of Labor, image in the public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Occupational Outlook Handbook

Operated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) is an incredible source of basic career information.

Covers

• Typical job duties
• Required education and training
• Salaries
• Employment numbers and job growth
• What industries those in the career work in

You can browse occupations in the OOH by category, education, average pay, and projected job growth.

O*Net Online

O*Net Online is a great site for learning about occupations.

Covers

• Typical work activities in a career
• Beneficial skills & work styles
• Necessary education and credentialing
• Similar careers

O*Net lets you search for careers based on criteria such as areas of the economy, amount of preparation needed, growth outlook in the field, and more. It is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop is a great, quick guide to all aspects of the career search. 

Covers

• What you would do in a career
• Educational and licensing requirements
• Necessary skills and competencies
• Job outlook and salary information, including comparisons between national information and that on a state or local level

CareerOneStop is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.

Whatever career you are considering, there is probably a trade, industry, or professional association connected to it. There are associations for professions and occupations (such as graphic artists, nurses, and university professors) as well as industries and areas of employment (such as marketing, sports & fitness, and museums).

These associations can be a great place to learn about a career. Their sites will overview their sector and provide basic information about the area. They often provide updates about new trends and events. They may have career sections with advice and information about educational requirements and credentials.  Many of them also have job postings so that you can see what opportunities are out there.

Finding Associations

• Do a web search for a career you are interested in and "association" to try to find one.
• The "More Info" tab in the Occupational Outlook Handbook (above) for an occupation may list related associations. 
• The Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance also incudes a list of related associations at the end of each of its articles about a career. 

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