Online Resources For Your Career Toolbox
By Heather Zeng
Summer 2007
Literally thousands of online resources are available to help people address essential questions and important decisions concerning their career and work life. However, many of these websites are not particularly effective in matching individuals with their occupational interests or in enlightening job seekers about a chosen career field.
Resources widely used among career counselors, researchers and other professionals interested in occupational statistics are largely untapped by the general public. These resources provide an excellent starting point for individuals seeking to transition into another career field, retire from the military to start a second career, or simply help make a decision to pursue further education or training.
Place these in your career toolbox, and you’ll be well equipped to create your future!
The Occupational Information Network, or O*Net (www.onetcenter.org), was developed by the U.S. Department of Labor as a clearinghouse for current information on specific occupations and the overall job market. Analysts survey a range of employers each year to add the most current descriptions of the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for certain occupations.
Here’s an example: Let’s say you locate an opening in a career field you presently pursue merely as a hobby, such as photography. You know some aspects of the work as a hobby but not as a formal job and would like to pursue this opportunity. Through O*Net, you can access a detailed description of “photographer” to examine the range of competencies required for professionals in the field. Then you can retool your resume to reflect the language of the job and your relevant skill sets. O*Net also may help you recognize gaps in training that you should fill upon deciding to seek a paid position in the field. This ability to “translate and transfer” skill sets can save time in your resume preparation and better target your application to specific interests and openings.
Many employers use an automated process to see if your resume matches keywords that address skills and abilities they are looking for in a certain opening. Finding the descriptions in O*Net will leave no doubt that your description captures this language and meets the requirements!
The Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/oco) is a fine source of information for individuals seeking a broader picture in a particular career field. The Handbook describes the type of training and education needed for a specific occupation, projected average earnings, growth prospects, typical duties and general working conditions. The website also includes an especially helpful area containing addresses and website locations for professional organizations related to specific occupations of interest.
The Occupational Outlook Quarterly (www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/ooqhome.htm), published by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, addresses current topics in careers, work and industry. This publication includes some outstanding articles that can provide help in understanding career fields and their corresponding growth potential, earnings and other trends. The “Grab-bag” section offers quick yet effective career information. Look under “Archives” to see previous publication topics, and you are sure to find something that piques your interest and adds value to your career development.
In addition to these online destinations, One Stop Career Centers offer expert staff and resources through local offices to help individuals make effective career decisions. The Career One Stop website (www.careeronestop.org) complements the nationwide network of offices with resources to help users start a business, assess interests and strengths through career exploration tools, and find the nearest
These resources are largely free for public access and use. It is important to find a qualified counselor who can provide guidance in your career decisions. But the information located here will provide a good start as you launch your career journey.
# # #
Dr. Heather Zeng is a Master Career Counselor and National Board Certified Career Counselor, providing expertise on career development, policy and education. She worked for six years as a guidance counselor to
